On the 10th August 1943 this aircraft took off from Pocklington at 21.26hrs for Ops to Nuremberg but outbound the aircraft developed a problem with the port outer engine so the crew opted to return to base and left the main bomber stream. On approach to land at Pocklington at 23.35hrs the aircraft struck a house and crashed and sadly two were killed in the crash with one other later dying of his injuries in Fulford Military Hospital, York.
Pilot - F/Sgt Alan E Storey RAFVR (1445662), aged 20, of Prestbury. Killed, buried Prestbury Churchyard, Cheshire.
FEng - Sgt Reginald H Bowers RAFVR (1402265), aged 20, of Shuthonger, Glocestershire. Died of injuries. Buried Fulford Cemetery, York.
Nav - F/Sgt W C A Poulter. Injured. He was also a Vicar.
BA - Sgt William M McArter RCAF, of Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
WOp/AG - Sgt Frederick R Newman RAFVR (1266270), aged 29, of Worting. Killed, buried Worting Churchyard, Hampshire.
MUG - Sgt J H T McEwan.
RG - Sgt Thomas Lawman RAFVR.
Many of the crew who were involved in this accident. Assumed names are (left to right) H D Chappell, R Bowers Jnr, Poulter, Chatterton (a 2nd pilot), Newman, Storey, McEwan & Lawman. This photograph must have been taken just before take-off for Ops one evening, the pidgeon boxes suggest that they were to fly over the sea. Also of interest is the basic nose art this Halifax carried, the "Ceylon" wording was the name given to 102 Squadron and the number of Ops the aircraft had done, there are at least 35 Ops recorded on it. It is said to be a photograph of JB794 itself.
I suspect that the bomb aimer named (far left) in the photograph above was one F/Sgt Howard Douglas Chappell RAFVR (1431223), killed flying with the PFF 97 Squadron on 26th August 1944 in Lancaster PB398.
Sgt Bowers gravestone in Fulford Cemetery.
There is a strong possiblity that the Storey family of Prestbury lost another of their family in RAF service and a cousin of Alan Storey. On 21st May 1944 Gilbert Storey RAFVR, 63 Squadron was killed. Both airmen are buried alongside each other.
My thanks to Mrs Joy Jackson, and her husband Mike, for contacting me regarding this incident; her father being Sgt Thomas Lawman. I thank them for the crew photograph and for the other information they were able to kindly provide in making this account.