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It was either 30th October or 1st November 1944. I believe it was the latter because my log book indicates that there was bad visibility on that particular night. Aircraft records seem to show that the occurence was on 30th October. In any event, we were returning to Swinderby in a Stirling aircraft from practice night bombing and we could see as we struggled to lose height whilst retaining reasonable engine temperatures, that the fog was rolling in towards the airfield. I followed the DREM lighting system round the circuit and received landing instructions from control. At the funnel I turned in the landing direction and headed towards the airfield. I started final descent with wheels and flaps in the landing position and lost the lead-in lights as we went into the fog. I was able to pick up the runway lights at 200 feet - the fog was not very thick - and concentrated on the landing permission to land having been received earlier in the approach. We touched down and almost immediately I saw in front of me , on the runway and very close, the tail turret of another aircraft which was getting uncomfortably nearer every second.

The main road to Lincoln was on my left and the bulk of the airfield was to my right and my only option was to apply power on the port side and brake and rudder to starboard and swing the aircraft violently off the runway. The aircaft was a write-off but the crew were unhurt.

Tailpiece

The crew of the aircraft which caused to take avoiding action was most grateful. They had returned from an abortive bombing raid and were short of fuel. They were not able to communicate with Swinderby control who were completely unaware of their presence on the airfield. Their Halifax bomber was still loaded with bombs!

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