Halifax at East Moor airfield.

On the 4th of August 1942 this Halifax was landing at East Moor when, at 17.48 hrs when the pilot was forced to take action to avoid an airmen on the ground, the swing resulted in the undercarriage collapsing. Cat B/FA damage was sustained. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service.

The aircraft was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and delivered to an unspecified MU for acceptance in November 1941. It was issued to 102 Sqdn at Dalton in January 1942 but transferred to 158 Squadron Conversion Flight at Linton on Ouse on 6th May 1942. It moved with this unit to East Moor on 4th June 1942. It suffered Cat. B/FA damage in the incident detailed above and was taken away and repaired in works. After repair it was issued to 1658 HCU at Riccall in late 1942. It was written off by them, Cat E2/FA, on 2nd January 1943 when it crashed on overshoot at Riccall and came down at Cawood. Three of the four crew being killed. The aircraft did 1 Operation flight with 158 Sqdn.

Pilot - F/Sgt Leslie J W Beckman RAFVR (1382013), ok. Of Fulham, London (aged 20 when he was killed just over a month later.)

Probable crew:

F Eng - Sgt Fred W Brogden RAFVR (967977).

Nav - P/O John S Smyth RAFVR (118650).

AG - F/Sgt Stanley Cooper RAF (517107), of Burton-on-Trent (aged 27).

WOp / AG - Sgt Stanley G Walton RAFVR (1380196), of Lancaster (aged 20).

WOp / AG - F/Sgt John W Murphy RNZAF (403484), of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. (aged 22).

AG - Sgt Lawrence Byrne RAFVR (1116631).