Lancaster ME540 at Leeming airfield.
During the evening of 10th April 1945 this 429 Squadron aircraft was flown on a training flight. At 23.17hrs the aircraft landed at Leeming airfield but overshot and ran off the southern end of the runway. The aircraft ran across the airfield boundary and across what was then Gatenby Lane. Unfortunately an off-duty railway batman was walking along the lane and was struck by the aircraft. While the aircraft received no damage the seriously injured civilian died soon after arrival at Hospital. His name does not appear to be recorded on the CWGC Civilian War Dead register. The incident is recorded on an AM Form 1180 for the flying accident, it is also mentioned in the Leeming airfield records that name him. The pilot was working up to being operational with 429 Squadron, he and his crew were posted in to 429 Squadron on 2nd April 1945 and I list his crew below though they may not all have been on board at the time of this mishap.
At that time the most accessible road to Gatenby ran north-eastward across the southern end of the airfield and then turned south-east towards Gatenby, this road was removed when airfield expansion was required (though the tarmac still exists across the longer runway and through the modern airfield site) and another access road to Gatenby village was improved south-west of the village towards Theakston.
Pilot - WO H A Sellar RCAF (R/101851).
Civilian - Mr James Thompson, aged 51, of 64 Station Road, Hetton le Hole, Durham. Burial location unknown.
Probable aircraft crew...
Navigator - F/Sgt Westbrook RCAF (R/203353).
Bomb Aimer - F/Sgt L G Westman RCAF (R/185398).
Flight Engineer - P/O W A Thomas RCAF (J/49328).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt S R Morrison RCAF (R/208499).
Air Gunner - Sgt A G Lake RCAF (R/287691).
Air Gunner - Sgt P Dums? RCAF (R/290223).