On 2nd October 1944 the crew of this 1664 Heavy Conversion Unit Halifax took off from Dishforth airfield at 20.05hrs to undertake a cross country navigation training flight combined with a practice bombing exercise. After taking off the course for the navigation part of the flight was to fly to Bristol, initially climbing to 18,000 feet, decending to 15,000 feet to make a simulated attack on Bristol before heading back towards base of Dishforth at between 12,000 and later as low as 5,000 feet. As they arrived in the Dishforth area they made contact with their base and received an instruction to then carry out a practice bombing exercise on a bombing range near the village of Snape (between Leeming and Masham). After releasing their practice bombs one of the flight engineers noticed that the port outer engine had lost oil pressure. As the engine temperature gauge was reading normal it was initially assumed that the oil pressure gauge was perhaps faulty. As a result the propeller was not feathered immediately and the engine continued to run with no oil until it overheated and disintergrated internally. The engine then caught fire. During the break up of the engine some of the con-rods broke out of the side of the crank case and severed the connecting lines to the feathering switch in the cockpit. Being then unable to feather the damaged engine and being an inexperienced pilot controlling the aircraft became difficult. By the time the order to bale out was given the aircraft had lost too much height and it was already out of control. Four members of the crew left the aircraft at around 1,000 feet above the ground but by this stage the aircraft was flying very fast and was already in sixty degree dive with the port wing being banked towards the ground. Three of the four who baled out landed safely but the fourth member who baled out was killed when his parachute did not open in time, his body was later found only 100 metres from the crash site of the aircraft. At 01.55hrs the aircraft dived into a field near Galphay at high speed and exploded, and the other four members of the crew who had not baled out were killed in the crash. It's worth also noting that the mid upper gunner, Earl Reid, was well below the required age for enlisting and had almost certainly lied about his age as he was just sixteen years old.
Pilot - F/O Maurice Jack Hamblin RCAF (J/35894), aged 28, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/A/5).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Gordon Farrell Cumming RCAF (U/199090), aged 23, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/A/1).
Bomb Aimer - F/Sgt Roy Smith RCAF (R/167419), aged 23, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/A/2). Baled out too low and was killed.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - P/O Clyde John Hogan RCAF (J/88327), aged 24, of Upper Granville, Nova Scotia, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/A/4).
Mid Upper Gunner - F/Sgt Earl William Reid RCAF (R/183902), aged 18, of Pinkerton, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/A/3).
Navigator - F/O George C Kroft RCAF (J/38778). Uninjured.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Bernard Pearson RAF (756746). Uninjured.
Rear Gunner - Sgt James W Thompson RCAF (R/254732). Uninjured.
Maurice Hamblin was born on 17th February 1916 at Mount Dennis, Ontario, Canada and was the son of John James Gordon and Eleanor (nee Smith) Hamblin. As a young man he studied engineering then worked as a machine operator for a hosiery company from 1934 until 1940. Between 1940 and 1942 he worked for John Inglis and Company as a floor inspector, at this time this company had a large contract to manufacture Bren guns. He enlisted for RCAF service on 2nd June 1942 at Toronto and trained as a pilot, receiving his wings and also a commission on 3rd September 1943. He arrived in the UK the following month and later trained at 3 (P)AFU, 1545 BAT Flight and 22 OTU before posting to 1664 HCU on 4th September 1944. His brother Gordon Winston Hamblin served in the RCAF during WW2. I thank Maurice's niece Eleanor Boyle for contacting me in relation to this accident.
Gordon Cumming was born on 16th September 1921 at Toronto, Ontario, Canada and was the son of William and Edith Pearl (nee Brooke) Cumming. As a young man he attended Toronto University where he studied science / engineering. He enlisted for RCAF service on 31st September 1943 in Toronto and after training in Canada he was awarded his Flight Engineers' flying badge on 20th May 1944. On arrival in the UK he trained at No.4 School of Technical Training before posting to 1664 HCU in September 1944.
Roy Smith was born on 28th December 1921 at Toronto, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Harry and Elizabeth Mary Rose (nee Burford) Smith. After leaving school he worked at a number of jobs before enlisting into the RCAF on 2nd June 1942 at Toronto. He married Rosie May Stringer in December 1942. Having initially undergoing pilot training he later switched to being a bomb aimer and was awarded his air bombers' flying badge on 23rd December 1943. On arrival in the UK he further trained at 2 (O)AFU and 22 OTU before posting to 1664 HCU.
Clyde Hogan was born on 7th July 1920 at Upper Granville, Nova Scotia and was the son of Charles Burton and Muriel Leona (nee Hiltz) Hogan. As a young man he worked in farming until enlisting for RCAF service on 7th July 1941 at Halifax, Nova Scotia. He trained as wireless operator / air gunner, undertaking the wireless operator training first and later gaining the air gunnery part of his flying badge on 6th July 1942. After this training he was posted to serve as a staff wireless operaor at 31 GRS and later 1 GRS on Prince Edward Island until Summer 1943. He was eventually receive a commission on 22nd July 1944. On arrival in the UK in early 1944 he trained at 6 (O)AFU, 24 OTU, 1659 HCU before being posted to 415 Squadron on 26th July 1944. Five days later he was posted back to HCU and joined 1664 HCU. On 31st August 1944 he was flying in Halifax LL283 on a training flight with 1664 HCU, over Wales the aircraft suffered an engine fire. The order to abandon was given and he survived but sustained injuries his left ankle. Two members of his then crew were sadly killed. He recovered from these injuries and resumed his training at 1664 HCU only to be killed a month later in fairly similiar circumstances as occurred with Halifax LL283.
Earl Reid was born at Pinkerton, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Elmer Samuel and Mary Florence (nee Keyes) Reid. He enlisted for RCAF service on 28th August 1942 at London, Ontario but appears to have lied about his age to enlist by stating his date of birth was on 21st October 1923 to make himself appear older. He was infact just sixteen years old when he enlisted for RCAF service. His parents later gave his date of birth as being 22nd October 1925. After basic training in Canada he was awarded his air gunners' flying badge on 6th August 1943. On arrival in the UK he trained at 24 OTU before posting to 1664 HCU on 4th September 1944.