Memorial Lancaster JB 652

Text on the memorial is:

THIS STONE HAS BEEN ERECTED BY THE PEOPLE OF HALESWORTH IN GRATITUDE FOR THE BRAVERY OF FLYING OFFICER D.W. FIELD AND HIS CREW OF AVRO LANCASTER JB 652 "A" APPLE NO. 7 SQUADRON (PATHFINDERS) RAF OAKINGTON

ON THE NIGHT OF 20th DECEMBER 1943, FLYING OFFICER DONALD WILLIAM FIELD AND HIS CREW, CAME UNDER HEAVY ATTACK ON A NIGHT RAID TO FRANKFURT, FORGING THEM TO RETURN WITH A FULL BOMB LOAD WHICH THEY WERE UNABLE TO JETTISON OWING TO DAMAGE IN THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. THE PILOT STRUGGLED FOR OVER TWO HOURS WITH THE STRICKEN AIRCRAFT BEFORE ORDERING HIS CREW TO BALE OUT RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF WARRANT OFFICER RICHARD BRADLEY SMITH DFC, WHOSE PARACHUTE FAILED TO OPEN. FLYING OFFICER FIELD BATTLED TO KEEP HEIGHT AND VALIANTLY STEERED HIS AIRCRAFT AWAY FROM THE POPULATED AREA OF HALESWORTH. HE BALED OUT AT A HEIGHT OF ONLY 800 FEET BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE BETWEEN WISSETT AND CHEDISTON. HIS COURAGE AN TENACITY SAVED HALESWORTH FROM SEVERE DAMAGE AND LARGE LOSS OF LIFE BY THE HUGE BOMB LOAD THE AIRCRAFT WAS CARRYING.

THE CREW OF 'A' APPLE WERE
PILOT F/O DONALD WILLIAM FIELD DFC
FLIGHT ENGINEER Sgt PETER KOFOED
NAVIGATOR F/Sgt TOMMY KELLY CGM, DFM
AIR BOMBER F/Sgt ARTHUR HALVORSEN
WIRELESS OPERATOR Sgt ROBERT CRAWLEY
MID UPPER GUNNER Sgt GEORGE ARMSTRONG
REAR GUNNER W/O RICHARD BRADLEY SMITH DFC

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