On the night of the 2nd and 3rd of September 1942 this Wellington was tasked with a night cross country training flight along with other aircraft from the same training unit, 11 OTU, based at Bassingbourn. They took off and flew north. Bad weather was effecting the Yorkshire Dales area on this night and this aircraft was to fly into it. The crew undoubtably were having trouble with visability in the heavy rain and low cloud and became lost. The aircraft then descended over high ground, presumably to ascertain their position, they was to prove fatal. The aircraft struck the ground of Blake Hill, on Riggs Moor, to the west of Kettlewell. The fuel tanks were holed in the crash and aircraft caught fire leaving only one survivor who managed to climb out of the aircraft. He was found the next day and taken to Harrogate General Hospital and after treatment at a hospital in Preston he made a recoverery. His four crew mates were not so lucky, they were all killed.
This accident is one of a few in the Yorkshire Dales which has been covered in a number of books in the last few years, I do not plan on copying these works.
Pilot - Sgt George F Ridgway RNZAF, aged 20, of Hamilton, Auckland, New Zealand. Buried Windhill Methodist Cemetery, Shipley, Yorkshire.
Nav- P/O D H Lyne RAFVR, seriously injured.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Willie Allinson RAFVR, aged 34, of Hoyland, buried Hoyland Nether Cemetery, Yorkshire. Husband of Maria Elizabeth Allinson.
W Op - Sgt Howard W Spencer RAFVR, aged 31, of Olivers Battery, Winchester. Buried Chilcomb, Hampshire. Husband of Margaret Alice Spencer.
Rear Gunner - Sgt Paul McLarnon RAFVR, aged 22, of ? Buried Belfast Milltown Roman Catholic Cemetery, Northern Ireland.
Main overview of the crash site.
My wife and I visited the site in August 2005.
Myself with one of the remaining wing sections still at the site.
A F/O Donald H Lyne RAFVR was killed on 22 June 1943, he was from Whitby, Cheshire and was 23 years old. I do not yet know if it was the same man.
RAF Henlow ATC are thought to have removed the tail section from the crash site some years ago. Whether this is still preserved is not known.
These photographs show the site as it was in the early 1970's, before the larger sections were removed. Photos by Mr G Sharpe.
