On 31st October 1942 the crew of this aircraft were undertaking a training flight with 1652 Conversion Unit and had taken off from Marston Moor, during the flight the starboard inner engine failed, the pilot tried to restart it but it was thought that in doing this he inadvertantly shut down the starboard outer engine by mistake. The aircraft lost height and struck at a tree at 11.30hrs and then crashed near Chapel Farm, Kilvington injuring those on board. After inspection the damage to the aircraft was deemed too bad to warrant a repair and it was written off. Historians Albert Pritchard, Eric Barton and Ken Reast located small fragments on the surface at the crash site in 2007 with permission from the landowner, confirming the crash location.
Pilot - Sgt William Stanley Allard RAFVR (1270886). Seriously injured. Taken to Northallerton Hospital.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Frederick Benjamin Ward RAFVR (1381481). Seriously injured. Taken to Northallerton Hospital.
Air Gunner - Sgt Joseph William Young RAFVR (1216336). Injured.
("Flight Engineer") / Passenger - LAC David Pringle MacDonald RAFVR (1020935). Injured. Taken to Lambert Memorial Hospital, Thirsk before being discharged to station sick quarters.
Halifax L9491 was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett. On 28th October 1940 it was allotted to 24 MU and was received by them on 9th January 1941. The aircraft was taken on charge by 35 Squadron at Linton on Ouse on 23rd February 1941 where it was coded "TL-J". During the Summer of 1941 it appears to have sustained some form of damage, possibly as the result of a flying accident, because it was assessed by No.43 Group D.A. though no date is given on the aircraft's AM Form 78. Once repaired it was returned to 35 Squadron on 13th October 1941. It was transferred to 28 Conversion Flight at Linton on Ouse on 28th October 1941. 28 Conversion Flight moved to Leconfield on 4th November 1941 and to Marston Moor on 30th December 1941. Three days later on 2nd January 1942 28 C.F. was absorbed into 1652 Conversion Unit at Marston Moor. As a result of the minor mishap at Sherburn in Elmet on 1st April 1942 Cat.Ac/FA damage was the damage assessment, it was repaired on site and returned to the unit on 14th August 1942. It later crashed near South Kilvington on 31st October 1942, after assessment Cat.E2/FA damage was recorded and it was struck off charge on 31st October 1942.
Sgt Joseph William Young was later posted to 35 Squadron PFF. He lost his life on 17th April 1943 and was aged twenty two. He is buried at Liesse Communal Cemetery, France.
A F/O William Stanley Allard RAFVR (186359) was reported missing off Burma on 22nd June 1946 when the 353 Squadron Expeditor KJ479 he was flying crashed into the sea and
nothing was ever found of the aircraft. He is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial. Again he too is likely to be the same man. He was Mentioned in Despatches. This airman
was from Wye, near Ashford in Kent. He had been commissioned on 30th September 1944 from Warrant Officer (1270886). There appears to have been no other Allard with these
initials born around the same period in Kent so I assume that both men are one and the same.
Back to monthly table.