He claimed his first victory on the night of 24/25 March 1943, a Halifax bomber over Enkhuizen.
This time it operated as an anti-submarine squadron, converted to the Halifax bomber.
On 30 March, thirty-three Halifax bombers attacked the ship; they scored no hits and five aircraft were shot down.
The new depot at Aldenham had already been built and was used to build Halifax bombers.
In all, 119 Halifax bombers were lost from Tholthorpe.
The airfield also contained a large civilian staffed repair facility for the Halifax bomber.
In late May 1943 he was captain of a Halifax bomber that failed to return from a mission.
She counted twelve green lights, blessed twelve Halifax bombers on their way.
Two Halifax bombers, wheels already down; two black nightbirds coming home to roost.
Flying the Me 109, his first aerial victory was a Halifax bomber shot down on 24 July 1941.