Aircraft accidents in Yorkshire.

Wellington HF494 near Oulston, Easingwold.

This crew of this Wellington were carrying out an air test on the aircraft on 19th July 1943 when the port side propeller struck a tree near Oulston, north east of Easingwold. The engine was then feathered but the pilot had no option but to force-land the aircraft which he did near Close House Farm, Oulston at 11.45hrs. The flight had lasted for thirty minutes. The force-landing seriously damaged the aircraft and it was later written off. It was stated that the pilot was carrying out unauthorised low flying when he struck the tree.

Pilot - Sgt Donald A Rae RCAF (R/114537?), of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Probable crew...

Navigator - F/O Geoffrey V Holmes RAFVR (129368), of Sale, Cheshire.

Air Bomber - P/O David T Lyng RCAF (J/19590), of Montreal, Canada. OR Union Mills, New Brunswick, Canada ?

WOp/AG F/Sgt Edward F Howe RAFVR (1380267), of Gidea Park, Romford, Essex.

Rear Gunner - WO2 William H Hoppus RCAF (R/105586), of Lacombe, Alberta, Canada.

Donald Rae was born on 29th September 1922 in Regina, he attended Connaught school and Scott collegiate and worked part time at the Robert Simpson Ltd department store when he enlisted. At the time of this incident at Oulston he had a total of 292 flying hours to his name, with 110 being on the Wellington when this incident occured. He received his commission later in 1943 (J/17895) but was sadly killed on 14th January 1944 when Lancaster DS740 which he was piloting crashed in Germany killing the whole crew (including those listed above). Donald Rae and Edward Howe were only twenty one years old. Williard Hoppus was twenty six years old.

Geoffrey Holmes received his commission on 17th August 1942 to P/O on probation (emergency), he rose to F/O (war subs) on 23rd January 1943. He was twenty two years old when he died.

A flak damage incident in which he and his crew were involved is also detailed in my 1943 pages to this website in December 1943.

Wellington HF494 was built to contract B124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd at Chester and delivered to MU for acceptance in June 1943 then immediately on to 432 Squadron at Skipton on Swale. It was written off following this incident with Cat.E2/FA damage being recorded on 19th July 1943.