Botha L6286 over Yorkshire.
On 29th October 1941 the airmen on this No.4 Air Observer School aircraft were undertaking a navigation exercise which took them over the North Riding of Yorkshire, on board was
one fully qualified pilot, and four trainee aircrew. While over The Pennines the aircraft's pitot head heater failed and the pilot began to struggle to read his altimter. He ordered the crew to bale out, three of the crew baled out but the pilot then cleared the problem and was able to make a safe return to base at West Freugh. One of those who abandoned the aircraft landed safely while two others were sadly killed. One of those killed almost certainly landed on high ground before his parachute opened and was killed. Bodies of both dead airmen were eventually recovered after some time searching in the Wensleydale area and were later buried at Catterick. The last named was not found until 9th November 1941 and it seems likely that he landed on high ground as his death was registered as having occurred on "Askrigg Greets Moor".
Pilot - Sgt Robert Henry Clark RAFVR (1375277). Returned to base in aircraft safely.
Wireless Operator (U/T) - AC2 Mathew Waddell Stevenson (1076636). Returned to base in aircraft safely.
Observer (U/T) - Cpl D A Jeffries RAF (655907). Parachuted safely.
Observer (U/T) - LAC Frank Foy Morgan RAF (655915), aged 24. Buried Catterick Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Wireless Operator (U/T) - AC2 George Stewart RAFVR (1118545), aged 27. Buried Catterick Cemetery, Yorkshire.
The graves of LAC Morgan and AC2 Stewart at Catterick Cemetery. Frank Morgan was born in Bolton in 1917 and married in February 1938 in Pemberton, Lancashire.
Robert Clark would receive a commission later in 1941 and rose to F/Lt by the end of the War.
Mathew Stephenson was later posted to 434 Squadron. On 24th August 1943 he was flying in Halifax DK261 on Ops to berlin when the aircraft was badly damaged by an enemy aircraft off Denmark. Many of the crew baled out but sadly he died. He is buried at Esbjerg (Fourfelt) Cemetery, Denmark. The excellent "www.flensted.eu.com" details his loss.