Halifax NA569 at Burn airfield.
During the evening of 23rd October 1944 this 578 Squadron aircraft was flown on an operational flight to bomb Essen and took off from Burn airfield at 16.33hrs. The crew released the bomb load from 19,500 feet at 19.45hrs. On the return flight the port outer engine's throttle rod broke which meant that prior to landing the power could not be reduced. At 21.45hrs the aircraft landed at Burn with far more power being applied to the port side of the aircraft, this caused a swing to develop and this could not be corrected. Eventually the strain caused the undercarriage to collapse and the port outer engine caught fire.
Pilot - F/O John William Driver RAFVR (178881).
Navigator - Sgt William James McKnight RAFVR (1482492).
Air Bomber - F/Sgt William Charles Henry Vines RAFVR (1585120).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Gordon Albert Ronald King RAFVR (1332953).
Flight Engineer - P/O Albert Joseph Gwyn Vines RAFVR (185067).
Air Gunner - F/Sgt Bertie Thomas Rhys Griffiths RAFVR (983111).
Air Gunner - Sgt Thomas McCormick RAFVR (1686206).