On the night of 3rd / 4th March 1945 the Luftwaffe operation named "Gisela" was put into being. This involved over one hundred Junkers Ju88 aircraft following the returning bomber force to England that had attacked targets including Kamen and Ladbergen. The Allied bombers were followed back to their bases and in near perfect skies the night-fighters picked off many bombers as they approached landings with their navigation lights switched on. The number of Ju88s over North Yorkshire isn't known but must have been only a handful.
The Skipton on Swale station orb begins in stating that at 00.45hrs they received information to say that two aircraft belonging to No.4 Group were to be diverted to land at Skipton on Swale because of intruder activity at their parent bases. This notification was rather late in coming as aircraft had already been shot down by this time. At 01.50hrs a 10 Squadron aircraft (Halifax HX327) landed safely at Skipton on Swale. A 77 Squadron aircraft (Halifax MZ769) then sighted an enemy aircraft while it was flying in the circuit of Skipton on Swale airfield, the pilot of the Halifax took evasive action and landed safely at 01.58hrs but with the enemy aircraft straffing it with cannon shells. No damage to the 77 Squadron aircraft occurred so I have not listed it's crew here. The enemy aircraft then continued to straff No.2 Hanger (where a 433 Squadron Halifax was slightly damaged), the radar hut of 433 Squadron and a dispersal point where a second 433 Squadron Halifax was slightly damaged. The enemy aircraft then flew off. No personnel were injured in the attack.
The identities of the two damaged 433 Squadron Halifaxes at Skipton on Swale airfield are not yet known.
It's fair to say that the Junkers Ju88 piloted by Lt Arnold Döring, of 10/NJG3, appears to have been the only one who is recorded as having success in the general Dishforth / Thirsk area on this night and the timings for the attack on Skipton on Swale airfield seem to fit. Halifax HX332 was shot down near Minskip at 01.40hrs by Lt. Doring. Doring then attacked a 1664 HCU Halifax NA612 which was shot down near Brafferton at 01.44hrs. He then attacked another 1664 Halifax MZ654 that was making an approach to land at Dishforth and damaged it. The times fit for him attacking Skipton on Swale. He then straffed Topcliffe airfield killing a WAAF, then a train near Husthwaite killing an off-duty member of railway staff and finally he was probably the pilot who straffed Wombleton airfield that caused little damage.