The Night 57 Squadron lost a Canberra
On the morning of Tuesday 15th October 1957 the SATCO drew up to the tower just as the Land Rover left to check the airfield. He had just sat down to his coffee when he had a disturbing message from the Land Rover and phoned the Chiefy on the 57 Squadron line and asked if they had lost a Canberra. The chiefy looked out of the window and saw no gaps in the line and said he didn't think so.
A few minutes later the SATCO called again and asked doesn't Canberra XH204 belong to your lot. The Chiefly guardedly agreed that it may belong to them. The SATCO smoothly pointed out that the self-same aeroplane was at the far end of the airfield bogged down in the grass off the peri-track with both engines running.
When 57 Sqdn staff went down to inspect and recover the Canberra B (I)8 they found the door open and a suit-case in the cockpit. It appeared that the suitcase belonged to J/T John Seville, an Electrical Fitter.
Does anyone remember this incident and the fantastic adventures of John?
I mean, did this start a trend for ground crew to borrow a kite to nip home to the UK for the weekend if they were homesick?
I do know most of the prior and subsequent events but does anyone else have any recollections of this startling event?