Lancaster near High Mowthorpe, (on the edge of the Wolds).

This incident probably occured just outside the "Ryedale" boundary I have set myself but it falls so close that I have included it.

On the 24th of November 1943 this Lancaster was returning from a raid in Germany, 383 aircraft had taken part and 365 of these were Lancasters. This aircraft was damaged by flak over Berlin knocking out the starboard outer engine and the aircraft's GEE system. The aircraft limped back to the UK and because of the GEE being out of action it ended up way off track on its return. The crew requested a radio baring which brought them over the Yorkshire Coast at around 1000 feet. Shortly after this they requested another baring to get them to Linton, this new baring however would route them in a direct heading with high ground. The Halifax flew into high ground at High Mowthorpe Farm, some miles south-east of Malton, where it reportedly cartwheeled on impact and ended up on its back. Two were killed, four were injured and one was safe. The wireless operator was Mentioned in Dispatches for his actions at the crash site, for "courage and presence of mind", he was directly responsible for the death toll in the crash not being higher having rescued a number of the crew himself.

The aircrafts history is brief, after being built to contract ACFT/239 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd at Baginton, it was delivered to 426 Sqdn at Linton-on-Ouse in October 1943. It was destroyed as a result of the incident above and Cat. E2/FB Burnt damage was recorded.

Pilot - F/O David R DeBloeme RCAF, of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Injured.

F Eng - Sgt F C Borst RAF, of Southhampton, injured.

Nav - F/L James B Cleveland RCAF, of Toronto, Canada. ok. He was married to (possibly) a british lady.

Air Bomber - F/O George L Huffman RCAF, aged 26, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.

W Op / Air Gunner - Sgt W H McGarrigan RAF, of Rawtenstall, Lancs, ok.

Mid Upper Gunner - F/S Willard G Martin RCAF, of Westville, Nova Scotia, Canada. - injured.

Rear Gunner - F/Sgt Clarence D Manders RCAF, aged 20, of West Kildonan, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.

The gravestones of the two killed in this incident.

Before this incident, DeBloeme and Huffman had completed 8 Ops, the rest had done seven. The navigator was flying as a replacement, he was the squadron's Senior Navigation Officer and was coming to the end of his tour. Both David DeBloeme and Willard Martin return home to Canada after the War. Mr DeBloeme died in 2003 and Mr Martin (late of Abbotsford, B.C.) died in 1999.
I have not yet located the site of the crash. This aircraft actually crashed on the Yorkshire Wolds. Numerous aircraft crashed in this area but I have not researched these others yet, I have my work cut out doing the Moors and in low level Ryedale.