Lancaster LL629 near High Mowthorpe, Malton (on the edge of the Wolds).
On 24th November 1943 this Lancaster was returning from a raid on Germany, 383 aircraft had taken part and
365 of these were Lancasters. This aircraft was damaged by flak over Berlin knocking out the starboard outer
engine and the aircraft's GEE system. The aircraft limped back to the UK and because of the GEE being out of
action it ended up way off track on its return. The crew
requested a radio baring which brought them over the Yorkshire Coast at around 1000 feet. Shortly after this they
requested another baring to get them to Linton on Ouse, this new baring however would route them in a direct heading with high ground.
The Halifax flew into high ground at High Mowthorpe Farm, some miles south-east of Malton, where it reportedly
cartwheeled on impact and ended up on its back. Two were killed, four were injured and one remarkably escaped injury. The wireless operator was
Mentioned in Dispatches for his actions at the crash site, for "courage and presence of mind", he was directly responsible for the
death toll in the crash not being higher having rescued a number of the crew himself.
The two who died as a result of this accident were..
Air Bomber - F/O George L Huffman RCAF (J/21575), aged 26, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Rear Gunner - F/Sgt Clarence D Manders RCAF (R/124412), aged 20, of West Kildonan, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Those who survived were..
Pilot - F/O David R DeBloeme RCAF (J/17502), of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Injured.
Flight Engineer - Sgt F C Borst RAF (1449946), of Southhampton. Injured.
Navigator - F/Lt James B Cleveland RCAF (J/15084), of Toronto, Canada. Injured
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner - Sgt W H McGarrigan RAF (1451464), of Rawtenstall, Lancashire. Slightly injured.
Mid Upper Gunner - F/Sgt Willard G Martin RCAF (R/75406), of Westville, Nova Scotia, Canada. Injured.
The gravestones of the two killed in this incident who were buried at Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery.
Before this incident, DeBloeme and Huffman had completed eight operational flights and the rest had done seven. The navigator was flying as a replacement,
he was the squadron's Senior Navigation Officer and was coming to the end of his tour. Both David DeBloeme and Willard Martin returned home to Canada after the War.
Mr DeBloeme died in May 2003, he was a former president of the Prince Edward Branch of the Canadian Legion.
and Mr Martin (late of Abbotsford, B.C.) died in 1999.
Lancaster LL629's history is brief; after being built to contract ACFT/239 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd at Baginton, LL629 was
delivered to 426 Squadron at Linton-on-Ouse in October 1943. It was destroyed as a result of the incident
above and Cat.E2/FB Burnt damage was recorded.