Halifax MZ793 damaged in the air, landed at Carnaby airfield.
On the evening of 1st January 1945 this 10 Squadron aircraft was to be flown on an operational flight to bomb Dortmund and took off from Melbourne at 16.21hrs. The port outer engine began to emit smoke five minutes after taking off, the crew suspected a minor oil leak so continued the flight. Ninety minutes into the flight the problem with the engine got worse eventually leading to the engine catching fire. The pilot attempted to feather the propeller but this was not possible. Although the fire was put out using the internal Graviner fire extinguishing system, the propeller was unable to be fully feathered so continued to windmill. The crew flew back to Carnaby on three engines and landed safely at 19.02hrs.
Pilot - F/O Herbert George Hurrell RAFVR (161995).
Navigator - Sgt A F H Nickels.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt E J Summerfield.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt H J Webb.
Air Gunner - Sgt R G Hyslop.
Flight Engineer - Sgt R Stokes.
Air Gunner - Sgt Horace Edwin Whyles RAFVR (1881251).