Halifax DG277 near Long Marston, Yorkshire.
At 23.33hrs on the 14th August 1944 Halifax DG277 took off from Rufforth airfield so the crew could carry out
a night navigation exercise. Just before 03.00hrs on the 15th August the aircraft was returning to base in poor weather
but with the crew struggling with poor visibility. The aircraft flew into rising ground to the south of Long Marston,
seemingly striking an oak tree prior to coming to a halt in a field and at the edge of a small wood. The flight engineer sadly
died as a result of the accident and six others were injured but at least two of these must have been seriously
injured as they did not resume training again for some months. The others named below who were injured survived the war but possibly as they
were too seriously injured to resume their training.
F/Eng - F/Sgt John S Piper RAFVR (1880334) aged 35, of Coulsdon. Buried Coulsdon Churchyard, Surrey.
Pilot - F/O T G Smith RNZAF, injured.
Nav - F/O D Gordon RNZAF, injured.
BA - F/Sgt A C M Ackrill RAF, injured.
WOp/AG - Sgt J C Finn.
AG - F/O Edward H Ewin RAFVR (154904), of Didsbury, Manchester. Injured.
AG - F/O Walter D Waller RAFVR (154752), of Swansea, Glamorganshire. Injured
As previously stated the two gunners resumed training, both were killed in a training accident
with 1658 HCU on 5th March 1945 when Halifax LL544 crashed near Skipwith, Yorkshire.
F/O Ewin was buried in Selby Cemetery and was twenty three years old. He received
his commission on 23rd December 1943 to P/O on probation (emergency). On 23rd June 1944 he was confirmed in his appointment
and rose to F/O (war subs).
F/O Waller was returned home to Swansea and buried under private arrangments there.
He had received his commission on 10th December 1943 to P/O on probation (emergency)
and rose to F/O on 10th June 1944.
Myself, Ken Reast, Albert Pritchard and Dick Barton located small remains at the crash site in March 2009, an oak tree close to the
finds bares witness to something damaging it, almost certainly this aircraft. Thanks to the landowner Mr Beckett, of Long Marston,
for allowing our visit.
Some of the peices of metal found on the surface at the crash site though, although none
of the parts found bare Halifax part numbers many are undoubtably from the Halifax.
