On the 15th of March 1945 a Free French crewed Halifax took off from Elvington at 18.30 hrs and was to be flying on Ops to Hagen. 267 aircraft took off, clear visiblity was reported over the target and severe damage was sustained to the central and eastern districts of the town. The pilot was nearing the end of his Tour of Operations and was well known for being a nervous pilot and had fainted on previous missions, though this may not have been a factor in the loss. During the outbound trip the aircraft drifted off course slightly, this was re-corrected, the bomb load was released over the target and they made for home. In one source I have read it states that the aircraft clipped high ground near High Mowthorpe on the Yorkshire Wolds but flew on after control was regained, this may not be fact. All sources then all agree, the Halifax made for base at Elvington at 6000 feet. They were told that they could not land at that time as the airfield was busy and was fog-bound so they were directed north to wait for the airfield to clear (another source claims that it was diverted to another airfield). At some point in the flight it is believed that the aircrafts instruments were damaged. The aircraft flew north and in almost zero visibility headed towards the North Yorkshire Moors. It was thought that the pilot had ordered the flight engineer to go to the back of the aircraft and check to see if all the bombs had gone from the bomb bay, which he did but then noticed the ground rushing by just below them. It was too late for the pilot to pull up, the aircraft struck a stone wall, thought to be near the A170 road, between Helmsley and Thirsk, it then started to break up. The main body of the Halifax then seemingly became airbourne again for some time before eventually crashing into a tree near Scawton, west of Helmsley. The wings and engines broke off soon after the first impact. It was thought that the crew who remained at the front of the aircraft and had survived the first impact with the wall had assumed the aircraft was breaking up in mid-air and had bailed out. Sadly they were to be only afew feet from the ground and stood no chance to survival. They were all killed. The flight engineer, who had passed out on opening the hatch to the bomb bay and the rear gunner were luckier, the rear of the aircraft survived remarkably well in comparison to the rest of the plane. They somehow survived the crash, they were rescued by villagers who had heard the crash and taken to the vicarage where some RAF men gave them first aid before they were taken by ambulance to hospital in Northallerton. It is thought they made a recovery and were able to later return home to a liberated France. The Form AM1180 makes no mention of the aircraft striking the ground near Malton, but simply states that it had missed the Base and overshot by 25 miles, where it flew into the high ground at 850 feet ASL at 23.45hrs and caught fire on impact. It is thought that the source which credits this aircraft as clipping near Malton is confused with another Elvington based aircraft which did indeed crash near there on the same day.

Every year on Armistice Day the name of those who died in this accident are read in the village.

The aircraft was built to contract ACFT/2553/C4/C by E.E.C. Ltd at Salmesbury and delivered directly to 347 Sqdn on 2nd December 1944. It sustained Cat E2/FB Burnt damage in the incident detailed above and was struck off charge some days later on 26th March 1945. A brief entry in the Elvington ORB with regard this incieent states: "15.03.45. NR287 'C' of 347 Sqdn crashed into highground near Thirsk." Wombleton ORB states similar: 16.03.45. 00.00 hours. Aircraft of 347 Sqdn crashed at Scawton. 5 killed. Two admitted to Northallerton Hospital."

Those who lost their lives here were buried at Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery but have since (probably) been returned to France, they were :

Pilot - Cmdt George C Ostre FFAF (3361), aged 27 - killed.

Nav - Capt Raymond J A Chevalier FFAF (36290), aged 25 - killed. He was a vicar before the War so I am informed.

Air Gunner - Lt Antoine L Chemin FFAF (814), aged 31 - killed.

W Op - Adj Henri Chabres FFAF (37435), aged 27 - killed.

Air Gunner - Sgt Rene M E Raymond FFAF (1423), aged ? - killed.

The two who stayed with the Halifax survived the crash were:

F Eng - Sgc M Sciolette FFAF, inj.

Rear Gunner - Sgc A Tilliers FFAF, inj, some sources claim he died soon after the crash, I can not find any record of his death as yet though.