Lancaster PB784 at Full Sutton airfield.
On the night of 14th / 15th January 1945 the crew of this 57 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb Merseburge and this aircraft took off from East Kirkby airfield in Lincolnshire at 16.14hrs. The crew released their bomb load and made the return flight towards Lincolnshire. On their return the weather was deemed too bad for any of the East Kirkby aircraft to land there. 57 Squadron crews were diverted to Full Sutton while fellow East Kirkby residents 630 Squadron were diverted to Tholthorpe. All the returning 57 Squadron aircraft landed safely at Full Sutton with Lancaster PB784 landing at 02.06hrs. At 02.20hrs, Lancaster PB784 was stopped suddenly on the perimeter track under the guidance of a marshalling airman, unfortunately the rear landing light that should have been on to warn following aircraft of it's presence was not switched on and Lancaster LL940 taxied into the back of PB784. Both aircraft were slightly damaged. Of the fifteen 57 Squadron aircraft that were diverted and landed at Full Sutton, thirteen plus one of the slightly damaged ones returned to East Kirkby the following day, the other damaged one must have been repaired on site at Full Sutton and was flown back on 19th January 1945. The 57 Squadron orb states that the crew listed below flew Lancaster ND412 yet there is an AM Form 1180 that states F/O Ross and crew were in PB784.
Pilot - F/O Andrew Ross RAFVR (182749).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Ron Legg.
Navigator - F/Sgt W Talmadge.
Bomb Aimer - F/Lt Jack Honniball RAFVR (130213).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt W Darby.
Air Gunner - F/Sgt J Thompson.
Air Gunner - F/Sgt G Horne.