Halifax NP805 at East Moor airfield.

At 12.10hrs this Halifax swung on take off for an airtest on 16th April 1945, it crashed through a picket post on the old communal site and into trees at Goose Wood, to the south-western side of the airfield where it caught fire. Sadly two ground crew sunbathing on the roof of the picket post were killed, as was the pilot of the aircraft. Other members of aircrew in the aircraft sustained serious injuries. An investigation found that the control locks on the aircraft should have been removed prior to attempting to take off and as they were still in place control was lost. The three photographs above are shown elsewhere on the internet and show the scene of the crash.

Pilot - F/O William H Porritt RCAF (J/86081), aged 25, of Cookstown, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.

Fitter - LAC Joseph D M Bedard RCAF (R/177118) , aged 20, of Lac aux Sables, Portneuf Co, Quebec, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.

Fitter - LAC Regis F Charbonneau RCAF (R/268734), aged 19, of St Augustin des Deux Montagnes, Quebec, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.

The others on the aircraft were..

Flight Engineer - F/Sgt K Davidson RCAF, seriously injured. He spent two years in hospital with burns, possibly with what became known as the Guinea Pig Club.

? - F/Sgt Len Jorgenson RCAF, of Morris, Manitoba, Canada. Injured.

? - F/Sgt J Gray RCAF, injured.

? - F/Sgt S Reid RCAF, injured.

? - F/Sgt T Cohen RCAF, injured.

Rear Gunner - P/O J Burns RCAF, injured. Spent two years in hospital.

Joseph Bedard and his grave in Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery.

Headstones of the other two who died as a result of this accident.