Halifax DT696 near Stillingfleet, Selby.
On the night of 14/15th February 1943 the crew of this aircraft were tasked with Ops to Cologne and they
took off from base at 18.16hrs. Soon after taking off the one of the aircraft's port engines failed. The
aircraft was heavily loaded and because the forward speed was still fairly slow the pilot appears to
have considered a forced landing. The bombs were dropped near Appleton Roebuck in open country but soon
after the aircraft stalled and crashed at 18.30hrs just to the west of Stillingfleet sadly killing the
whole of the crew.
Pilot - F/O Gerald B Herbert RAFVR (116456), aged 20, of Theale. Buried Theale Churchyard, Berkshire.
Nav - F/O Reginald Flood RAFVR (124712), aged 26, of Staveley. Buried Staveley Cemetery, Derbyshire.
Nav - Sgt Arthur B Langeland RAFVR (1260753), aged 26, of Staines. Buried Staines (London Rd) Cemetery, Middlesex.
WOp/AG - F/Sgt Sidney W Cains RNZAF (405472), aged 24, of Kerikeri, Auckland, New Zealand. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.
FEng - Sgt John R Mace RAFVR (1225368), aged 29, of Brundall. Buried North Walsham New Cemetery, Norfolk.
AG - Sgt Dennis Booker RAF (610543), aged 22, of Wybunbury. Buried Wybunbury Churchyard, Cheshire.
AG - Sgt William Ruth RAFVR (1074263), aged 21, of Barrow in Furness. Buried Barrow in Furness Cemetery, Lancashire.
He was from a hughly military family, his father was the late A/Comm Philip L W Herbert CMG CBE, who died in 1936,
and his three sons were destined for flying careers. Sadly for their surviving mother the three brothers were all
killed during the War and all were pilots. F/O Philip Herbert RAFVR died on 26th January 1942 whilst flying with
1PRU and he is buried in a joint grave with his brother Gerald. Another brother F/O Richard Herbert RAF died
whilst serving with 211 Squadron on 13th April 1941, he is buried at Phaleron War Cemetery, Greece. All three
brothers are commemerated on the Lydford village War Memorial, Devon.
Their father Philip Herbert was one of the earliest members of the RFC and obtained his RAeC Certificate in July 1912.
On the 14th February 2008 a memorial plaque in rememberance of this crew and incident was dedicated
inside Stillingfleet church. This replaced an original memorial which used to be seen close to the
crash site at the corner of a field nearby. Villagers have researched the incident for the history
group and the second memorial came about through their efforts. Aviation researchers David Thompson and
Eddie Fell's efforts are also to be recognised in addition to local people. Mr Thompson had traced the
family of the New Zealander and (the now late) Mr Fell did a speech at the dedication service.
An overview of the crash site.
I searched for the crash site with Ken Reast, David Thompson, Dick Barton and Albert Pritchard in September 2008. Our first visit yielded
nothing aircraft related. Two weeks later I was unable to attend but the others located small remains of the aircraft in a different area to that
which we had previously searched. Without the help and permission of the land owner Mr John Daniel the site may not have been located and we are
most appreciative of his help. The above photograph shows a part with an English Electric, Preston inspection stamp; the company who made DT696.
Gerald Herbert was born in Kensington, London in 1923. He received his commission on 5th December 1941 to the rank
of P/O on probation (emergency), he rose to F/O on probation
(war subs) on 1st October 1942.
Reginald Flood received his commission on 22nd June 1942 to P/O on probation (emergency)
and rose to F/O on probation on 22nd December 1942. CWGC is therefore incorrect in stating
his rank was P/O at the time of his death. This error unfortunately found its way onto the
memorial plaque.
