On the 29th of August 1943 this aircraft set out from Leeming, on board was a pilot and three ground crew, they were to be flying to RAF Ford to repair a 427 Squadron Halifax that had been damaged there. Just under two hours into the flight and whilst flying in poor weather and without a navigator on board the aircraft crashed into Great Coum, south of Dent at 15.00hrs, now in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The four airmen on board were killed. Dave Earl reports in his Hell on High Ground 2 book, that the pilot was found at least 600 yards from the crash site suggesting that he had tried to go for help but his injuries had got the better of him.
Pilot - Sgt Robert L Henry RCAF, aged 23, of Turnerville, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery (Sec C, Row B, Grave 5).
Mechanic - Cpl William P Holt RCAF, aged 24, of Hillaton, King's Co., Nova Scotia, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery (Sec C, Row B, Grave 6).
Mechanic - Cpl James E Keighan RCAF, aged 37, of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery (Sec C, Row B, Grave 3). Husband of Mary Keighan.
Mechanic - LAC Dennis W Davies RCAF, aged 25, of Minburn, Alberta, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery (Sec C, Row B, Grave 4).
The pilot was a regular Halifax pilot and had completed 18 operational flights with 427 Sqdn prior to his death.
My wife and I visited the site in May 2006, not much remains. Part of the aircrafts undercarriage and floor lay close to the point of impact with the hill and a number of peices of the aircraft are still to be found in a sink hole some distance down the hillside.
Sections of the aircrafts undercarriage and floor.
Further peices of the aircraft and myself.