On the 29th of August 1943 this aircraft took off from Riccall at 10.50hrs to undertake a cross country flying exercise. Five minutes later and at about 1000 feet this aircraft collided with another Halifax which had just taken off from Rufforth airfield. Both aircraft crashed near Copmanthorpe, at the south-west side of York killing all on board both aircraft and injuring some civilians on the ground. After the collision this aircraft banked steeply to port and climbed steeply before diving into the ground. The rear gunner of this aircraft was seen to attempt to bail out but his parachute did not deploy properly and he was killed. On impact burning fuel was spread over a wide area and covered two civilians. The younger of the two probably saved his elders life by beating the flames out. Both spend many months in hospital.
Mr Brian Mennell's book "Wings Over York" gives a good account of this incident and he has found a number of witnesses to the crash. I do not wish to copy his work.
Pilot - Sgt Terrance C Ashley RAFVR (1337699), aged 20, of Runsam, Barnstaple. Buried Barnstaple Cemetery.
F Eng - Sgt Thomas R McMeekan RAFVR (1568151), aged 20, of Dennistoun, Glasgow. Buried Riddrie Cemetery, Glasgow.
Nav - Sgt Albert J Allan RAFVR (1459143), aged 23, of Liverpool. Buried Anfield Cemetery, Liverpool.
BA - F/O Robert (Bob) F Walker RAFVR (129607), aged 19, of Leytonstone. Buried City of London Cemetery, Manor Park, London.
WOp/AG - Sgt John Joseph O'Brien RAFVR (1030890), aged 24, of Hacketstown, Co. Carlow, Ireland. Buried Templehollow Graveyard, Ballina, Tipperary, Ireland.
AG - Sgt Frederick Cosford RAFVR (1163277), aged ? Of ? Buried Dallington Cemetery, Northampton.
AG - Sgt Douglas L H Wooster RAFVR (1603969), afed 19, of Harrow. Buried Alperton Burial Ground, Wembley, London.
Sgt John Joseph O'Brien and his headstone. ( Both photos through Ms O'Brien). The CWGC register lists his names incorrectly, they show Joseph John, where as his family knew him as John Joseph.
I would like to thank the nephew of F/O Walker, Mr Don Archer for contacting me some years ago and the neice of Sgt O'Brien, Ms O'Brien.
Mr Archer tells of his Uncle that after enlisting with the RAF Oxford Reserve in June 1941 he was granted a temporary commission in August 1942 and was then promoted to Flying Officer in February 1943. Bob initially sought to become a wireless operator (having learnt Morse code in the Boy's Brigade), but did well in air crew training and was awarded his Air Bomber half wing and then his Pilot Wings. Prior to training at 1658 HCU he trained at 19 OTU at Forres, Scotland. Bob's Form 1406 shows two entries dated 20th August 1943 recording this flying accident. The first entry initially stated that his plane was Halifax DG420, but this was crossed through and amended to Halifax R9497. However, in a second entry by CCdist 1224 this was later corrected to Halifax W7936 (probably an error given what is known today). Bob is buried in Square 241 in Collective Grave 108020 and commemorated on Panel 18 of the Screen War Memorial in the City of London Cemetery, Manor Park, London. His sister, who is quite elderly now, maintains that one of his collegues told her at the time that there had been six such crashes that week and that Bob's aircraft had been specially modified in some way.