Halifax near Wombleton Airfield.

This Halifax crashed on Saturday the 27th of July 1944 at 10.29 hrs after the outer starboard engine failed on take off. The Halifax's right wing had sliced the tops off two trees in the wood at the end of the runway, the shortest one on the field. The aircraft then crashed into the field behind this wood, just off the airfield boundary near Harome Whin where upon it caught fire and burnt out, the crew all managed to scramble clear, five were injured. A large column of thick black smoke was seen by people living in Harome rising at the far end of the village. local boys ran to see what had happened. The flames had been quickly put out by the fire crew but was clearly very badly damaged, the next morning it was reported that vertually everything had been cleared away.

The aircraft was built to contract ACFT/1688/42 by Handley Page Ltd at Radlett and delivered to 51 Sqdn at Snaith in May 1943. It transferred to 102 Sqdn at Pocklington on an as yet unspecified date in late 1943. It transferred to 1659 HCU at Riccall in early 1944 and finally to 1666 HCU at Wombleton where it suffered this damage recorded as Cat. E2/FA on 27th May 1944.

Pilot - WO2 P N Poirier RCAF, inj

Sgt G F Kinnear RCAF, inj.

F/O Kallall, ok.

Sgt Harnish, ok.

Sgt Park, ok.

Sgt Hayward, ok.

P/O K Franklin, ok.

Sgt J Atherton RCAF, inj.

Rear Gunner - Sgt G J Arksey RCAF, inj.

I have yet to locate and visit the site but understand that small remains do exist in the field.
The following may refer to the same airman known to have been the pilot in the crash near Harome.

P/O Paul Nazaire Poirier was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross whilst serving with 425 Squadron, his award being effective 6 January 1945 as per London Gazette dated 19 January 1945 and AFRO 508/45 dated 23 March 1945. He was born in 1921 in Miscouche, Prince Edward Island and was a farmer prior to enlisting in Charlottetown on 20 October 1941. He trained at 3 ITS (graduated 8 May 1942), 11 EFTS (graduated 2 August 1942) and 8 SFTS (graduated 4 December 1942). He was commissioned in 1944. His award was presented on the 10 March 1946, no citation was given other than "completed...numerous operations against the enemy in the course of which [he has] invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty." He was recommended for the award dated 10 October 1944 when he had flown 35 sorties (180 hours 40 minutes), the recommendation was as follows ""This officer is an excellent operational pilot and captain of aircraft, whose gallantry in the face of enemy action has been outstanding. On all the sorties in which he has participated, the primary target has been bombed successfully. Pilot Officer Poirier has completed missions to major German objectives such as Hamburg, Kiel, Sterkrade, Dortmund and the Ruhr area; undeterred by opposition, he has pressed home his attacks regardless of the hazards encountered. On all occasions, this officer has displayed determination and cool judgment. His keenness and fine fighting spirit have set a praiseworthy example, and he is recommended for the "Non-Immediate" award of the "Distinguished Flying Cross"."".