The crew flying this aircraft were new to 158 Squadron, having only arrived five days earlier. At 20.17hrs on 8th November 1944 the crew of this 158 Squadron aircraft took off from Lissett airfield to undertake a cross country night bombing on the range at North Frodingham combined with a local flying training exercise. The aircraft took off and climbed slowly to 400 feet but then dived into the ground almost immediately after near to the village of Gembling. Although it was never proven to be why the aircraft crashed it was found that the aircraft's elevators had been incorrect trimmed prior to taking off, instead of the -1 degree that was required they were set at +3 degrees. The aircraft was a real veteran aircraft, it had flown soem eighty two operational flights, it carried the nose art "Goofy's Gift". Air Historian Chuck Tolley has researched this incident in great detail and without wishing to directly copy his research I have created this webpage to give the incident coverage on my website. I would direct anyone with an interest to the crew to Chuck's research. His uncle, F/O Andrew Sharp, was killed in the accident.
Pilot - F/Sgt William Max Freeman RCAF (R/189238), aged 21, of Milner, British Columbia, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/B/16).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Edwin Sampson Powell RAFVR (1818899), aged 19, of Stoke on Trent. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/B/13).
Navigator - F/O Andrew Sharp RCAF (J/37536), aged 29, of 29, of Biggar, Saskatchewan, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/B/18).
Air Bomber - F/O William Wilfred Cook RCAF (J/37827), aged 30, of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/B/19).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - P/O Clarence William Arthur Britton RCAF (J/92636), aged 22, of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/B/17).
Air Gunner - F/Sgt Gerald William Henry Patterson RCAF (R/206111), aged 20, of Peterboro, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/B/15).
Air Gunner - F/Sgt Geoffrey William Stone RCAF (R/205656), aged 18, of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/B/14).
Most of the crew of HX356. Back row; L-R Britton, Patterson, Stone. Front Row L-R; Cook, Freeman, Sharp. The photograph and the award were given while they were at 10 OTU as they were coming to the end of their OTU training by this time.
William Freeman was born on 5th October 1923 at Trail, British Columbia, Canada and was the son of Edward Raymond and Flora Lawson (nee Linklater) Freeman. His father was a Nova Scotian and his mother Prince Edward Islander by birth but both would move to Winnipeg by the time they married. They were living in Trail, B.C. when William was born but later moved to Milner, B.C. where his father was a farmer. As a young man William worked at a number of jobs but latterly for Boeing Aircraft in a sub-assembly department. He enlisted for RCAF service on 31st August 1942 in Vancouver and after training as a pilot in Canada was awarded his pilots' flying badge on 3rd September 1943. On arrival in the UK he trained at 15 (P)AFU, 10 OTU and 1652 HCU before posting to 158 Squadron on 3rd November 1944. His brother Charles N Freeman served in the RCAF in the UK.
Clarence Britton was born on 23rd March 1922 at Windsor, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Charles Arthur and Lilly Jane (nee Bell) Britton. Both his parents were English but had emigrated to Canada before their marriage in 1910. After leaving school he worked in two local stores in Windsor before enlisting into the RCAF on 5th May 1942 in Windsor. After training in Canada he was awarded his wireless operator / air gunners' flying badge on 15th November 1943. On arrival in the UK he trained at 6 (O)AFU, 10 OTU and 1652 HCU before posting to 158 Squadron on 3rd November 1944.
Edwin Powell's grave at Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery.
William Cook was born on 23rd January 1914 at Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Alfred and Naomi (nee Filer) Cook. Both his parents were English but had emigrated to Canada and sadly both his parents died when when he was young. After leaving technical college William worked as a mechanic for the American Can Company in Hamilton. He enlisted for RCAF service on 11th July 1942 in Hamilton and underwent aircrew training in Canada. He married Elsie Dalene Couchman in June 1942 in Windsor, Ontario and was awarded his air bombers' flying badge and also a commission on 29th October 1943. On arrival in the UK he trained at 8 (O)AFU, 10 OTU and 1652 HCU before posting to 158 Squadron on 3rd November 1944.
Andrew Sharp was born on 5th October 1915 at the family farm at Biggar, Saskatchewan, Canada and was the son of Frederick and Jennie (nee Ovans) Sharp. Both his parents had emigrated to Canada from South Shields, England but both sadly died in 1921. He was cared for by an older sister and as a young man he worked on local farms in the Biggar area. He enlisted for RCAF service in Saskatoon on 13th November 1941 but for general duties and then served in a ground role until re-mustering for aircrew service in early 1943. After training in Canada he was awarded his air navigators' flying badge and also a commission on 29th October 1943. On arrival in the UK he trained at 10 (O)AFU, 10 OTU and 1652 HCU before posting to 158 Squadron on 3rd November 1944.
Gerald Patterson was born on 1st November 1924 at Peterborough, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Francis Henry and Myrtle (nee Smith) Patterson. After leaving school he worked as a bank clerk prior to enlisting for RCAF service on 16th November 1942 in Toronto. He appears to have initially enlisted, or tried to enlist, when he was seventeen years old. After initially beginning basic pilot training he later switched to air gunnery training and was awarded his air gunners' flying badge on 28th January 1944. He arrived in the UK soon after and following training at 18 OTU and 1652 HCU was posted to 158 Squadron on 3rd November 1944.
Geoffrey Stone was born on 10th April 1925 at Sarnia, Ontario, Canada and was the son of George and Enfield (nee Butler) Stone. His father served in the Canadian Army overseas in WW2. Geoffrey was fresh out of technical college when he enlisted for RCAF service in London, Ontario on 12th November 1942. After training in Canada he was awarded his air gunners' flying badge on 28th January 1944. On arrival in the UK he trained at 10 OTU and 1652 HCU before posting to 158 Squadron on 3rd November 1944.