At 19.58hrs on 8th September 1942 this 76 Squadron aircraft took off from Middleton St.George to undertake an operational flight to bomb Frankfurt. Twenty minutes after taking off and while flying just east of York at 8,000 feet the photo-flash that was carried in the bomb bay detonated. A photo-flash was a pyrotechnic device dropped by aircraft which would ignite and light up the target to allow a photograph of their bombing to be taken. The detonating photo-flash unfortunately caused the bomb load within the aircraft to explode and the aircraft disintergrated with wreckage falling around the village of Holtby. A brilliant flash was seen by people on the ground and wreckage was later found spread over three square miles. Sadly all on board were killed. An investigation found that it was likely that the photo-flash had detonated in the bomb bay when burning fuel from damaged fuel lines that ran across the fuselage floor just above it had caught fire. Just two days previously the same thing had happened to 115 Squadron Wellington BJ724 over Norfolk and following an investigation it was suggested by the A.I.B. that the placing of photo-flashes in bomb bays be discontinued.
Halifax W1228 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury. It was initially taken on charge by 78 Squadron on 23rd July 1942 but was then transferred to 76 Squadron at Middleton St.George the following day. As a result of the mid-air explosion on 8th September 1942 Cat.E2/FB damage was the damage assessment and the aircraft was struck off charge on 16th September 1942.
Tiger Moth T6434 (of No.4 Group Communications Flight) would crash in the same area on 20th September 1942 while it's crew were probably landing at the crash site of Halifax W1228 as part of the investigation.
Pilot - F/Sgt John Eric Nicholson RAFVR (1023368), aged 28, of Pendleton, Salford, Lancashire. Buried Barmby Moor Churchyard, Yorkshire.
Second Pilot - P/O Alfred Norman Thompson RAFVR (902444), aged 22, of Hornsey. Buried Tottenham Cemetery, London.
Flight Engineer - Sgt John Taylor Murray RAF (536790), aged 26. Buried Barmby Moor Churchyard, Yorkshire.
Navigator (/Bomb Aimer) - F/O Arnold Robson RAFVR (123276), aged 26, of Howden-le-Wear. Buried Howden-le-Wear Churchyard, Durham.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Laurence George Harvey RAFVR (1256530), aged 22, of Dagenham. Buried Eastbrookend Cemetery, Dagenham, Essex.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Ronald Leonard Stevens RAFVR (1182379), aged 20, of Morden. Buried Morden Cemetery, Surrey.
Rear Gunner - Sgt Cecil Richard Rundle RAFVR (778696), aged 31, of Southern Rhodesia. Buried Barmby Moor Churchyard, Yorkshire.
Three of the crew were buried at Barmby Moor. Sgt Nicholson flew his first operational flight with 76 Squadron on 10th April 1942 to Le Havre as a second pilot and he flew a number of operational flights as second pilot before flying his first as captain on the night of 26th / 27th July 1942 to Hamburg in Halifax W1228 (this aircraft).
Arnold Robson received a commission on 7th March 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) and received promotion to F/O on probation (war subs) after his death on 1st October 1942.
In 2021 an impressive memorial and information board detailing the events that led up to this incident was erected in Holtby village.
