Sterkrade Germany
Distinguished Flying Cross. Flying Officer Malcolm Stjernqvist Buchanan (Aus-414641), RAAF, 78 Sqn. Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying). 1571262 Sergeant William James Bailey, RAFVR., 78 Sqn. One night in July, 1944, this officer and airman were captain and flight engineer respectively of an aircraft detailed to attack a target in North France. After the target had been bombed, the bomber was attacked by an enemy fighter and sustained severe damage. A fire broke out within the aircraft and an explosion occurred in Sergeant Bailey's compartment wounding him in both legs. Disregarding his injuries, this airman fought the fire until the flames were quelled. Meanwhile Flying Officer Buchanan, who had been severely burnt about the face, flew the aircraft on a level course. This officer and airman have completed many sorties and have at all times displayed courage, fortitude and determination of a high order. London Gazette No. 36713, Dated 1944-09-22
Buchanan, Malcolm Stiernqvist (Flight Lieutenant)
Killed in Action 1944-November-21
Birth Date: 1913
Born:
Parents: Malcolm & Ada May Buchanan, Goomboorian, Queensland, Australia
Spouse:
Home:
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RAAF
Unit
78 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Nemo Non Paratus Nobody unprepared
Base
RAF Breighton
Rank
Flight Lieutenant
Position
Pilot
Service Numbers
414641
Crew or Other Personnel
Halifax MZ810
Mission
Halifax B.Mk.III MZ810
Bombing Sterkrade Germany 1944-November-21 to 1944-November-21
(B) Sqn (RAF) Breighton
The flight was the pilot's last operational flight of his tour and he was due to be screened after the flight. The crew appear to have bombed the target area as instructed without incident and made for home. On their return to Yorkshire they joined the landing circuit for Breighton airfield and awaited their turn to land on the runway in use. In the time the aircraft took off from RAF Breighton and returned the wind direction was changing, the air pressure had also changed slightly. The wind had changed that much by the time this aircraft was into the landing circuit that all landings were delayed while the runway in use was changed. All aircraft in the circuit were told to continue circling the airfield at a height over 1,000ft and wait their turn to land. Because of the high experience of this pilot this aircraft was asked to make a dummy landing run over the new flare path to check the visibility. The Halifax flew as instructed at between 50 and 100 feet above the runway, after crossing the far end of the airfield boundary the aircraft climbed to around 300 feet and then began a turn to rejoin the airfield circuit. At 23:25 hrs while making the turn the aircraft lost height, the port wing tip clipped trees in an area of woodland called Brindleys Plantation near the village of Spaldington, around two miles South-East of RAF Breighton. It then cartwheeled, struck a small building in the wood and caught fire. Sadly all seven airmen in the aircraft were killed. An investigation could not be certain exactly what had caused the aircraft to loose height but it was thought that the pilot believed the aircraft to have been higher above the ground when he began making the turn, this was because the air pressure had changed by 6 millibars in the time the aircraft took off (when the altimeter zero was set to the ground level at RAF Breighton and the time it returned when the zero reading would have effectively been below the actual ground height. (Aviation Safety Network)
All seven members of the crew were killed
Halifax MZ810 B.Mk.III - Bombing Sterkrade Germany - 1944-11-21 to 1944-11-21
Squadron: (B) Sqn (RAF)
Start Date: 1944-11-21
Completion Date: 1944-11-21
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Sterkrade Germany
Target Specific:
Base: Breighton
Take Off Time: 17.21
Squadron Code:
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City:
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: piloterror
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
The flight was the pilot's last operational flight of his tour and he was due to be screened after the flight. The crew appear to have bombed the target area as instructed without incident and made for home. On their return to Yorkshire they joined the landing circuit for Breighton airfield and awaited their turn to land on the runway in use. In the time the aircraft took off from RAF Breighton and returned the wind direction was changing, the air pressure had also changed slightly. The wind had changed that much by the time this aircraft was into the landing circuit that all landings were delayed while the runway in use was changed. All aircraft in the circuit were told to continue circling the airfield at a height over 1,000ft and wait their turn to land. Because of the high experience of this pilot this aircraft was asked to make a dummy landing run over the new flare path to check the visibility. The Halifax flew as instructed at between 50 and 100 feet above the runway, after crossing the far end of the airfield boundary the aircraft climbed to around 300 feet and then began a turn to rejoin the airfield circuit. At 23:25 hrs while making the turn the aircraft lost height, the port wing tip clipped trees in an area of woodland called Brindleys Plantation near the village of Spaldington, around two miles South-East of RAF Breighton. It then cartwheeled, struck a small building in the wood and caught fire. Sadly all seven airmen in the aircraft were killed. An investigation could not be certain exactly what had caused the aircraft to loose height but it was thought that the pilot believed the aircraft to have been higher above the ground when he began making the turn, this was because the air pressure had changed by 6 millibars in the time the aircraft took off (when the altimeter zero was set to the ground level at RAF Breighton and the time it returned when the zero reading would have effectively been below the actual ground height. (Aviation Safety Network)
All seven members of the crew were killed
