Halifax at Cornborough Farm, near Sheriff Hutton.

On the 16th of July 1942 this Halifax was engaged on a Conversion Flight out of East Moor airfield. On board were three pilots and two flight engineers, one of the pilots being the instructor. The aircraft was said to be returning to East Moor and it had passed over the Dalby and Whenby area at a low level, up to now the flight had gone well. To locals it seemed to be flying too low to avoid a crash, some set off on their bicycles knowing that it wouldn't be long before they got to where the aircraft would crash. The aircraft flew on at this low level for some way. The pilot of the Halifax began his approach to land at RAF East Moor, it was thought that he overshot his turn that would have lined him up with the runway at East Moor. He then tried to over-correct this turning error by increased banking, this however caused a stall of at least one engine. The early Halifax rudder over balance problem was also thought to have been a contributing factor to the crash. By this stage the aircraft was too low to avoid the inevitable, the stall and the increased banking caused the aircraft to clip a chimney stack on Cornborough Villa, west of Sheriff Hutton. Soon afterwards, at 11.37hrs, it crashed into the paddock near the farm before coming to rest again a tree. A fire took hold. Two brothers, Arthur and George Pearson, were in a near-by farm, Cornborough Manor, at the time, hearing the crash they rushed to the scene, entered the wreckage and were able to drag one airman out of the flames. Sadly this airman died of his injuries soon after, the other four airmen were killed instantly by the crash. The Villa was later repaired following a successful insurance claim.

The aircraft built by London Passenger Transport Board at Leavesden under contract B1242357/40. After testing at MU it was taken allocated to 35 Sqdn at Linton on Ouse on 17th June 1942 but it was actually transferred before delivery to them to 158 Con.Flt. on the same day. It was declared Cat.E2/FA (Burnt) on 16th July 1942 in the incident at Cornborough and it was struck off charge on the same day. Its total flying time totalled 47 hrs and 38 min, there is also a possiblity it was coded NP-Z.

Instructor Pilot - P/O James W Craig RAFVR, aged 21, of Ayr. Buried Ayr Cemetery, Scotland. Husband of Nancy Inglis Craig.

Trainee Pilot - P/O John F Withy RAFVR, aged 31, of ? Buried at Newton on Ouse, Yorkshire. (At controls at time of crash).

Trainee Pilot - WO Harry W Williamson RCAF, aged 29, of Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. Buried at Newton on Ouse, Yorkshire. Husband of Sybil Williamson.

Flight Eng - Sgt Edward Place RAFVR, aged 20, of Stockton on Tees. Buried Hartlepool Stranton Cemetery.

Flight Eng - Sgt Alexander Dunn RAFVR, aged 25, of Kelty, Scotland. Buried Beath Eastern Cemetery, Scotland. His brother John died on service.

Two of the crew's headstone, WO Williamson's headstone at Newton on Ouse churchyard and Sgt Place's in Hartlepool Cemetery (photo Ian Donnison). Withy's headstone is in the form of a civil-style headstone with the text hard to read and as a result show clearly on a photograph.

Pilots Withy and Williamson were buried at Newton on Ouse on the 20th of July. Almost the whole of the Squadron attended the service, after which a tea was had at Aldwark Manor. Both men had arrived at East Moor on the 28th of June 1942. Their instructor had previous served at 1652 HCU, he arrived at East Moor on 22 June 1942 for instructional duties.

The farm house which the Halifax clipped the leftside chimney stack, the aircraft then crashed into the field were I was stood taking this photograph.

I visited the site in January 2005, together the Sheriff Hutton local history group we found a number of small items at the site. Permission was gained from the Vaux family prior to the visit and I am greatful to them for allowing my visit. Their son Fergus aided our search and is pictured below with George Pearson's citation and his award.

The items found at the site. They were to be included in a local display and then returned to the site.

Of the rescuers, Arthur Pearson was killed in a car accident on the 17th January 1976, aged 67 years old. George Pearson was born in 1905, he died in 1999, he married Lilly who is still alive and lives in Sheriff Hutton. George was a church warden from 1946-82 at Sheriff Hutton Parish Church. I would like to publically thank Mrs Pearson for allowing her husband's BEM award and citation to be shown to me. Nothing more is known of Frank Garbutt.