On the 17th of May 1945 the Flying Fortress took off from its base in Suffolk for a 1000 mile night navigation training flight from its base to Newcastle, Lands End and back to base. On the second leg from Newcastle to Lands End the B17 struck the side of Great Whernside whilst in cloud, the aircraft burnt out. There were no survivors.

Pilot - 1st Lt Harry M Cole USAAF, aged ? Of Florida, buried Cambridge Madingley Cemetery, Plot D Row 5 Grave 37.

Pilot - 2nd Lt Vince L Ferguson USAAF, aged ? of ? Buried USA

Nav - 2nd Lt James M Young USAAF, aged ? Of Ohio, buried Cambridge, Plot F Row 5 Grave 86.

Eng - Sgt Hoyt E Dixon USAAF, aged ? Of Tennessee, buried Cambridge, Plot D Row 7 Grave 37.

W Op - S/Sgt Dario Battista USAAF (32453589), aged ? Of Somerset County, New Jersey, buried Cambridge, Plot F Row 4 Grave 33. Listed as DNB (died non-battle).

Three of the crew's headstones (Photos Alan Clark.)

The majority of the remaining wreckage of the Flying Fortress.

Myself and Will Lund visited Great Whernside in November 2002. The impact scar is the mark above Will (in orange) and the chap in the yellow coat.