Lancaster DS705 near Dalton airfield.

On the 23rd July 1944 the crew of this Lancaster were undertaking a training exercise and were landing at Dalton airfield when they missed their approach to land, overshot and crashed off the end of the runway at 14.45hrs. The aircraft passed through a hedge, crossed a road and caught fire in the field opposite with two of the crew being injured. Sadly only the pilots name is currently known.

Pilot - P/O Donald L Snider RCAF (J/19789), of Brantford, Ontario, Canada. Uninjured.

Crew - Names unknown.

In June 2007 air historian Mr Ken Reast showed me where this aircraft had crashed, he located peices on the surface some years ago. The aircraft came to rest towards the centre right of the photograph but a scar in the field is not thought to have been caused by this incident and is believed natural.

Donald Snider was born in Brantford in 1918 and worked for the Bank of Montreal before enlisting into the RCAF in October 1941 when he was already a member of the Royal Canadian Artillery. It is probable that while W/O D L Snider and his crew were training at 23 OTU he was involved in a previous accident to the one at Dalton, when, on 29th December 1943 Wellington HE366 crashed at Atherstone.He was commissioned in 1944 and completed a Tour with 408 Squadron for which he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 5th February 1945 but not presented until 14th June 1949. Hugh Halliday's research into RCAF awards has sourced the recommendation for his DFC which reads..

"Flying Officer Snider has completed an operational tour as captain in four-engined bombers. Many of these trips took him to such heavily defended targets in Germany as Karlsruhe, Friedrichshafen, Wesseling and Kiel. On all occasions, Flying Officer Snider displayed great determination in pressing home his attacks in spite of anything the enemy had to offer in the way of defences. More recently, on precision targets requiring the utmost in skill, he has bombed the target, bringing back excellent aiming point photographs. Throughout his tour he has displayed exceptional keenness in operations and coming to grips with the enemy, and by his keenness has inspired his crew and all members of the squadron. Flying Officer Snider has, by his cheerful spirit and fine operational ability, been a great asset to this squadron, and I consider that his fine operational record fully warrants the grant of the Non-Immediate Distinguished Flying Cross."

After the War he returned home to Brantford and continued to work for the Bank of Montreal. He died on 16th August 2008.