Halifax MZ366 near North Frodingham.

On 6th January 1945 the crew of this 158 Squadron aircraft took off from Lissett airfield at around 16.00hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Hanau. Returning crew reported that there was thick cloud cover was present over the target area. One of the engines had failed on the return flight and on their return to Lissett this aircraft attempted to overshoot and opened up the throttles but the aircraft sank back towards the ground and then crash landed at 22.15hrs a few miles south west of the airfield. The aircraft crashed into a field behind the Blue Post Inn at North Frodingham and while the aircraft caught fire on crashing all on board either escaped or were pulled clear. The aircraft was totally destroyed as a result and sadly one of the crew would die of his injuries. Air historians Albert Pritchard, Rodney Robinson and Ken Reast located small fragments on the surface at the crash site in September 1997 with permission from the landowner, confirming the crash location.

Bomb Aimer - Sgt Kenneth William Thomas Sutton RAFVR (474543), aged 26. Born St.Neots. Buried Southport Churchyard, Lancashire.

Pilot - P/O Keith McKenzie Anderson RAAF (424079). Slightly injured.

Flight Engineer - Sgt Richard Cecil Mundy RAFVR (3030569).

Naviagtor - Sgt Harry Lomas RAFVR (1621875).

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Leslie Lamb RAFVR (2204670).

Air Gunner - Sgt Stanley Denis Till RAFVR (1866748?).

Air Gunner - Sgt George Oliver Tuohy RAFVR (3030749).

Keith Anderson was born on 8th June 1922 at Footscray, Victoria, Australia but later moved of Wollstonecraft, Sydney, Australia. He enlisted for RAAF service on 21st July 1942 in Sydney and after basic training in Australia was posted to Canada to continue his training as a pilot and gaining his wings 17th September 1943. On arrival in the UK he trained at 20 (P)AFU, 21 OTU and 1663 HCU before posting to 158 Squadron on 3rd December 1944. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on 2nd January 1945. For service with 158 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted way later on 25th September 1945, the citation for which states.. "F/O Anderson has completed numerous operations against the enemy in the course of which he has invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, Courage and devotion to duty". He served with 158 Squadron until posting to 466 Squadron on 28th May 1945 (which was around the time many of the Bomber Command squadrons were starting to be wound up). Post-war he returned home to Australia and left the RAAF on 22nd February 1946. He died in March 2015.
Harry Lomas was awarded the DFM for serice with 158 Squadron, Gazetted on 4th December 1945. He later wrote the book "One Wing High".

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