Halifax EB190 on Hatfield Moor, Lindholme.

On the 25rd of July 1944 Halifax EB190 took off from Sandtoft at 01.45hrs for a generally what would be regarded as a basic training flight, a night circuits practice. The aircraft had only been in the air for two minutes and was flying at 300 feet when it made a diving turn to starboard and crashed just inside the Yorkshire border on fenland known as Hatfield Moor, a large area of natural peat bog. Four were killed in the crash, and although a further four were rushed to Doncaster Hospital two of these died soon after leaving only the two gunners alive. An investigation concluded that the failure of both starboard engines was a main factor into the crash and soon after take off the pilot could not keep control.

Pilot - P/O Sinclair M Laird RAFVR (177512), aged 23, of Motherwell,Strathclyde, Scotland. Buried Manchester Southern Cemetery, Lancashire.

Air Bomber - Sgt Dennis G E Wilkins RAFVR (1601075), aged 20, of Hilsea, Portsmouth. Buried Kingston Cemetery, Portsmouth.

Flight Engineer - Sgt John G Mcleod RAFVR (1101950), aged 24, of Paisley. Buried Hawkhead Cemetery, Paisley.

Flight Engineer - Sgt Anthony M Salter RAFVR (1890999), aged 21, of Chipstead, Surrey. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.

Navigator - P/O Bryan W H Stalvies RAFVR (172642), aged 21, of Nottingham. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.

Wireless Op - F/Sgt Allen L Cheatle RAAF (432305), aged 20, of Bankstown, NSW, Australia. Died of injuries. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.

Air Gunner - Sgt J M Wishart, injured but recovered. No further details known.

Air Gunner - Sgt Eric G Woodward RAFVR, of Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire. Injured but recovered.

The main part of the crew of Halifax EB190 on this night. Initially very little was known of who was pictured here but through the power of the internet I am pretty certain that they read left to right (with two "unknowns"). F/Sgt Cheatle RAAF, Sgt E Woodward, unknown, P/O S M Laird, P/O Stalvies (at back), H Laird, unknown.

Through correspondance with Sinclair Laird's family in 2010 it transpires that the photograph was probably taken just before Sinclair was married almost certainly at his Stag night in June 1944. His brother is known to have attended this party. Sinclair Laird was married for only six weeks before he was sadly killed in this accident detailed above and while buried in Manchester and combined with CWGC listing his wife as being from Northenden, Manchester he was actually a Scot as perhaps his surname would suggest. He lived in Motherwell where he worked in the Police before enlisting. He received his commission on 18th May 1944 to P/O on probation (emergency). The chap shown second right is Hector Laird, Sinclair Laird's brother, he served in the RAF as ground-crew during the War spending time in Lincolnshire and later in the Middle-East. He passed away in 2000.

F/Sgt Allen Cheatle RAAF. This photograph was found on the Australian National Archives website. Sadly for the Cheatle family the younger son, F/Sgt Raey H Cheatle (432755) was killed on RAAF duty on 8th February 1945 flying in Lancaster ND961 with 97 Squadron. He is buried in Eindhoven Cemetery, Holland.

Sgt Eric Woodward. He recovered from his injuries and would join another crew also training at Sandtoft. Sadly on 10th October 1944 their aircraft, Halifax LL501 crashed into the bank of the River Trent, not far from where EB190 came down, killing all but his new pilot. Eric Woodward's body was never found. The loss of Halifax LL501 is also detailed on this website

Bryan Stalvies received his commission on 17th March 1944 to P/O on probation (emergency).
My thanks to (the now late) Mrs Ruth Meeks, via Tenbury Wells British Legion Chairman, Mr Roy Winton for allowing this photograph to appear here. Mrs Meeks knew very little of her brother's two accidents and was most pleased to learn where her brother died before she passed away in Spring 2010. It was my pleasure to assist her in this.
My thanks also to Mr P. Dann for contacting me to identify his uncle P/O Stalvies in the photograph shown above and for the information he was kind enough to provide this account.
Mr thanks also to Mrs Senga Seaton, neice of Sinclair Laird for contacting me to identify her uncle and for the additional information into his and her fathers lives. I appreciate the contact from all the families of these airmen.