At 21.58hrs on 20th November 1944 the crew of this 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft took off from Lindholme airfield to undertake a night navigation training flight. Shortly after leaving the ground the aircraft banked steeply, lost height, struck a tree and then crashed into farm buildings at Lings Farm, near Dunsville. On impact the aircraft caught fire and six of the crew were killed. Farm buildings also caught fire causing a number of cattle to be put down. No civilians are believed to have been injured as a result of this incident though I suspect that the rear gunner was pulled clear of the burning aircraft but a civilian rescue effort though cannot locate any information about it. This was the third aircraft of three 1656 HCU Halifaxes to crash over an hour in this small vicinity, all accidents were put down to the incorrect used of the flap or bomb-door levers. The first saw five of the crew killed when Halifax BB254 crashed at Dunscroft, second was to Halifax HR794 where the crew were lucky and escaped with their lives. Halifax W7875 had crashed around half a mile nearer the airfield from where BB254 had crashed.
Pilot - F/O John Douglas Alfred East RCAF (J/36618), aged 20, of Keremeos, British Columbia, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (G/C/5).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Kenneth Stodden RAFVR (1898283), aged 22, of Falmouth. Buried Falmouth Cemetery, Cornwall.
Navigator - F/O Charles Currie RCAF (J/40406), aged 22, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (G/C/4).
Bomb Aimer - F/O Lawrence Ellwin Pike RCAF (J/40651), aged 23, of Kerwood, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (G/C/6).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Norman Ralph Rusher RAFVR (1275536), aged 23. Buried Burnham Churchyard, Buckinghamshire.
Mid Upper Gunner - Sgt Norman Richard Stubbs RCAF (R/270450), aged 20, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (G/C/3).
Rear Gunner - Sgt R J Twining RCAF (R/255301). Injured.
John East was born on 3rd September 1924 at Keremeos, British Columbia, Canada and was the son of Jack Haddon and Mona Favouretta (nee MacDonald) East. He was fresh out of college when he enlisted into the RCAF in Vancouver on 15th September 1942 and after training in Canada he was awarded his pilots flying badge and also a commission on 15th October 1943. On arrival in the UK he trained at 14 (P)AFU and 18 OTU before posting to 1656 HCU in October 1944. His brother F/Sgt Michael George King East RCAF (R/118286) died on 26th May 1943 while serving with 90 Squadron. He was killed when Stirling EH876 failed to return from an operational flight to Dusseldorf and has no known grave.
Charles Currie was born on 20th July 1922 in Belfast, Northern Ireland and was the son of Charles and Maude (nee Smyth) Currie. The family emigrated to Toronto, Ontario, Canada when he was a small boy. After leaving college he began working for the Dunlop Tire and Rubber company. He enlisted for RCAF service in Toronton on 3rd September 1942 and initially undertook pilot training but later switched to navigator training. He was awarded his air navigators' badge and also a commission on 14th January 1944. On arrival in the UK he trained at 3 (O)AFU and 18 OTU before posting to 1656 HCU.
Lawrence Pike was born on 18th September 1921 at Kerwood, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Thomas Edwin and Margaret Ellen (nee Brigham) Pike. After attending high school he began working on his father's farm. He enlisted for RCAF service on 21st August 1942 in London, Ontario and after training in Canada was awarded his air bombers' flying badge on 14th January 1944. On arrival in the UK he trained at 2 (O)AFU and 18 OTU before posting to 1656 HCU in October 1944. The website "www.strathroymuseum.ca" gives a good account of his life.
Norman Stubbs was born on 17th October 1924 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Robert Stanley and Anna (nee Beattie) Stubbs. As a young man he studied at technical college before starting work as a draughtsman. He enlisted for RCAF service in Toronto on 16th August 1943 and after training in Canada he was awarded his air gunners' flying badge on 21st April 1944. On arrival in the UK he then trained at 18 OTU before posting to 1656 HCU in October 1944.