Lancaster PB117 damaged in the air, landed at Carnaby airfield.
On 16th September 1944 the crew of this 460 Squadron aircraft were to fly an operational flight to bomb Rheine airfield and they took off from Binbrook at 00.55hrs. Outbound, just after making a turn at a
turning point some 65 miles before reaching the target the aircraft collided with Lancaster PB266, also from 460 Squadron. PB266 was flying ahead of PB117 and made the turn first, it was seen by the mid
upper gunner of PB117 to be heading toward his aircraft so he gave the order to climb but PB266 hit PB117 in the area of underside of the rear fuselage cutting connections to the rear turret. PB266 began to loose
height rapidly so the crew did not continue to the target, they turned off and later landed at Manston airfield. The crew of PB117 found the aircraft to still be flyable so continued to the target. They released
their bomb load from 16,000 feet at 02.50hrs and made for England and eventually diverted to Carnaby airfield where they landed at 04.45hrs. The pilot was later awarded the DFC for service with 460 Squadron and
his citation referred to the events that occurred on this flight.
Lancaster PB117 had a Cat.Ac/FB damage assessment made against it following landing at Carnaby. It was repaired on site and was returned to 460 Squadron on 22nd November 1944 at Binbrook. The Carnaby airfield record book
gives the date for this incident as being 17th September 1944.
Pilot - F/O Archibald Wiseman Campbell RAAF (410046).
Flight Engineer - Sgt L N Meeking RAF.
Air Bomber - F/Sgt George Kenneth Llewellyn Clark RAAF (426314).
Navigator - P/O Leslie Vivian Tardent RAAF (426443).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt Sidney Frederick Hansen RAAF (427506).
Air Gunner - P/O John Michael Griffin RAAF (423459).
Air Gunner - F/Sgt Alan Gibson Brown RAAF (424959).