In the early hours of 9th February 1945 the crew of this 426 Squadron aircraft took off from Linton on Ouse airfield at 02.47hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Wanna-Eickel. This aircraft was the first 426 Squadron aircraft to take off and the weather at the time was reasonable. After climbing to around 500 feet the aircraft's starboard engine failed. The crew feathered the propeller on the engine and under normal conditions the aircraft would have ben able to maintain height on three engines even with a full bomb load. In this case the aircraft continued to loose height, three minutes after taking off and with the starboard wing slightly dropped it flew into a line of small trees and a hedgerow before crashing into a field near Rudding's Farm, to the south of Walshford. Upon impact the aircraft began to break up and catch fire. Many of the crew were probably killed during the crash itself which saw the fuselage partly break apart. The pilot and wireless operator were able to free themselves from the wreckage immediately after the crash and had managed to get around a hundred yards from the wreckage before the first bomb exploded. They were able to walk to a nearby farm. Further bombs exploded in the resulting fire and the aircraft was completely destroyed. Despite an examination of the wreckage and the engines it was not discovered why the aircraft would not maintain height on three engines.
Flight Engineer - Sgt James Duncan Campbell RCAF (J/94333), aged 20, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/F/14).
Navigator - P/O George Howard Fetherston RCAF (J/94144), aged 22, of Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/F/15).
Bomb Aimer - F/O Grant Albert Cahoon RCAF (J/38389), aged 27, of Leavitt, Alberta, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/G/2).
Air Gunner - P/O James Christopher Laing RCAF (J/94146), aged 20, of Peterboro, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/G/1).
Air Gunner - P/O Clifford Elmer Houston RCAF (J/94145), aged 23, of Fort Garry, Manitoba, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (H/F/16).
Pilot - F/O J D Wadleigh RCAF (J/35182). Slightly injured.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt M K Grant RCAF (R/221611). Slightly injured.
The most modern A1(M) road upgrade has just about destroyed the hedge line the aircraft first flew into but the field the aircraft broke up across and then exploded has escaped the developer. The end of the hedge line is still present running into the brand new motorway boudary towards the upper right of the photograph with the aircraft passing through it and into the grass field on the centre / left. Historians Eric Barton, Ken Reast and Albert Pritchard sought permission from the landowner and then located small fragments on the field surface in April 1999. The item shown below is one of the items Eric Barton retained and was passed to me to find a new home for in 2022. It contained a part number with the "57.." prefix indicating a Halifax part.
James Campbell was born on 20th August 1924 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and was the son of Norman Leslie and Margaret Goldie (nee MacCullogh) Campbell. He was twin brother to Margaret Ann. As a young man he left high school and became a gold miner at the Pickle Crow Gold Mines but later opted to return to 6th Grade high school studies. He enlisted for RCAF service on 2nd June 1943 in Winnipeg, Manitoba for aircrew duties and trained as a flight engineer, after basic training he was awarded his flight engineers' flying badge on 6th May 1944. He was posted to the UK the following month and would later train at No.4 School of Technical Training and 1659 HCU before posting to 426 Squadron on 20th November 1944. He appears to have received a back dated commission after his death, back dated to 8th February 1945.
George Fetherston was born on 23rd October 1921 at Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Robert Alexander and Henrietta (nee Storey) Fetherston. He enlisted for RCAF service on 29th August 1942 and after training in Canada was awarded his air navigators' flying badge on 26th November 1943. On arrival in the UK in 1944 he too trained at 1 (O)AFU, 20 OTU and 1659 HCU before posting to 426 Squadron on 20th November 1944. He appears to have received a back dated commission after his death, back dated to 8th February 1945.
Grant Cahoon was born on 7th June 1917 at Leavitt, Alberta, Canada and was the son of George Edward and Annie Louise (nee Alder) Cahoon. Both his parents were born in the USA. He enlisted for RCAF service in Calgary on 24th August 1942 for aircrew duties and initially appears to have undertaken pilot training but later switched to bomb aimer training. He was awarded his air bombers' flying badge and also a commission on 12th November 1943. On arrival in the UK in 1944 he tained at 1 (O)AFU, 20 OTU and 1659 HCU before posting to 426 Squadron on 20th November 1944.
James Laing was born on 13th July 1924 at Peterborough, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Henry Payson and Eva May (nee Johnston) Laing. He enlisted for RCAF service on 9th August 1943 in Toronto and trained as an air gunner, receving his flying badge on 25th February 1944. On arrival in the UK later in the year he trained at 20 OTU and 1659 HCU before posting to 426 Squadron with the crew on 20th November 1944. He also appears to have received a back dated commission after his death, back dated to 8th February 1945.
Clifford Houston was born on 22nd August 1921 at Vawn, Saskatchewan, Canada and was the son of Elmer Hamilton and Bessie (nee Tyndall) Houston. After leaving school in 1939 he worked in a bakery until enlisting for RCAF service on 26th August 1940 at Winnipeg for ground crew service. He then served as an aero engine mechanic He appears to have remustered as aircrew around Summer 1943 and after training he was awarded his air gunners' flying badge on 25th February 1944 .On arrival in the UK later in the year he trained at 20 OTU and 1659 HCU before posting to 426 Squadron with the crew on 20th November 1944. He also appears to have received a back dated commission after his death, back dated to 8th February 1945.