Halifax W1241 at Leeming airfield.
On 10th March 1943 the crew of this 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft were undertaking a local flying training flight when the aircraft stalled in a circuit of Leeming airfield while making a turn, it dived into ground within the airfield boundary on the south eastern side of airfield at 14.10hrs and was destroyed. Sadly all eight airmen in the aircraft were killed. The reason was for the accident was never fully established but engine failure was a likely cause and the pilot may well have turned into the failed engine which generally resulted in the lower wing with a dead engine pulling the aircraft towards the ground. Of those listed below Shives, McLaughlin, Leckie and Taylor were posted to 1659 H.C.U. on 20th February 1943 from 22 O.T.U. as part of the same crew.
Pilot - P/O Arnold Belden Shives RCAF (J/13020), aged 24, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Buried Ripon Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Navigator - F/O William George McLaughlin RCAF (J/13807), aged 20, of Georgetown, Ontario, Canada. Buried Ripon Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Lawrence Taylor RCAF (R/77972), aged 25, of Turner Valley, Alberta, Canada. Buried Ripon Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Roy Stanley Greengrass RCAF (R/106204), aged 19, of Transcona, Manitoba, Canada. Buried Ripon Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Flight Engineer - Sgt George Edward Clarke RCAF (10118), aged 23, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Buried Ripon Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Alexander Patterson Morris Aitken RCAF (R/86972), aged 20, of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Buried Ripon Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Air Gunner - Sgt John Henry McGinn RCAF (R/154434), aged 22, of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada. Buried Ripon Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Air Gunner - F/Sgt Albert Wordie Leckie RCAF (R/139393), aged 25. Of Tifton, Georgia, USA. Buried Ripon Cemetery, Yorkshire.
William McLaughlin was born on 23rd July 1922 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Donald Robert and Jean Janet (nee Wilkins) McLaughlin. His mother died in 1935 and the family would move to Georgetown, Ontario before 1941. He was studying mechanical engineer at the University of Toronto when he enlisted for RCAF service on 22nd September 1941 in Toronto. He trained as an air observer in Canada receiving his air observer badge on 8th August 1942, he also received a commission on the same date. On arrival in the UK he trained at 22 OTU before posting to 1659 HCU on 20th February 1943. Two of his brothers served in the Canadian forces during WW2.
Albert Leckie was born on 21st June 1917 in Matador, Texas, USA, and was one of four sons born to Tevy Elisha Leckie and Nancy Orr (nee Norman) Leckie. One of their sons died at a young age and the family later moved to Tifton, Georgia and to Folkston, Georgia. He enlisted for RCAF service on 28th November 1941 in Hamilton, Ontario and after training in Canada he was awarded his air gunner's badge on 14th August 1942. He arrived in the UK in October 1942. On arrivan in the UK in October 1942 he trained at 22 OTU before posting to 1659 HCU on 20th February 1943.
John McGinn was born on 4th November 1920 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and was the son of Micheal and Sarah (nee White) McGinn. As a young man he worked as a wire drawer. He enlisted for RCAF service on 10th February 1942 in Montreal and after training in Canada he was awarded his air gunner's badge on 25th September 1942. On arrival in the UK he trained at 7 AGS in January 1943 and was posted to 1659 HCU on 20th February 1943.
Lawrence Taylor was born on 1st January 1918 in London, England and was the son of Samuel Joseph and Ethel (nee Warrilow) Taylor. The family later emigrated to Turner Valley, Alberta, Canada in 1928. As a young man studied typing, shorthand and book-keeping at commercial school in Turner Valley. When he enlisted he gave his occupation as a being a private secretary and statistician. He enlisted for RCAF service on 1st February 1941 in Calgary for ground duties serving as a stenographer. He remustered for aircrew duties in December 1941. Following training as a bomb aimer he was awarded his air observer's flying badge on 4th August 1942. He was posted to the UK later in 1942 and after training at 22 OTU was posted to 1659 HCU on 20th February 1943 with his crew.
The graves of the other Canadian airmen sadly killed in this incident who were buried at Ripon Cemetery in the afternoon of the 13th March 1943, but whom I have yet to locate a photograph of.
Arnold Shives was born on 28th July 1918 at Prince George, British Columbia, Canada and was the son of Arnold Kilgour and Claire Peel (nee Belden) Shives. The family later moved to Vancouver and as a young man he studied commerce and the University of British Columbia. He later worked for the Pacific Mills Ltd as an office sales clerk. He enlisted for RCAF service in Vancouver on 28th August 1941 and after training in Canada he was awarded his pilot's flying badge and also a commission on 31st July 1942. Once in the UK he trained at 3 (P)AFU and 22 OTU before posting to 1659 HCU on 20th February 1943.
Roy Greengrass was born on 14th May 1923 at Transcona, Manitoba, Canada and was the son of John Henry and Mary Helen (nee Platt) Greengrass. He was still a student when he enlisted for RCAF service on 26th May 1941 having arrived at the recruiting centre with all his documents on his eighteenth birthday. After training in Canada he was awarded his wireless operator / air gunner's flying badge. Arriving in the UK in Summer 1942 he then trained at 1 (O)AFU and 22 OTU before posting to 1659 HCU on 20th February 1943.
George Clark was born on 8th November 1919 at Peterborough, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Edward Sampson and Lillian (nee Benson) Clarke. As a young man he served as an airframe mechanic from 22nd November 1937 to 19th April 1939 with No.110 (Army Co-operation) Squadron RCAF which at that time appears to have been an auxillary unit. He worked as a clerk in a grocery store in Toronto by day. He enlisted for RCAF service way back on 21st April 1939 in Toronto for ground duties and served as an airframe mechanic. After initial training he served in Canada with No.2 (A.C.) Squadron in 1939 and then back to No.110 (A.C.) Squadron in 1939 and 1940, he then moved to the UK with 110 Squadron in February 1940. He was later posted to No.2 (Canadian) Squadron on 11th January 1941 and this later became known as 402 Squadron. He then served at 404 Squadron from November 1941 where he remained for the next year apart from undergoing a number of brief attachments elsewhere. He appears to have remustered as aircrew just before October 1942 when the need for flight engineers to fly in heavy bombers became an urgent need. Following training at No.4 School of Technical Training he was posted to 1659 HCU on 1st February 1943. He and Alexander Aitken had almost certainly known each other earlier than while undertaking aircrew training with 1659 HCU as both he served as the same trade at 404 Squadron at the same time.
Alexander Aitken was born on 20th April 1922 at Auchterderran, Fife, Scotland and was the son of William and Christina Philip (nee Spittal) Aitken. The family moved to Canada when he was young and set up home in Hinton, Alberta. He was working as a motor mechanic and truck driver when he left to join the Dominion Provincial Youth Training School in 1940. He enlisted for RCAF service on 28th February 1941 in Edmonton for ground duties, specifically and given his practical background, as an aircraft mechanic. After basic training in Canada he qualified as an airframe mechanic and would be posted overseas soon after qualifying. On arrival in the UK in November 1941 he served with 404 Squadron in Coastal Command. He remustered for aircrew duties to train to be a flight engineer in November 1942 and following training at No.4 School of Technical Training he was posted to 1659 HCU on 20th February 1943. At the time of his death his parents lived in Edmonton, Alberta.
Halifax W1241 was built to contract V.982938/39 by English Electric Ltd. at Samlesbury. It was taken on charge by 102 Squadron at Topcliffe on 3rd August 1942 and then moved to Pocklington with them a few days later. The aircraft last flew operationally with 102 Squadron on 7th November 1942. It was transferred to 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit at Leeming on 16th November 1942. As a result of a mishap on 19th November 1942 at Leeming minor Cat.Ac/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site. The aircraft was returned to 1659 H.C.U. on 14th January 1943. It continued to be used by them until 10th March 1943 when it crashed at Leeming. The damage was deemed unrepairable, Cat.E2/FA Burnt damage was the damage assessment that saw it struck off charge on 21st March 1943.
