Lancaster at Rose Cottage Farm, Wiganthorpe, Terrington.
Just before 16.55hrs on the 6th of November 1943 the crew of this aircraft took off from East Moor airfield,
they were undertaking a series of circuits and landings training flights.
Five minutes later during one of these flights the aircraft struck trees and crashed close to
Rose Cottage Farm, between Terrington and Wiganthorpe at 17.00hrs. The aircraft was completely wrecked and was burnt out.
The reason for it flying so low was not determined.
It appears there was no navigator on board at the time of the crash. One local contacted during my research
stated that an engine was on fire at the time of the crash,
which although not proved could be the reason for the aircraft flying so low could have been down to the pilot attempting to
find somewhere to put the aircraft down.
There are a number of available written sources which state differing things with regard other bits of information concerning this loss.
A number of sources state there was one survivor; which if there was indeed a navigator on board then it was he who survived;
his name is never quoted. I believe this not to be the case. Locals who remember the crash all speak of there being no survivors. A police
report does however refer to five being killed and one sustaining serious injuries, he then later died, probably at the scene.
Probably the best quote is to be found in Brian Shields book "East Moor Experience", he makes the same
(probable) error in suggesting the navigator survived the crash. He also includes a peice of vital information though in the form of
an extract of the Flying Control
Officer, East Moor. This states that aircraft "E" (this Lancaster, DS649) began its circuits and bumps training flights at 14.18hrs and on this day were
using three aircraft, "A", "E" and "F". Aircraft "E" made what would be its last take off at around 16.46hrs and and 17.05hrs East Moors
crash crew sighted smoke in the distance, about ten miles away. R/T contact with "E" had failed to get a response from the aircraft so "F" was sent up
to investigate. They reported back that it was an aircraft that had crashed and was burning, East Moor sent their crash crash team to the site
along with medical and ambulance personnel. An RAF Regiment guard was also arranged. The crash tender put out the fire. Shields book also quotes the
MET weather report as being fine, wind as being a light northerly with visibilty being 25-30 miles and 2,000 feet.
There are also mixed reports on the aircraft was actually flying from East Moor to Wombleton
practicing night landings and take-offs. Whilst not exactly a night landings practice it could
have been getting dark when the exercise was in its later stages given the time of year.
Other sources suggest the crash as being down to bad visibilty, this appears not the case given Mr Shields quote from the MET report.
The same book also appears to suggest that 1679 HCFlt were not based at a specific airfield at this stage,
the Unit was converting 432 Sqdn personnel from Wellingtons to Lancasters and were operating from East Moor.
The aircraft was built to contract ACFT/239 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd at Baginton and delivered into MU store in November 1942. It
remained there until being issued to 426 Sqdn at Linton on Ouse in June 1942 when the unit re-equipped with Lancaster MkII's, having
operated Wellington's previously from Dishforth. The aircraft saw little service with 426 Sqdn who were not operational
on Lancaster MkII's so the aircraft was used by 1679 HCU at East Moor to convert 426 Sqdn crews.
It suffered a Cat. A/FA landing accident at East Moor a month previously to the loss detailed above, being repaired at East Moor and returned
to the training in the days before its last flight. It was written off following the accident near Terrington.
Pilot - F/O Russell A Davis RCAF (J/17308), aged 23, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Air Bomber - WO2 Alexander H MacDonald RCAF (R/124964), aged 28, of Bridgeport, Nova Scotia, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.
W Op/Air Gunner - Sgt Frederick W Hunt RAFVR (1216145), aged 22, of Leicester. Buried Anstey Cemetery, Leicestershire (Grave 599).
Air Gunner - Sgt Leonard W Lehman RCAF (R/184282), aged 20, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire. Husband of Gladys Lola Lehman.
Air Gunner - Sgt Roy L Green RCAF (R/168797), aged 19, of Brant, Alberta, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.
F Eng - Sgt Robert C Mitchell RAFVR (1568420), aged 20, of Glasgow. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire. Husband of Christina Mitchell.
F/O Davis RCAF and his headstone, he had a total of 366 hours flying time when the crash occured, but only four
of these were on a Lancaster. His last operational flight was with 432 Sqdn was after the Unit had moved to East Moor,
on 22nd September 1943 in Wellington HZ485 they flew to Hannover.
Sgt Leonard Lehman RCAF and his headstone. He was born on 27th October 1923 and married on 2nd January 1943 and soon after he went overseas. (This photograph appeared in an issue of The Manitoulin (Island) Expositor in 1994.)
Alexander MacDonald RCAF and his headstone. He had previously served with 420 Sqdn. Chorley's Losses book reports that on 11th April 1943
he was forced to bail out of Wellington HE422 on return from Ops to Frankfurt over the Pembrokeshire coast,
his pilot, P/O C W Jackson RCAF sadly was drowned. (Photo via www.vac-acc.gc.ca)
The other three airmen's headstones.
Brian Shields' book "East Moor Experience" gives Davis's regular navigator as being a Sgt J Burns. His long term fate is not yet known.
I visited the crash site in July 2007 with Ken Reast, Albert Pritchard and Dick Barton. Permission to visit the site was
given by Mrs Howard and
and when the land did not have crops in it. We are most greatful to Mrs Howard for allowing our visit. Small fragments of the aircraft
remain at the crash site although many were molten bits showing the sign of the post-crash fire.
Part of an instrument face.
One of the few peices we located was has a readable part number on it.
My thanks also to Mr John Henley of Wiganthorpe for his help in locating the area of the crash site.
