Halifax MZ761 damaged by enemy action, returned to Breighton airfield.
On the evening of 6th January 1945 the crew of this 78 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb Hanau. They took off from Breighton at 15.32hrs and released their bomb load at 19.13hrs from 18,000 feet but released them on target markers due to thick cloud obscuring the ground view. During the course of the flight the aircraft received damage due to enemy action, the squadron records state that extensive (but minor Cat.Ac) damage to the mainplane was sustained. Despite this damage the crew brought the aircraft back to Breighton and landed at 22.31hrs. The squadron records do not list this specific aircraft as being damaged but the aircraft and pilot's name is given in a No.4 Group damage return form found in the Australian National Archives.
Pilot - F/O Victor Crawford North RCAF (J/35866).
Navigator - F/O Clifford Henry Leffler RCAF (J/40432).
Bomb Aimer - F/O Gilbert Mace Sissons RCAF (J/40073).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt John Craig RAFVR (1822760).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Ceceil Edward George Sidney Hawkins RAFVR (1824398).
Air Gunner - Sgt William C Raycraft RCAF (R/257600).
Air Gunner - Sgt Stanley Heather RCAF (R/118904).