ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 351080
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| Date: | Thursday 24 February 1944 |
| Time: | 11:34 |
| Type: |  Handley Page Halifax V |
| Owner/operator: | 517 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | LK998 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | St Edrens, nr' Newton Cross, Pembrokeshire. -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Brawdy |
| Return. |
Details:
Halifax LK998 ‘K9-A’ (Apple) had been built at the Rootes factory and issued to the RAF on the 6th of November 1943 with 45 MU. She was then allocated to 517 squadron on the 26th of November.
Formed from No 1404 Flight at St Eval on the 11th of August 1943, it continued to conduct meteorological reconnaissance duties. Intended to be equipped with Halifax’s, it used Hudson’s and Hampdens until October.
In between the Hudson’s leaving in September 1943 and the arrival of the Halifax’s in November, four B-17s of the 379th Squadron USAAF were attached. Halifax Vs arrived in November and at the same time the squadron moved to St David's. In February 1944 it moved again, this time to Brawdy, where it received Halifax IIIs in February 1945. The following November a further move took place to Chivenor, where the squadron disbanded on the 21st of June 1946.
On the 10th of February 1944, she and ‘B-Baker’ flew to Gosport for ‘Met mods’ (Metrological Modifications). On the 20th, the pair flew to RAF St Eval for ‘QGH’ practice in the morning and returning to Brawdy in the afternoon.
Thursday the 24th of February started out as a normal late winter’s day with hardly any wind and dry, perfect flying weather. LK998 ‘A’ took off at 10:52hrs for ‘Fighter Affiliation’ training with a Hawker Hurricane. That’s when things went horribly wrong. ‘A’ was seen by locals on the ground to fall out of control from cloud without its tail and plumet into the ground at St Edrens, half a mile North of Newton Cross.
Squadron records.
“24-Feb-44 RAF Brawdy Light cloud Halifax ‘A’ Up 10:52hrs Down 11:34hrs.
Fighter affiliation training crashed at Newton Cross Pembs.”
Content of AM Form 1180.
“A/C dived into cloud & came out at a steep angle. The tail unit was seen to leave A/C when still in flight. A/C started spinning into the ground, crashed, and caught fire.”
Crash investigation findings.
“A/C carried out violent intentional manoeuvres, failing to appreciate safe limit of loading. Suspected structural failure at tail unit during flight.”
A.I.B. Investigation.
“Find loss of control due to rudder lock and breaking off of control surfaces, notably started by violent manoeuvres of the A/C. Co-Pilot failed to appreciate safe limits of loading during manoeuvres.”
AoC Aerodrome.
“Concurs A.I.B. Investigation. Loss of control followed by structural failure.”
Why only the Co-Pilot is mentioned is unknown, maybe he is responsible to point out to the pilot the limits whist conducting evasive manoeuvres?
Crew:
F/O William Bryce McLaren 29yo 129386 RAFVR. Pilot. Killed. 1
Son of John Murdoch McLaren and Minnie McLaren, husband of Dorothy Nellie McLaren of Chiswick.
F/O William Thomas Gudlaugur Robinson 24yo J/24161 RCAF. Co-Pilot. Killed. 2
Son of Albert Barrie Robinson and Sigurbjorg Beatrice Robinson of Pine Falls, Manitoba, Canada.
Wo1 Robert William Taylor 27yo R/115283 RCAF. W/Op. Killed. 3
Son of Robert and Mina Taylor; husband of Marjory Tatlor of St Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
Wo1 Earl Theodore Bell 29yo R/84274 RCAF. W/Op/AG. Killed. 4
Son of James and Maude Bell of Guelph, Ontario, Canada; husband of Georgina Bell, of Guelph.
F/Sgt James Kendall Goodfellow 20yo R/156428 RCAF. Nav’. Killed. 5
Son of Roy E. Goodfellow and Mildred H. Goodfellow of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
F/Sgt William Thomas Martin 22yo 645673 RAF. W/Op. Killed. 6
Son of William H. Martin and Florence E. Martin of Southfields.
Sgt William Scott Beevers 18yo 1822039 RAFVR. Flt/Engr. Killed. 7
Son of William and Ann Prowse Cooper Scott Beevers of Blackhall, Edinburgh.
F/Lt George Proudfoot Irvine 27yo 117345 RAFVR. Pilot/Passenger? Killed. 8
Son of Robert Milne Irvine and Elizabeth Proudfoot Irvine of Aberdeen.
Buried:
1 Bath (Haycombe) Cemetery. Plot 39. Section H. Row A. Grave 249.
2 Chester (Blacon) Cemetery. Section A. Grave 944.
3 Chester (Blacon) Cemetery. Section A. Grave 674.
4 Chester (Blacon) Cemetery. Section A. Grave 764.
5 Chester (Blacon) Cemetery. Section A. Grave 854.
6 Putney Vale Cemetery and Crematorium. Block E.S. Grave 333.
7 Edinburgh (Corstorphine Hill) Cemetery. Section E. Grave 842.
8 Aberdeen (Allenvale) Cemetery. Section X. Grave 115.
Wreckage:
Unknown. (I haven’t been able to locate the actual crash site, it is in the old parish of St Edrens. I’m hoping someone will know?)
Memorials:
CWGC Headstones.
Canadian virtual memorial.
Additional Information:
F/O McLaren was a Scottish International Fencer; winner of the Scottish Junior Sabre Championship, 1936.
Sources:
www.lancasterbombers.net
www.rafcommands.com
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
www.visionofbritain.org.uk
https;//wartimememoriesproject.com
https;//maps.nls.uk
https;//air-britain.com
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Jan-2024 13:14 | Davies 62 | Added |
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