Halifax LW414 at Topcliffe airfield.

On 7th February 1945 this 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit Halifax had been damaged at Topcliffe airfield when the starboard undercarriage leg failed to lower when the aircraft was about to be landed at Topcliffe. The pilot made a landing using the main port undercarriage leg but as the aircraft slowed the starboard wing dropped and it came to rest touching the ground. The engines on the starboard side and the lower side of the starboard wing and fuselage sustained some damage. The aircraft was later taken from where it had come to rest and placed inside a hanger. Earlier in the war this aircraft had served with 425 Squadron and carried the nose art "Easy Does It".

By 13th February 1945 work was started to repair the aircraft in Hanger No.3 at Topcliffe airfield, the engines had been removed and fuel drained from the aircraft to make it lighter to lift. At 15.45hrs on 13th February 1945 work was underway inside the hanger to investigate why the starboard undercarriage leg had failed to lower. The port wing had already been placed on a small jack while the bomb bay had a substantial jack/hoist risen inside it taking most of the weight. The plan had been to raise up the Halifax enough on the starboard side so that the main undercarriage leg would have enough height to lower fully. A hook on a crane was then attached to the starboard wing but as the lift began the aircraft rose beyond what the centre heavy duty jack was supporting so that the weight of the port side was held only by the port wing jack. The crane lifting then effectively dragged the whole aircraft slightly to one side resulting in the port wing jack collapsing. Two air frame mechanics were working close to the aircraft and were struck by the Halifax and the collapsing jack, sadly one died shortly afterwards from the injuries he sustained.

Air Frame Mechanic - LAC Vernon Gilbert Mattson RCAF (R/202907), aged 20, of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/G/3).

Air Frame Mechanic (Chief Technical Officer) - W/Co Henry Cecil Givins MiD RCAF (C/4379). Injured.

Air Frame Mechanic - Cpl M Caplan RCAF (R/103479). Injured.

Vernon Mattson was born on 25th January 1925 at Richmond, Saskatchewan, Canada and was the son of Hans and Bertha Christine (nee Olson) Mattson. He grew up in Saskatchewan and worked with his father on the family farm until 1941. In 1942 he moved to Medicine Hat, Alberta to work as a farm labourer and was doing this until enlisting for RCAF service on 2nd December 1942 in Calgary. He had been in the UK since January 1944 and had served at 1659 HCU since February 1944.
Henry Givins was born on 1910 at London, Ontario, Canada. He received a Mention in Despatches on 8th June 1944, probably for his long work in overseeing the servicing of aircraft. He would later return to Canada and died in 1983.

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