I initially began researching this incident around fifteen years ago and since then I have discovered much more information about the aftermath, mainly surrounding the heroic actions of people on the ground in attempting to rescue others. At the time this must have been a massive event for York and had it occurred today would surely still be widely spoken about for years to come so I suspect that many of York's residents in 1945 will remember it. I am certain that there is also more to be learned and I would welcome any additional information to give names of people and possibly gallantry awards given. The George Medal and other military awards I list below have not previously been credited on any website in the modern era and I would expect some civilian gallantry awards to have been recommended (if not awarded).
On the late afternoon of 5th March 1945 squadrons of No.6 Group Bomber Command aircraft took off from their airfields in North Yorkshire undertake operational flights to bomb Chemnitz, Germany. During the time the aircraft took off and the half and hour it took to get all the squadron aircraft off the ground an unforecast layer of freezing cloud severely effected the flying of many aircraft and, having iced up and lost control, some would crash in Yorkshire around 17.00hrs as they set out for their operational sorties. The crew of this 426 Squadron Halifax LW210 took off from Linton on Ouse airfield at 16.39hrs, climbed away and almost certainly circled the Linton on Ouse area while gaining the height, allowing all other 426 Squadron aircraft to get in the air and for them then to all be wrong over Linton on Ouse at the designated time to begin the sortie. This crew set course from Linton on Ouse and began to fly roughly south on the first part of the route to the target area, as they crossed the city of York while flying through cloud at around 10,000 feet the aircraft began to go out of control. The unforecast freezing cloud had caused the aircraft's surfaces to ice up which would prove very hazardous for aircraft, the ice build-up could effectively change the shape of the wings and propellers, and ultimately the pilot would lose control over the moveable flying surfaces which could get blocked by ice. What appears to have then happened in this case was that the aircraft entered a very fast and uncontrolled dive, the icing effects may then have begun to melt as the aircraft dropped below the freezing layer and the pilot was able to begin to pull the aircraft out of the dive. Because of the speed and the stresses involved in trying to pull out of high speed dives it was reasonably common for some form of structural failure to occur. The aircraft was seen by witnesses on the ground to level out at around 2,000 feet just below the cloud layer but for part of the starboard wing to break off. The aircraft then yawed and rolled violently causing further structural failures of parts of both wings and the rudder and fins of the aircraft. The starboard outer engine also broke away in the air. An order to abandon the aircraft was given by the pilot and the wireless operator with one other were able to jump from the aircraft before it spun into the ground and crashed into a double semi-detached; No.26 and No.28 Nunthorpe Grove, York. The crash destroyed the aircraft and the houses. The five remaining in the aircraft were killed, as were two elderly ladies inside No.28 Nunthorpe Grove and also one of those who baled out as he was too low for his parahute to deploy and he was found in the grounds of Nunthorpe Secondary School for Boys (just behind the main crash site). The starboard outer engine that broke away was found on the ground just outside the school kitchen at Nunthorpe school and further detached wreckage and bombs were located over a wide area. As this aircraft was seen to crash in a built-up area of York during the day there were many witnesses to it. People were on the scene within minutes of it crashing and they began searching the houses around No.26 and No.28 for survivors. Unfortunately fifteen minutes after the crash one of the 500lb bombs exploded in the post-crash fire, this further damaged the houses surrounding it and also killed three and injured many more of the rescuers. A short time later at least one futher bomb exploded and caused more damage. A large party of RAF Police were one group of people engaged in resue work at that time and they were later to received gallantry awards for their actions. An Army boxing tournament was being held in York around this time and a number of the Army personnel who were competing turned out to help the rescue effort with one being killed. Other houses were damaged including two when a bomb fell through the roof of No.42 Millfield Road and came to rest under the floor of No.44 Millfield Road but appears not to have exploded. In total some thirty houses were damaged, two being totally destroyed but many just sustaining more superficial damage than others. The investigation found that although control was lost and that structural failure occurred it was not understood why more of the crew did not bale out immediately after the wireless operator left the aircraft as there was time while the aircraft was still in reasonably level flight.
In some respects the wireless operator was very lucky; his parachute had also not had time to properly open but his luck was in, the blast from one of the bombs exploding on impact caused an updraft that aided his parachute to open. As he descended again the parachute then caught up in trees and a garden shed which broke his fall but he struck a wall which seriously injured his back. He was found dangling (given as being in the garden of No.29 Nunthorpe Grove, opposite the crash site) by a local plumber, Mr Richard Hardcastle, who went to get help. Further bombs that began to explode before he was freed, one of the exploding bombs caused a man-hole cover to fly through the air and strike Mr Hardcastle in the leg resulting in it later being amputated. The wireless operator was then freed by someone else, he was found to have a broken back and he spent many months in a body cast. While being treated in hospital he met his future wife.
A window panel hatch was found in the garden of No.47 Rawcliffe Lane which would suggest it was in this direction that the aircraft approached from and that the crew were attempting to escape the aircraft.
As fate would have it this was the second serious incident to fall on Nunthorpe Grove during the Second World War, during the Baedeker raid on 29th April 1942 bombs dropped by one of the attacking Luftwaffe aircraft destroyed the semi-deteched pairs of houses No.19/No.21 and No.23/No.25 Nunthorpe Grove.
Pilot - F/Lt Ivor Emerson RCAF (J/11482), aged 29, wife of Hackensack, New Jersey, USA. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/P/7).
Flight Engineer - P/O Walter Thomas Symes RAFVR (195926), aged 21, of Westford, Somerset. Buried Thorncombe Churchyard, Dorset.
Navigator - F/O Alick Matheson Hutchison RCAF (J/39872), aged 25, of Windsor, Ontario, Canda. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/P/6).
Bomb Aimer - F/O Thomas Marnoch Campbell RCAF (J/39018), aged 21, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/P/5).
Air Gunner - P/O John Neil MacDougall RCAF (J/94554), aged 22, of Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/P/2).
Air Gunner - P/O Raymond Hilton Turner RCAF (J/94478), aged 20, Fort William, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/P/4).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - P/O John Low RCAF (J/91020). Of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Seriously injured.
Civilian - Mrs Lydia Helstrip, aged 80. Died 28 Nunthorpe Grove, York. Burial location unknown.
Civilian - Mrs Laura Thompson, aged 74. Died 28 Nunthorpe Grove, York. Burial location unknown.
Rescuer - Cpt Noel Herbert Messent (212286). Pioneer Corps. Aged 37, of Preston, Buried New Hall Lane Cemetery, Preston, Lancashire.
Rescuer - Pte Joseph Cadman (14791835) RAOC, aged 35? of Sheffield. Buried Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield.
Rescuer - Soldato Natale Giovacchini, Italian PoW / collaborator. Aged 36. Buried Fulford Cemetery, York (1/Q/16).
Other known people who sustained injuries as a result of this incident..
John Dickson / Dixon, 35 St.Pauls Square, York. Chest injuries.
Civilian - Mr Richard Hardcastle, 51 Clement Street, York. Injured.
Civilian - Mr Edward Hall, 52 Scott Street, York. Injured.
Civilian - Mr Millner, 39 Nunthorpe Grove, York. Injured.
Civilian - Mr Derek Punton (aged 13), 26 Scarcroft Road, York. Injured.
Civilian - Mr George Coulson Underwood, 48 Millfield Road, York. House hit by falling bomb? Shrapnel wounds. Possibly awarded the MBE.
Civilian - Mrs Amy Wilkinson, 23 South Bank Road, York. Injured.
Civilian - Mrs Elsie Anstead, The Winning Post, Bishopthorpe Road, York. Injured.
Fireman - Mr Leonard Thomas NFS. Injured.
Fireman - Mr Leslie Handy NFS, 111 Thief Lane, York. Injured.
Rescuer - S/Sgt E R Graham Army PT Corps. Injured.
Rescuer - Dvr S B Richie, RASC. Injured.
Rescuer - Cpl Ken? Parker. Welter-weight boxing champion. Injured.
2 Italian POW Rescuers are also believed to have sustained injuries - Names unknown.
Rescuer - W/Co Thomas Edwin Hunter Grove DSC RAFVR (90716). Dept Provost Marshal, York. Injured.
Rescuer - Acting S/Ldr James Frederick Affleck RAFVR (84589). Dept Provost Marshal staff, York. Injured.
Rescuer - F/Lt Richardson. Dept Provost Marshal staff, York. Injured.
Rescuer - F/Lt George William Larocque RCAF (C/8204). Dept Provost Marshal staff, York. Injured.
Rescuer - F/Sgt Donald Albert Evans RAFVR (910592). Dept Provost Marshal staff, York. Injured.
Rescuer - F/Sgt Robert Joseph Hodges RAFVR (939047). Dept Provost Marshal staff, York. Injured.
Rescuer - Sgt Leslie William Garland Coates RAFVR (1006854). Dept Provost Marshal staff, York. Injured.
Rescuer - Sgt Stanley Jack Turner RAFVR (945435). Dept Provost Marshal staff, York. Injured.
Rescuer - Cpl S H H Blackford RAFVR (1655567). Dept Provost Marshal staff, York. Injured.
The crew of Halifax LW210. Left to right: Low, Turner, Emerson, Hutchison, MacDougall, Symes and Campbell. I thank Mr Paul Smith for kindly contacting me and for supplying the photograph of the crew.
Ivor Emerson was born on 3rd April 1915 at Cambusland, Lanarkshire, Scotland and was the son of Harold and Clara (nee Adamson) Emerson. Both his parents were born in Scarborough, Yorkshire, England and his father was an electrical engineer. The couple were living in Cambuslang when Ivor was born and later the family moved to Airdrie, Scotland in 1924 before crossing the Atlantic to New Jersey, USA in 1927. His father became a US citizen in 1936 and they later moved to Arlington, New Jersey. As a young man Ivor studied Electrical Engineering then worked in Newark, New Jersey until crossing the Canadian border and enlisting for RCAF service in Ottawa on 2nd July 1940. After training he was awarded his pilots' flying badge on 10th February 1941. He then remained in Canada serving as a flying instructor at the CFS and 8 SFTS until late-1943, receiving a commission on 15th April 1942. During this period as a flying instructor he received excellent reports from his commanding officers. He married Ruth Knox Lamb in Toronto in February 1941, they later had a baby daughter born in March 1942. He arrived in the UK in early 1944 and would train at 3 (P)AFU, 22 OTU and 1666 HCU before posting to 426 Squadron on 5th November 1944. I thank his daughter for kindly contacting me in July 2017 and for the additional information she was able to provide this account.
Alick Hutchison was born on 23rd February 1920 at Inverness, Scotland and was the son of Andrew Chisholm and Georgina (nee Matheson) Hutchison. His father was a whiskey distiller and had almost certainly gone to Canada to work at the Hiram Walker distillery. When he was seven years old he and his family emigrated to Canada and settled in Windsor, Ontario. As a young man he studied to be a metallurgical engineer at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. He had already spent a number of summer holidays working at various gold mines across Canada working as a metallurgist and upon completing his course at Queen's University he started work at the Golden Manitou Mines, Val d'Or, Quebec. He enlisted for RCAF service in Windsor, Ontario on 5th January 1943 and after training in Canada he was awarded his air navigators' flying badge and also a commission on 23rd December 1943. He married Gwynneth Martin in December 1943 just before he left for service in the UK. In the UK he would train at 1 (O)AFU, 22 OTU and 1666 HCU before posting to 426 Squadron on 5th November 1944.
Thomas Campbell was born on 1st June 1923 at Calgray, Alberta, Canada and was the son of Robert Marmoch and Isabella Stevenson (nee Hollands) Campbell. Both his parents were also born in Scotland and had emigrated to Canada. After leaving high school in 1941 he worked as a labratory assistant for Imperial Oil and later British American Oil. He enlisted into the RCAF on 30th November 1942 in Calgary and after training in Canada was awarded his air bombers' flying badge and also a commission on 26th November 1943. On arrival in the UK he trained at 7 (O)AFU, 22 OTU and 1666 HCU before posting to 426 Squadron with the rest of this crew on 5th November 1944.
John MacDougall was born on 19th April 1922 at Mabou, Nova Scotia and was the son of Alexander and Mary Flora (nee MacLellon) MacDougall. After leaving school he worked as a clerk in a local store at Antigonish, Nova Scotia. He enlisted for RCAF service at Antigonish on 7th November 1941 for ground duties and served as a postal clerk until Summer 1943. Following remustering as aircrew he trained as an air gunner and was awarded his air gunners' flying badge on 26th November 1943. On arrival in the UK soon after he trained at 22 OTU and 1666 HCU before posting to 428 Squadron on 7th June 1944. He was then posted back to 1666 HCU a few weeks later and then on to 426 Squadron with the rest of this crew on 5th November 1944. He received a commission after his death, backdated to 4th March 1945. His brother D A MacDougall RCAF flew with 405 Squadron and was made a PoW on 28th January 1945, another brother Spr D C MacDougall served overseas with the Canadian Army.
Raymond Turner was born on 4th December 1924 at Fort William, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Raymond Hilton (Snr) and Florence Mary (nee Brett) Turner. Both his parents were British but had emigrated to Canada and his father worked for the police force in Fort William. Raymond was working as a lathe operator when he enlisted for RCAF service in Fort William on 24th August 1943 and after training in Canada was awarded his air gunners' flying badge on 12th March 1944. On arrival in the UK he too trained at 22 OTU and 1666 HCU before posting to 426 Squadron on 5th November 1944 with the rest of this crew. He too received a commission after his death, backdated to 4th March 1945.
For their efforts in the rescue W/Co Grove was awarded the George Medal, S/Ldr Affleck was awarded the OBE, a Bar to the BEM was awarded to Sgt Leslie Coates (with his first BEM Gazetted in June 1945) and BEM's were awarded to F/Sgt Donald Evans and F/Sgt Robert Hodges. Notification of their awards were published in the London Gazette on 26th February 1946. W/Co Grove was working in his office which was sited in the Odeon Cinema buildings in Blossom Street and he found one body in a playing field around 170 yards from the wreckage with the parachute attached and partly open. The citation for their awards was a joint one and stated.. "At about 17.00 hours, on 5th March 1945, at York, an aircraft was seen to explode in the air and disintegrate. It crashed on to two houses in Nunthorpe Grove, and set them on fire. The fire spread to other houses. Some 500lb bombs were lying in the roadway, others were in the blazing wreckage, and a large crowd of people quickly gathered near to the aircraft. A number of persons were suffering from injuries and shock. Immediately following the explosion, Wing Commander Grove collected a party and proceeded to the scene in cars. On arrival at the scene he organised his party for rescue work and summoned the fire brigade and other essential services. Knowing other bombs were in the blazing wreckage Wing Commander Grove twice endeavoured to rescue any members of the aircraft crew who might have been in or under the wreckage. Rescues being impossible, Wing Commander Grove, taking up a central position, directed the operations of his party in searching the ground and houses in the danger zone, and rescuing occupants and giving first aid. Whilst so doing, a bomb exploded nearby, killing an Army officer and wounding Wing Commander Grove and some of his party. Several houses were also wrecked by this explosion. Squadron Leader Affleck organised a cordon and moved the crowd back to a safe distance. He then joined Wing Commander Grove in an unsuccessful attempt to rescue any member of the crew in the wreckage. Afterwards Squadron Leader Affleck, with some airmen, entered burning houses and rescued occupants who were injured. During these operations a bomb exploded and Squadron Leader Affleck was blown some distance and rendered unconscious. When he came to, he continued to render assistance until ordered to hospital. Flight Sergeants Evans and Hodges and Sergeant Coates, after carrying out orders to move the crowd to a safe distance, were required to search and clear the houses in the danger zone. Flight Sergeant Hodges and Sergeant Coates entered the burning house nearest to the wreckage and brought out one of the occupants. When about to re-enter an explosion occurred which seriously injured Sergeant Coates who was taken to hospital. Flight Sergeant Hodges was rendered unconscious but on recovery continued to assist in the rescue work until he was ordered to hospital with lacerations of the scalp, hand and knee. Flight Sergeant Evans was seriously injured in the arm by the bomb explosion but despite this, he carried Squadron Leader Affleck to a place of safety and then returned to continue rendering assistance in the vicinity of other unexploded bombs."
Sgt S J Turner RAFVR and Cpl S H H Blackford RAFVR, who were both staff of the Deputy Provost Marshal (RAF Police) were awarded a Kings Commendation for Brave Conduct, Gazetted in The Kings Birthday Honours List in June 1946. For his efforts George Larocque was also awarded the Kings Commendation for Brave Conduct, Gazetted on 13th June 1946. Larocque's citation only mentioned his actions but also probably related to other members of the RAF Police team who arrived at the site. His citation stated " On the 5th March 1945, at approximately 17.00 hours, an aircraft was observed from No.11 District Headquarters, York, exploding in the air and disintegrating. It crashed in a southerly direction, approximately half a mile from No.11 District Headquarters. Acting upon instructions, Flight Lieutenant Larocque RCAF, at once turned out with a number of officers and Non-Commissioned Officers of the RAF Police in motor cars to the scene of the crash. Upon arrival at Nunthorpe Grove, York, it was observed that a Halifax aircraft had crashed on two houses which were on fire, and in addition other houses were also on fire. A number of 500-pound bombs were lying in the roadway and others could be seen lying in the flaming wreckage. A large crowd of civilians had gathered in close proximity to the aircraft and there were a number of civilians suffering minor injuries from shock. Instructions were given to Flight Lieutenant Larocque to direct Police Non-Commissioned Officers to remove the crowd which was of large proportions and increasing every minute, to a safe distance of approximately a quarter of a mile. When this had been done, Flight Lieutenant Larocque was instructed to search the houses in the immediate vicinity and remove civilians to a place of safety. It was impressed upon Flight Lieutenant Larocque that one or more of the bombs would probably explode very shortly, and that the utmost speed was essential in carrying out these instructions. The carrying out of his instructions necessitated his entering houses within thirty feet of the bombs in the flames and immediately adjacent to those bombs lying in the roadway. After about a quarter of an hour's work, one bomb exploded and Flight Lieutenant Larocque who was in the immediate vicinity at the time was knocked down and received a splinter wound in the scrotum. Despite this, Flight Lieutenant Larocque carried on for another hour and a half directing and assisting in removing injured persons to hospital, which work necessitated his remaining in the immediate vicinity of other bombs which it was thought would probably explode. His energy, ability and the quiet forceful manner in which he carried out his duties at the risk of his own life were an example to the Non-Commissioned Officers working under him, and contributed greatly in keeping the number of civilian casualties to a minimum."
In addition to the airmen flying the aircraft the following people on the ground are known to have been killed.
Walter Symes probably received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation after his death, back dated to 4th March 1945.
