At around 19.45hrs on 13th October 1942 this aircraft took off from Acaster Malbis airfield so the crew could undertake a night training flight with No.15 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit. Visibility deteriorated after taking off and both instructor and trainee pilot became lost sight of airfield lighting while flying in the area of the airfield. Descending from flying at 600ft down to 100ft to try and establish their position the aircraft struck a tree near Escrick and it crashed at 20.20hrs. It took two hours to locate the crashed aircraft and both the instructor and the pupil were admitted to York Military Hospital but the instructor died on admission and the pupil died three days later from his injuries. Although based at Leconfield, 15 (P)A.F.U. used Acaster Malbis which was one of their relief landing ground (or satellite airfields).
Oxford AP395 was built to contract B.67831/40 by the Percival Aircraft Co. Ltd. at Luton and was awaiting collection in August 1941. On 7th September 1941 it was taken on charge by 11 S.F.T.S. at Shawbury. It was then transferred to 15 E.F.T.S. on 27th November 1941 and flown to their Kidlington base. On 28th February 1942 it moved with the unit to Leconfield but on 1st March 1942 15 E.F.T.S. was re-designated 15 (P)A.F.U. As a result of the crash on 13th October 1942 the aircraft was written off with Cat.E2/FA damage recorded.
Pupil Pilot - Sgt Harold Stanley "Bat" Cutler RAFVR (1236174), aged 19, of Rednal, West Midlands. Buried The Lickey Church Extension, Worcestershire (Died of injuries 16th October 1942).
Instructor Pilot - F/Sgt John Neil MacIver RCAF (R/92757), aged 21, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Buried Brigg Cemetery, Lincolnshire.
John MacIver was born on 30th August 1921 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and was the son of Norman and Marion (nee Thomas) MacIver. Both his parents were born on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland but had emigrated to Canada before their son John was born. John was still a student when he enlisted for RCAF service on 13th March 1941 in Calgary and trained as a pilot in Canada, gaining his Pilot's Wings on 5th December 1941. He appears to have gone through initial training in Canada with his brother. On arrival in the UK he was posted to 15 (P)AFU in March 1942 where he became one of their staff pilots. He spent a short attachment at 1513 Beam Approach Training Flight and at No.2 Flying Instructor School during the seven months at 15 (P)AFU.
Harold Cutler. I thank his nephew Mr Peter Sitch for kindly supplying the photograph of his uncle shown here.