Halifax B.VI RG559 at Pocklington airfield.

The details as to exactly what was happening on 21st September 1945 to this aircraft has never been fully documented. It's AM Form 78 states it was on the books with 466 Squadron on this date but the accident card AM Form 1180 gives it being on charge with 346 Squadron and that the purpose of the flight was a ferry flight. I therefore make the assumption that it had just left 466 Squadron at Bassingbourn and join 346 Squadron at Elvington. The ferry flight was begun at around 13.48hrs but whether this actual flight begun at Bassingbourn because after only thirty minutes flying time it was flying in a thunderstorm with heavy rain while and attempting a landing at Pocklington airfield. Thirty minutes flying time to get between Bassingbourn to Elvington, failing to locate Elvington and finally locating Pocklington in poor weather seem a too short period of time so it may have been flown from somewhere much nearer, perhaps Carnaby? It landed at Pocklington at 14.18hrs but too fast and also too far down the runway. The brakes failed to slow the aircraft enough and it swung off runway, the starboard undercarriage leg then collapsed when it passed through a ditch. The AM Form 1180 gives there being three crew on board, all escaped injury, also that one other person on the ground was involved but escaped injury (possibly being on the road at the north end of the airfield if it overshot to this side of the airfield). The pilot's name is confirmed, the others were his navigator and flight engineer at 346 Squadron.

Pilot - S/Lt Louis Bertrande FAFL (1369),

Possible Navigator - Lt Paul Flurin FAFL (001980).

Possible Flight Engineer - Sgt Pierre Sammarcelli FAFL (1013).