On the night of the 17th of April 1942 Hudsons were undertaking night circuit training around Thornaby airfield, one aircraft approached its landing at too low a height and struck a tree at the north-eastern boundary of the airfield near Manfield Farm at 00.45hrs. In the resulting crash three of the crew lost their lives whilst the pilot survived albeit seriously injured.

The aircraft was built by Lockheed-Vega at Burbank, California and purchased by the British Purchasing Commission without contract. It was delivered to the UK in January 1940 and after acceptance at MU was issued to 233 Sqdn at Leuchars in early 1940. It moved with the unit to Aldergrove on 3rd August 1940 and then back to Leuchars on 14th September 1940. Again it went to Aldergrove on 8th December 1940 and finally to St. Eval on 8th August 1941. At an as yet unspecified date the aircraft was transferred to 6 (C) OTU before being written off with Cat E2/FA damage in the above incident.

Pilot - P/O D G James RAF - seriously injured.

Obs - Sgt Clifford McCormick Carkner RCAF, aged 25, of Ormond, Ontario, Canada. Buried Thornaby-on-Tees Cemetery, Yorkshire.

WOp / AG - Sgt Alfa Powell RAFVR, aged 20, of Bedfont, Feltham, Middlesex. Buried Brecknock, Wales. (Ystradgynlais (St. Cynog) Churchyard).

WOp / AG - Sgt Jack E Taylor RAF, aged 23, of Newark, buried Newark on Trent.

Sgt Carkner's headstone at Thornaby Cemetery.

Two photographs of Sgt Carkner.

The crash site today has been built over, it is thought to be about 200 yds south-west of the present Roundel public house. Finding any signs of the crash site would be next to impossible.

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I would like to express my thanks to Mr Greg McIntosh of Canada, nephew of Sgt Carkner for the photographs of his Uncle.