Halifax R9433 near Welburn, Malton.
On 31st October 1942 the crew of this 1652 Conversion Unit aircraft were undertaking a training flight when, at 17.20hrs, the aircraft crashed near Greets Farm, Welburn, five miles south west of Malton. The pilot later stated that he had lost rudder control which resulted in the starboard wing dropping and the aircraft sideslipped before going into a flat spin and crashing into a field. A common problem with these early Halifaxes was known as rudder overbalance, following an investigation this was blamed for the loss of control. Six airmen in the aircraft were injured and many were treated at Malton Hospital prior to being tranferred to Station Sick Quarters at Marston Moor.
Halifax R9433 was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at the Radlett factory and was taken on charge by 1652 Conversion Unit at Marston Moor on 8th February 1942 soon after the unit formed. As a result of the crash near Welburn on 31st October 1942 Cat.E2/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge ten days later. All four of the engines were assessed as having sustained Cat.B damage so were probably used again or stripped for spares.
Pilot - Sgt Ronald Britcher RAFVR (1272187). Injured.
Second Pilot - Sgt Augustine Brannigan RAFVR (1126352). Injured.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Edgar James Taylor RAFVR (926852). Injured.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Peter Edward Godfrey RAF (798617), of Newfoundland. Injured.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Reginald Milton Eyles RAAF (15850), of Mourabie, Walgett, New South Wales, Australia. Injured.
Air Gunner - Sgt George Readman Boanas RAF (553683). Uninjured.
Augustine Brannigan was born on 4th September 1914 at Dumfries and enlisted for RAF service on 29th October 1940. He recovered from his injuries following the crash at Welburn, completed his training and was posted to 77 Squadron in Spring 1943. On 11th May 1943 he was the pilot of Halifax BB380 which swung on take off for a training flight from Elvington and crashed injuring one of his then crew. He later received a commission on 27th August 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). He was sadly killed on 28th August 1943 flying Halifax JD371 on Ops to Nuremburg. His aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed in Belgium with five of his then crew killed, three were able to evade capture and return to the UK. P/O Brannigan was twenty nine years old and is buried in Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium. I thank his nephew for contacting me in April 2011 and to Ade Harris for the photograph of his gravestone. A memorial service took place on 28th August 2013 with members of
his family in attendance and the organisers also run the superb "http://www.rememberjd371.be" website who kindly credit me with putting the family and the Belgians in contact.
A Sgt G R Boanes was posted from 76 Squadron to 10 OTU on 6th May 1943 and is probably the same person as listed above.
Edgar Taylor was born on 31st July 1920 at Southampton and enlisted for RAF service on 22nd May 1940. He completed his training and was later posted to 614 Squadron, this unit was the Pathfinder squadron for 205 Group. On 22nd / 23rd August 1944 he was flying in Halifax JP109 and took off at 19.45hrs from Amendola, Italy. The crew were tasked with attacking the marshalling yards at Miscolc, Hungary but the Halifax was shot down by a German night-fighter. He was taken PoW and would spend time in the PoW camp made famous for the Great Escape, Stalag Luft III. During his time in captivity he made a Halifax bomber from food tins and other bits and pieces.
Reginald Eyles was born on 9th May 1914 in Neutral Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Through records held in the Australian National Archives he enlisted for military
service in 1928 while still at Sydney Grammar School. He enlisted into the RAAF in Sydney on 19th June 1940. He survived the War and returned home to his native Australia.
No details of the units of whom he served are yet known.
Peter Godfrey was born on 6th September 1922 at Bournemouth and enlisted for RAF service on 12th November 1940. He was made a PoW on an unknown date and while flying with an unknown squadron. Research needed.
Ronald Britcher was born on 8th November 1922 at Welwyn and enlisted for RAF service on 22nd November 1940. At the time of this crash at Welburn he had flown a total of 180 hours but only eight of these hours flying were on the Halifax type. Sadly nothing more is known of him.