On 9th October 1942 the crew of this 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft were flying a training flight with a minimum crew permitted with most of the flight being devoted to a basic circuits and landings exercise at Riccall airfield. During one of these landings the port outer engine's propeller broke off the engine taking with it the reduction gear and part of the cowling. The aircraft swung and subsequently stalled. Being at a low height the inexperienced pilot had no time to try and recover the stall and control was lost. The aircraft crashed near Thorganby Lodge, to the north of it's parent airfield of Riccall and all on board were killed. A farm worker, Mr Guy William Buckle, at Thorganby Lodge saw the crash and made his way to the crash site, he went into the burning wreckage and pulled clear two airmen though both had died. For his bravery he was Commended for Brave Conduct, Gazetted on 15th January 1945. 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit had only formed a few days previously out of 76 Conversion Flight and 78 Conversion Flight; this incident saw it's first casualties.
Pilot - F/O Francis Leach RAFVR (113402), aged 26, of Bolton, Lancashire. Cremated Perry Bar, Birmingham, Warwickshire.
Pilot - Sgt Geoffrey Eyre Broughton RAFVR (1311939), aged 21, of Woodsmoor, Stockport. Buried Norbury Churchyard, Cheshire.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Alexander Howard Isaac RAFVR (1190773), aged 31, of Exeter. Buried Exeter Higher Cemetery, Devon.
Air Gunner - Sgt George Buckland RAFVR (1320255), aged 19, of East Grinstead. Buried East Grinstead Cemetery, Sussex.
Halifax L9574 was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was allotted to 76 Squadron 11t July 1941. It was taken on charge by 76 Squadron at Middleton St.George on 16th August 1941 where it initially carried the squadron code "MP-R" but was later "MP-C". On 18th September 1941 it received a Cat.Ac/FA damage assessment following a flying accident. No AM Form 1180 exists for this incident. It was returned to 76 Squadron on 4th November 1941 but 7th November 1941 it broke the tail wheel on landing at Middleton St. George. This damage was assessed on 19th November 1941 it was seemed to be damaged to Cat.Ac status. Again it was repaired on site and returned to 76 Squadron on 12th January 1942. On 13th June 1942 it was again damaged in a minor flying accident at Dalton, Cat.Ac/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was returned to 76 Squadron on 30th June 1942 once repaired. On the same date it was transferred to 76 Conversion Flight at Middleton St.George though may have been with the Conversion Flight prior to this date and also when the mishap occurred. The aircraft moved with them to Riccall on 14th September 1942. On 7th October 1942 76 Conversion Flight was absorbed into 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall. As a result of the crash on 9th October 1942 the aircraft was destroyed, with Cat.E2/FA damage being the damage assessment. It was struck off charge on the same date. The aircraft's AM Form 78 did not ever catch up with the fact that 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit had formed, thus taking the aircraft on charge earlier in October 1942.
Historians Eric Barton, Ken Reast and Albert Pritchard located small parts on the surface at the crash with permission from the land owner in November 2004. The photograph shown above was taken by Eric Barton and shows the general area of where this aircraft crashed.
Francis Leach received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 1st November 1941 and was promoted to F/O on probation (war subs) on 1st October 1942. The CWGC incorrectly shows his rank to be Pilot Officer on their online database. He married Irene earlier in 1942, CWGC list she was living in Smethwick on the Worcestershire / Staffordshire border at the time he was sadly killed. She must have arranged for his cremation hence this being nearer to her than his parents.
Also buried in the same Norbury Churchyard as Sgt Broughton is Sgt James Dix who was killed in an aircraft crash at Crayke, Easingwold in March 1944.