ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 172782
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| Date: | Thursday 19 August 1943 |
| Time: | 10:55 |
| Type: |  Handley Page Halifax Mk II |
| Owner/operator: | 1658 HCU RAF |
| Registration: | R9497 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 |
| Other fatalities: | 7 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Manor Farm, west of Copmanthorpe, near York, North Yorkshire, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Riccal, Selby, North Yorkshire |
On 19th August 1943 the crew in this aircraft (HP Halifax II R9497 "ZB-G" of 1658 HCU, RAF) took off from RAF Riccall at 10:50hrs to undertake a cross country flying exercise. Five minutes later and while flying at about 1000 feet this aircraft collided with another Halifax (DG420 of 1663 HCU, RAF) which had just taken off from Rufforth airfield.
After the collision this aircraft banked steeply to port and climbed steeply before diving into the ground near Copmanthorpe to the south-west of York and sadly all on board both aircraft were killed. The rear gunner of this aircraft was seen to attempt to bale 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 though both spent many months in hospital.
Crew of Halifax R9497...
Pilot - Sgt Terrance Claude Ashley RAFVR (1337699), aged 20, of Runsam, Barnstaple. Buried Barnstaple Cemetery, Devon.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Thomas Robert McMeekan RAFVR (1568151), aged 20, of Dennistoun, Glasgow. Buried Riddrie Park Cemetery, Glasgow.
Navigator - Sgt Albert James Allan RAFVR (1459143), aged 23, of Liverpool. Buried Anfield Cemetery, Liverpool.
Bomb Aimer - F/O Robert "Bob" Frank Walker RAFVR (129607), aged 19, of Leytonstone. Buried City of London Cemetery, Manor Park, London.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt John Joseph O'Brien RAFVR (1030890), aged 24, of Hacketstown, Co.Carlow, Ireland. Buried Templehollow Graveyard, Ballina, Tipperary, Ireland.
Air Gunner - Sgt Frederick Cosford RAFVR (1163277), aged c23, of Northampton? Buried Dallington Cemetery, Northampton.
Air Gunner - Sgt Douglas Leonard Herbert Wooster RAFVR (1603969), aged 19, of Harrow. Buried Alperton Burial Ground, Wembley, London.
Civilian Casualties...
Civilian - Mr Matthew Atkinson, seriously injured.
Civilian - Master John Dawson, seriously injured.
Sources:
1. http://100548.activeboard.com/t21733254/1663-hcu-rufforth-1658-hcu-riccall/
2. http://web.archive.org/web/20161021071028/http://www.yorkflyingclub.co.uk:80/joomla/index.php/history
3. http://aircrewremembered.com/ravine-donald.html
4. https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/halifaxbomber/halifax-r9497-t531.html
5. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?1641-Halifax-Research
6. http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/features/history/articles/10648482.Terror_as_planes_collide_over_Copmanthorpe/_/
7. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/r9497.html]
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Jan-2015 04:43 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 08-Jan-2015 04:45 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 11-Mar-2019 09:16 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
| 10-Nov-2023 16:55 | Nepa | Updated [Time, Location, Narrative, Operator] |
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