Date:	Tuesday 25 April 1944
Time:	01:23 LT
Type:	Handley Page Halifax Mk III
Owner/operator:	78 Sqn RAF
Registration:	LV905
MSN:	EY-W
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	20 KM NNE of Breda, Noord Brabant -   Netherlands
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Breighton, Yorkshire
Destination airport:	Aachen Railway Yards

Narrative:
Took off from RAF Breighton at 22:55 hrs for a bombing operation against Aachen in Germany.
Homeward-bound, the aircraft was shot down by night fighter pilot Oberfeldwebel Karl-Heinz Scherfling of the 12./NJG 1, who was flying a Bf 110 G-4 from St Trond (Sint-Truiden) airfield in Belgium. This was credited as Scherfling's 28th victory.

The Halifax crashed, bursting into flames, near the Bergse Maas and roughly 1 km S of Hank, 11 km NNE of Oosterhout.
Fg Off Marston awarded DFC whilst with 78 Squadron. Gazetted 15 February 1944.
Citation
Flying Officer Norman Allan MARSTON (136912), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 78 Sqn. Distinguished Flying Medal. 1672812 Sergeant Douglas William McMillan, RAFVR No. 78 Squadron. This officer and airman were air bomber and mid-upper gunner -respectively of an aircraft detailed to attack Magdeburg. On the outward flight the aircraft was attacked by a fighter and damage was sustained. In spite of this, the mission was continued and the target was successfully attacked. On the homeward flight, whilst over the North Sea the petrol supply became exhausted and the
aircraft had to be brought down on to the sea. This was -skilfully accomplished but the violence of the waves broke the aircraft in two and the dinghy drifted away. Undaunted, Flying Officer Marston and Sergeant McMillan discarded most of their equipment, plunged into the water and swam towards the dinghy. They succeeded in reaching it and, although almost exhausted, scrambled aboard. Although numb with cold and greatly fatigued they struggled valiantly against the violent seas to return to the sinking aircraft but their efforts were in vain.
In most distressing circumstances this officer and airman displayed great courage and resolution and their conduct was worthy of the highest praise.
Plt Off Wilson was from Southern Rhodesia.
Crew
Pilot: 160162 Plt Off Eric Benjamin Wilson - Jonkerbos War Cemetery Plot 24 Row J Collective Grave 2-4.
Flight Engineer: 1099290 Sgt William John White - Jonkerbos War Cemetery Plot 24 Row J Collective Grave 2-4.
Navigator: J/1408 Fg Off Sidney Glen Peterson RCAF - Jonkerbos War Cemetery Plot 24 Row J Collective Grave 2-4.
Bomb Aimer: 136912 Fg Off Norman Alan Marston DFC - Jonkerbos War Cemetery Plot 24 Row J Collective Grave 2-4.
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner: 1071348 Flt Sgt Joseph Henderson - Jonkerbos War Cemetery Plot 24 Row J Collective Grave 2-4.
Mid Upper Gunner: 1585469 Sgt George Herbert Butler - Jonkerbos War Cemetery Plot 24 Row J Grave 5.
Rear Gunner: R/174719 Flt Sgt Joseph Thomas Lloyd Leblanc RCAF - Jonkerbos War Cemetery Plot 24 Row J Collective Grave 2-4.

https://verliesregister.studiegroepluchtoorlog.nl/rs.php?aircraft=&sglo=T3714&date=&location=&pn=&unit=&name=&cemetry=&airforce=&target=&area=&airfield=
http://home.kpn.nl/pdw34/OHHalifaxEN.htm
Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War 1944 Page 241.
http://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=77207
Theo Boiten: Nachtjagd 1944 vol 3, p. 025.
http://www.realaero.com/LV905.htm
Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1944 part three
Google Maps
Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
London Gazette
CWGC

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

12 August 1942	W1233	78 Sqn RAF	7	North Sea		w/o
23 June 1943	W7930	78 Sqn RAF	7	'Wetering' farm, Kerkstraat, Renswoude, Utrecht		w/o

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-Dec-2008 11:45	ASN archive	Added
16-Aug-2013 05:46	gerard57	Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Phase, Source, Narrative]
14-Jun-2016 20:11	Red Dragon	Updated [Cn, Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
11-Nov-2018 14:03	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Operator]
01-Oct-2020 16:38	TigerTimon	Updated [Time, Cn, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative]
24-May-2022 19:48	Rob Davis	Updated [Source, Narrative]
17-May-2023 20:20	redsix	Updated [[Source, Narrative]]