On the night of 10th / 11th August 1944 a crew of 415 Squadron had flown Halifax MZ633 on an operational flight to bomb U-Boat pens at La Pallice, France. Just before reaching the target area the aircraft's port outer engine caught fire so the crew jettisoned the bombload to make the aircraft lighter. Fortunately the fire went out after the propeller was feathered and the engine was shut down. As a precaution the crew landed the damaged aircraft at Exeter and I assumed that the pilot (F/O Gue) and his crew returned to East Moor by train as they flew Ops in another Halifax two days later. The damaged engine was replaced at Exeter and word was given to 415 Squadron that the aircraft was ready to collect by 21st August 1944.

On the morning of 21st August 1944 Halifax NA609 took off from East Moor with a crew of six, plus a second crew of six to fly MZ633 back to East Moor, plus possibly two members of ground crew to check the repaired aircraft. The pilot of NA609 was the Commanding Officer of 415 Squadron while A-Flight's commanding officer was to fly MZ633. The weather on 21st August 1944 was described in the 415 Squadron record book as being overcast, cold and with showers of rain. All appears to have gone without incident on the trip down to Exeter where the repaired aircraft was signed over to them. During the afternoon they set out back for East Moor. NA609 carried a crew of six plus one of the groundcrew passengers. MZ633 carried a crew of six plus the other groundcrew passenger. Each groundcrew passenger probably sat in the empty mid upper gun turret. They flew in a close formation and by 18.20hrs they had reached the Selby area. An area of cloud was present above 1500 feet and the aircraft appear to have entered it. The two aircraft collided and then broke up in the air roughly between the villages of West Haddlesey and Birkin. Photographs of the crash site exist in Canadian archives and appear to show that parts of both aircraft were spread over a reasonably wide area. Sadly all fourteen airmen were killed in the resulting crashes. One suggestion for the collision occurring was put down to a propeller of Halifax NA609 breaking off leading to the damaged aircraft then swinging into Halifax MZ633. A detailed examination followed of the crash sites and it was found that the starboard aileron of Halifax MZ633 was found on the ground with the Browning machine gun from nose of Halifax NA609 sticking through it indicating that the nose of NA609 had struck the rear portion of the starboard wing of MZ633. Meaning that MZ633 was flying as a lead aircraft and NA609 had formated up to that lead aircraft, so when the propeller dropped off NA609 a swing would initially occur and with the two aircraft being so close together there was no time to avoid a collision with the lead aircraft.

Pilot - S/Ldr Brian Edmund Wilmot DFC and Bar RCAF (J/23777), aged 21, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (E/C/2).

Flight Engineer - Sgt Norman Martin Malpass RAFVR (1852325), aged 20, of High Wycombe. Buried High Wycombe Cemetery, Buckinghamshire.

Navigator - F/O John Henry Hudson RCAF (J/23947), aged 21, of Perth, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (E/C/1).

Bomb Aimer - P/O Thomas Earl Wiltse RCAF (J/87719), aged 20, of Readlyn, Saskatchewan, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (E/B/13).

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/O Walter Reginald Eaglestone RCAF (J/26854), aged 27, of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (E/B/14).

Aero Engine Mechanic - Cpl William Rodger Dickson RCAF (R/87940), aged 38, of Powell River, British Columbia, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (E/B/11).

Air Frame Mechanic - Sgt Ernest Henley RCAF (R/64186), aged 36, of Grimsby, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (E/B/12).

Brian Wilmot was born on 29th April 1923 at Fort William, Ontario, Canada and was the son of John Henry Allan and Bertha Alice (nee McCully) Wilmot. The family moved around Canada when he was a child finally settling in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. His father worked for the Hudson's Bay Company. During Summer 1940 he worked for Fairchild Aircraft in Montreal before returning to school. In May 1941 he started work for the Trans-Canada Airlines in Winnipeg with both jobs as a sheet metal worker. He enlisted for RCAF service in Winnipeg on 30th December 1941 for aircrew duties and after training in Canada he was awarded his pilot's flying badge and a commission on 19th February 1943. By Summer 1943 he was in the UK. He trained at 15 (P)AFU, 22 OTU and 1664 HCU before posting to 425 Squadron on 1st February 1944. Having completed a Tour with 425 Squadron he was awarded the DFC (Gazetted on 30th May 1944) which was presented to him by King George VI at Linton on Ouse on 11th August 1944. The citation for his DFC reads.. "This officer has completed many sorties during which he has attacked such well-defended targets as Berlin, Frankfurt and Dusseldorf. One night in April 1944, in a sortie against the last named target, Flying Officer Wilmot displayed the greatest determination in pressing home his attack although one engine failed and some height had been lost before reaching the target. His fine fighting spirit has always been apparent and he has set a most commendable example."

After a brief period of non-operational flying he was posted to 415 Squadron on 16th July 1944. On the night of 12th / 13th August 1944 was flying Halifax NP720 on an operational flight to Brunswick. NP720 was actually a 432 Squadron aircraft borrowed by 415 Squadron that night. The aircarft was firstly damaged by flak and then attacked by night-fighters sustaining damage to both wings, the fuselage and the H2S dome. Despite the damage Wilmot was able to bring the aircraft back to East Moor. For his actions on this night S/Ldr Wilmot was awarded the Bar to the DFC (Gazetted on 27th October 1944). The citation for his Bar to the DFC reads.."Since the award of the DFC S/Ldr Wilmot has completed numerous sorties against a variety of targets. On a recent operation against Brunswick, although his aircraft was attacked and damaged by enemy night fighters, S/Ldr Wilmot displayed great skill and determination in pressing home his attack and in bringing his damaged aircraft safety back to base. He has set a worth example." DFC research credit to Hugh Halliday. In total he only flew two operational flights with 415 Squadron, there was this one in the 432 Squadron aircraft on 12th August 1944 and then one in a 415 Squadron aircraft on 16th August 1944. He was killed five days later.

John Hudson was born on 10th January 1923 at Perth, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Archibald Frederick and Sarah Helen (nee O'Neill) Hudson. As a young man he studied Commerce at college and worked as a life guard in a swimming pool. He enlisted for RCAF service in Ottawa on 28th January 1942 for aircrew duties, he trained in Canada and was awarded his navigator's flying badge and a commission on 19th February 1943. His postings in the UK were the same as his pilot, Brian Wilmot, after training at 6 (O)AFU he was posted to 22 OTU and 1664 HCU before going to 425 Squadron on 1st February 1944. He was later posted to 415 Squadron on 16th July 1944.

Thomas Wiltse was born on 29th January 1922 at Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, Canada and was the son of George and Edith (nee Dennison) Wiltse. The family later moved a few miles to Readlyn where his father was a farmer. His mother died when he was three years old. He may have known Walter Eaglestone back home as both men had lived in the small village of Readlyn as boys. As a young man he worked on the family farm at Readlyn and also studied at the Nutana College in Saskatoon. He enlisted for RCAF service in Saskatoon on 14th April 1942 for aircrew duties and after training was awarded his air bomber's flying badge on 11th June 1943. Arriving in the UK the following month he trained at 4 (O)AFU, 22 OTU and 1664 HCU before posting to 425 Squadron on 29th January 1944. He was granted a commission on 5th May 1944 and was posted to 415 Squadron on 16th July 1944.

Walter Eaglestone was born on 8th January 1917 at Readlyn, Saskatchewan, Canada and was the son of Walter Arthur and Marianne J (nee Sanderson) Eaglestone. Both his parents were born in England but had emigrated to Canada. He may have known Thomas Wiltse back home as both appear to have lived in the same small village. As a young man he worked at a variety of jobs, latterly he was worked as a parts storeman for Prairie Airways Ltd, in Regina, prior to enlisting for RCAF service on 28th April 1942 there. He was married to Frances Barkwell in Winnipeg in December 1942. After training as a wireless operator / air gunner he was awarded the air gunner's part to his flying badge on 31st May 1943 with a commission granted on the same date. His wireless operator training was carried out earlier. He was posted to the UK in June 1943 where he trained at 6 (O)AFU, 22 OTU and 1664 HCU before being posted to 425 Squadron on 1st February 1944. He served at 425 Squadron until receiving a posting to 415 Squadron on 16th July 1944. The Eaglestone Lake in Saskatchewan is named in his honour.

William Dickson was born on 19th June 1906 at Leith, Scotland and was the son of David Rodger and Rachel White (nee Adams) Dickson. He and his family emigrated to Canada. As a young man he worked as an automobile mechanic for various people and companies in Powell River. He enlisted for RCAF service on 1st February 1941 in Vancouver for ground duties to serve as an aero engine mechanic. After basic training he was posted to the UK serving with 404 Squadron from 13th November 1941 until 28th October 1943 when he joined 432 Squadron. He left 432 Squadron on 6th December 1943. Further postings are not shown on his service file that is now in the public domain so when he was either posted back to 432 Squadron or joined 415 Squadron (both at East Moor) is not known.

Ernest Henley was born on 2nd July 1908 in Tamworth, England and was the son of Sydney Thomas and Rosa (nee Redfern) Henley, he had emigrated to Canada, probably with his parents, after the First World War. He married Eva Mabel Mason in Grimsby, Ontario in 1932 where the couple had five children and he worked as a truck driver and sheet metal worker. He enlisted for RCAF service on 20th May 1940 in Hamilton for ground duties serving as an airframe mechanic. He originally served in Canada with 118 Squadron RCAF and later with 111 Squadron RCAF in Alaska. He was posted to the UK in January 1944 and served with 408, 432 and 415 Squadron. He was posted to 415 Squadron on 1st August 1944 but almost immediately was sent on a training course at Rootes Securities Ltd, at Speke and only returned to East Moor on 20th August (a day before his death).