At 10.20hrs on 16th June 1944 the crew of this aircraft took off from Stratford upon Avon for a dual control and cross-country training flight. Whilst flying in cloud and over the Lake District the aircraft failed to clear Red Pike and struck the rock face at 13.35hrs killing all on board instantly.
Pilot - P/O Albert Digby Cooper RCAF (J/18201), aged 25, of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. Buried Blacon Cemetery, Chester (A/1068).
Pilot - F/O Frederick Allen Dixon RCAF (J/35425), aged ? of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Buried Blacon Cemetery, Chester (A/986).
Pilot - F/Lt Emil Unterseher RCAF (J/16129), aged 29, of Hilda, Alberta, Canada. Buried Blacon Cemetery, Chester (A/322).
Navigator - F/O Daniel Titleman RCAF (J/38329), aged 26, of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada. Buried Blacon Cemetery, Chester (A/63).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt George McCrimmon Anderson RCAF (R/168378), aged 29, of Kincardine, Ontario, Canada. Buried Blacon Cemetery, Chester (A/896).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/O Roy Edward Simonson RCAF (J/19182), aged 23, of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. Buried Blacon Cemetery, Chester (A/149).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - WO1 George Richard Coathup RCAF (R/115256), aged ? of Unionsville, Ontario, Canada. Buried Blacon Cemetery, Chester (A/279).
Air Gunner - Sgt Campbell McRae Hodges RCAF (R/266186), aged 34, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Buried Blacon Cemetery, Chester (A/806).
Albert Cooper was born on 29th May 1919, he was the son of John Digby and Loren Cooper, of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. Elsewhere on the internet he is credited as having flown in the North African Campaign and flew some 43 operational flights. It is likely that he was an instructor at the time of his death. I thanks his relations for contacting me in January 2012.
Emil Untersher was born on 11th August 1915, he was the son of Charles and Lydia Unterseher, of Hilda, Alberta, Canada. His relations contacted a local Cumbrian magazine some years ago and supplied this photograph shown above and gave further details about his life stating that Emil's father Charles Unterseher had emigrated to Canada from Bessarabia, South Russia in 1903. Emil had flown with 404 Squadron prior to being posted to 22 OTU and was possibly an instructor at the time of his death.
George Coathup was born on 14th September 1920, he was the son of Harvey and Eva Coathup of Toronto, Harvey Coathup had served in WW1 and was employed in farming on his return. George's brother younger Clifford Coathup had also enlisted into the RCAF and was serving with 427 Squadron by April 1944. On 18th April 1944 he was flying as the pilot of Halifax LV789 on Ops to bomb marshalling yards at Noisy-le-Sec and the aircraft crashed in the target area with the loss of the whole crew. He was twenty one years old and is buried in Clichy Northern Cemetery, France. Their family had sadly lost two sons in less than two months as George died as a result of the accident on Red Pike in June 1944. George's death notification in the Canadian newspapers stated that he was living in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada when he enlisted.
George McCrimmon Anderson was born 13th January 1915, he was the son of William and Jonerah Anderson, of Kincardine, Ontario, Canada.
Campbell Hodges was born on 1st November 1909, he was the son of John Campbell and Margaret Hodges, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada and was the husband of Jean Elaine Hodges, of Toronto. He was well above the average age for aircrew. His medal set sold at auction some years ago.
Frederick Dixon was born in Toronto but had lived for the most of his life in Barrie, Ontario. After training as a pilot in Canada he served as a instructor in Canada. He married in Canada in September 1942 and just prior to being posted overseas in September 1943 he received his commission.
Daniel Titleman was born 17th October 1918 in Montreal, he was the son of Samuel and Sarah Titleman, of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada. After finishing school he begun working for a clothing manufacturer and later took a job with Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. He was a reasonably well known local baseball, basketball and hockey player. He enlisted into the RCAF in August 1942 and trained as a navigator passing out of No.4 AOS in December 1943.
Roy Simonson was born on 25th July 1920 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, he was the son of Carl and Esther Simonson and had married prior to being posted overseas, he was working as a bottle washer for National Fruit, Canada when he enlisted on 17th May 1941 in Regina. The Simonson Rapids in Saskatchewan are named in his honour.
I visited the site in October 2006. The aircraft appears to have impacted into the rock face only feet below the summit. The heat from the post-crash fire still marks the rock. Only small fragments of the aircraft remain.
