On 31st January 1944 the crew of this 1664 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft took off from Dishforth to undertake sea-search for missing and then immediately after conducting the search the crew were to fly a cross-country night navigation exercise. Four 1679 H.C.Flt and three 1664 Heavy Conversion Unit aeroplanes were offered to assist with the sea-search. The crew appear to have undertaken the search and then the cross-country flight. Some period of time into the flight and while forty miles off their intended course the aircraft was flying in low cloud and mist in the Ilkley area. The aircraft flew into Ilkley Moor not far from the Swastika Stone at around 17.30hrs whilst flying a rough southerly heading and caught fire. Seven airmen would sadly die as a result of the crash however the flight engineer had initially survived but died of his injuries. Local people made their way to the scene of the crash were able to find him alive and attempt to save his life, they carried him down off the moor on a gate and he had told his rescuers they had become lost and were trying to find Yeadon airfield, they had descended through a layer of cloud and struck the ground. He was taken to High Royds Hospital in Menston but sadly died at 08.20hrs.

Pilot - P/O Donald George McLeod RCAF (J/87657), aged 21, of Waterford, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.

Flight Engineer - Sgt Felix Byrne RAFVR (1553021), aged 20, of Plains, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Buried Airdrie Roman Catholic Cemetery, Scotland.

Navigator - WO2 Lewis Riggs RCAF (R/148524), aged 20, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.

Bomb Aimer - Sgt Robert Henry Rahn RCAF (R/155420), aged 22, of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - WO1 William George King RCAF (R/93560), aged 27, of Teepers Creek, Alberta, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.

Air Gunner - Sgt George Martin RCAF (R/163413), aged 20, of Spanish, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.

Air Gunner - Sgt Albert Lorne Mullen RCAF (R/192035), aged 19, of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.

The Canadian members of the crew of Halifax DK185, left to right – Robert Rahn, William King, Lorne Mullen, George Martin, Lewis Riggs, Donald McLeod. (photograph via "www.airmuseum.ca").

Robert Rahn and his gravestone at Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery. He was born on 17th February 1921 and was the son of Jacob and Edith Rahn, of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Donald McLeod and his grave also in Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery. He was born on 6th October 1922 and was the son of John and Agnes McLeod, of Waterford, Ontario, Canada.

Lorne Mullen was born on 1st May 1924 and was the son of John Leslie and Ethel Brown Mullen, of Burnaby, British Columbia.

Lewis Riggs was born on 15th May 1923 and was the son of Walter and Maude Riggs, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

William King was born on 29th April 1916 in Arcola, Saskatchean, Canada to John and Margaret King. He enlisted into the RCAF on 15th March 1941 in Edmonton, Alberta. At the time of his death his parents were living in Teepee Creek, Alberta, Canada.

George Martin was born on 20th August 1923 and was the son of George and Nesta Martin, of Spanish, Ontario, Canada.

On the 62nd anniversary of the crash a memorial was dedicated at the site, present were relations of the aircrew, serving RAF personnel from Linton on Ouse as well as local people. It is through the efforts of Insp Paul Rielly, of Strathclyde Police, who's father was best friends with the RAF flight engineer that the memorial came into being. The brother of Robert Rahn, Mr Kenneth Rahn, was able to be present at the service. Some years ago I was contacted by Mr Doug Mullen, brother of Sgt Mullen. At the time I was unable to give him much information about the incident. I hope that he is now aware of the memorial at the crash site having visited some years previously.

I visited the site and the memorial in December 2006, remains of the aircraft are still to be found at the crash site. In mid 2006 Ilkley Moor suffered from a huge moorland fire. I returned to the area in May 2014 and the area had partly recovered from the fire but where heather used to be grass had grown in its place. The area of where this aircraft crashed is not contained within the area of the fire. Having photographed much of the surface wreckage in 2006 it is clear to see how things have been taken from the site in the eight years between my visits.

This section of aircraft appears to have had what could be a Graviner hand-held fire extinguisher mounting attached to it.

A complete bulb holder.

A couple of photographs shown typical Halifax "57" prefix part numbers but with unidentified inspection stamps "F&L" and "D&B".

An unidentified part of the aircraft (above) and some form of fuel tank sensing unit (below).

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