Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax III

Took off at 2214 from RAF Burn, to attack the city of Nuremburg. Part of a massive force of 795 aircraft - 572 Lancasters, 214 Halifaxes and 9 Mosquitoes. The most disastrous night of the war for Bomber Command, with the loss of 95 bombers. Halifax LK797 which the crew had named Excalibur was some 70 miles short of the target when attacked by a JU.88. The first burst of fire from the enemy made the intercommunication system useless. One engine was damaged when a Me410 joined in the fight. The bomber’s machine guns were out of action and the gunners were unable to return the fire. The fighters continued to attack the aircraft as it approached the target area and, in the confusion caused by the failure of the communications system at the height of the battle, a signal was misinterpreted and the navigator, air bomber and wireless operator baled out of the aircraft. F/O Barton faced a situation of dire peril. His aircraft was damaged, his navigational team had gone and he could not communicate with the remainder of the crew. If he continued his mission he would be at the mercy of hostile fighters when silhouetted against the fires in the target area and if he survived he would have to make a 4 1/2 hours journey home on three engines across heavily - defended territory. Determined to press home his attack at all costs, he flew on and, reaching the target, released the bombs himself. As F/O Barton turned for home the propeller of the damaged engine, which was vibrating badly, flew off. It was also discovered that two of the petrol tanks had suffered damage and were leaking. F/O Barton held to his course and, without navigational aids and in spite of strong head winds, successfully avoided the most dangerous defense areas on his route. Eventually he crossed the English coast only 90 miles north of his base. By this time the petrol supply was nearly exhausted. Before a suitable landing place could be found, the port engine stopped and the aircraft was now too low to be abandoned successfully. F/O. Barton therefore ordered the three remaining members of his crew to take up their crash positions, behind the main spar. Then, with only one engine working, he made a gallant attempt to land clear of the houses over which he was flying. On the decent despite strenuous efforts F/O Barton was unable to avoid an end of a row of cottages, one was demolished and the other slightly damaged. The Halifax crashed into the yard of Ryhope Colliery, on impact the rear fuselage broke off and landed in a deep railway cutting with the three crewmen inside. F/O. Barton died of his injuries, but as a result of his selfless actions, the three crewmen survived. Tragically a local miner Mr. George Heads, was killed on his way to work hit by flying debris.
Crew (578th Squadron):
F/O Cyril Joe Barton, pilot, †
Sgt Maurice E. Trousdale, flight engineer,
Sgt Leonard Lambert, navigator,
P/O Jack Kay, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/O G. G. Crate, air bomber,
Sgt H. C. H. D. Wood, air gunner
Sgt Fred Bryce, air gunner.
Civilian: Mr. George Dodds Heads, aged 58, †.
Source: www.aircrewremembered.com/barton-cyril.html

While returning to UK following a bombing mission over Berlin, the four engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a field located in Gerbis, near Jessen. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew /640th Squadron):
P/O W. C. McLeod,
Sgt A. P. Webb,
Sgt N. L. Cooper,
Sgt S. W. Wheeler,
Sgt J. C. Burdett,
Sgt R. H. Turner,
Sgt J. N. Boston.

En route, the bomber was attacked by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in a field located in Kreien, some 13 km east of Parchim. Five crewmen were killed while two others were rescued.
Crew (51st Squadron):
F/L Curtis, †
Sgt Hepworth, †
Sgt Willson, †
F/S Scott, †
Sgt Sidebotham,
Sgt Midlane,
Sgt Taylor. †

The crew was engaged in a bombing mission over Germany. On the return leg to Brighton, while overflying The Netherlands, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire. Crew decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. Out of control the aircraft crashed and was destroyed while all seven crewmen were take POW.
Crew (78th Squadron):
F/L E. W. Everett,
Sgt K. H. Jones,
Sgt J. R. Stewart,
F/O J. K. M. Green,
Sgt J. E. Johnson,
Sgt J. R. Graham,
P/O A. P. Sinden.

While cruising by night over Derbyshire, one of both left engines failed. The pilot was unable to maintain a safe altitude and instructed the crew to bail out. For unknown reason, only three crew were able to abandon the aircraft that crashed in flames in Palterton, nine km west of Chesterfield. Three crew members were killed:
Sergeant William Arthur Roland Andrew,
Sergeant Arley Carlisle Carl Starnes, air gunner,
Sergeant Russell Irvine Pym, flight engineer.

Shortly after take off from Bournemouth-Hurn Airport, while climbing by night, the crew encountered an engine failure and elected to return. While completing a turn at low height, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion in the district of Moordown, Bournemouth. All seven crew members were killed as well as two people on the ground. Several houses were destroyed in the accident.
Crew:
Sergeant Denis R. Evans, pilot,
Sergeant Henry W. Roberts, navigator,
Stanley A. Appleton, bomb aimer,
Sergeant George A. Alexander, wireless operator,
Sergeant Stanley F. Gent, flight engineer,
Sergeant Kenneth Green, air gunner,
Sergeant Reginald R. McGregor, air gunner.
Local resident:
Dorothea Bennett,
Percy F. Chislett.

The aircraft left RAF Tholthorpe on a bombing mission over Stuttgart. While returning to the UK, the aircraft was hit several times by Flak but was able to fly till England. Eventually, crew was forced to abandon the aircraft which became uncontrollable. All seven crew bailed out when the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in Adelaide Street, Brierley Hill, west of Birmingham. While all seven crew members were uninjured, a person was killed on ground as several houses were destroyed.
Crew:
Earl Kirk, pilot,
Harold G. Facey, navigator,
H. D. Hagen, radio operator
E. F. Bush, air bomber,
Sergeant Clifford Adams, flight engineer,
Sergeant C. E. Robertson, rear gunner,
Sergeant D. R. McEvoy, mid-upper gunner.

The bomber left RAF Skipton-on-Swale in the evening as Nuremberg for target. While cruising by night southeast of Bamberg, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German Air Force Messerschmitt Me.110 and crashed in a prairie located in Friesener Warte. Three crew were rescued while five others were killed.
Crew (433rd Squadron):
P/O N. Christian,
F/S W. F. Frost, †
P/O C. W. Panton, †
P/O D. MacLawrey, †
W/O2 L. V. Milward, †
W/O1 H. Cooper,
Sgt J. S. Thompson, †
W/O2 J. G. McLaughlan.

The crew was returning to his base in RAF Leconfield following a bombing mission over Magdeburg. While cruising by night over The Netherlands, the aircraft was attacked by a German fighter. Several bullets hit both left engines and a fuel tank as well. Few seconds later, the left wing separated and the aircraft dove into the ground. Two crewmen were able to bail out before the crash and were later rescued. All five other crew members were killed. The left wing was found some 200 meters from the main wreckage.
Crew:
Conrad George Johnston, pilot, †
John Kevin Thompson, rear gunner, †
S. Hennan, †
L. W. Wykes, †
J. F. Morgan, †
L. B. Doust,
J. E. Dobson.