Halifax R9437 at Topcliffe airfield.
On 29th November 1942 this 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft was being flown on a training flight when the visibility around the general area of Topcliffe airfield became reduced greatly. While making an approach to land at Topcliffe airfield one of the main undercarriage legs failed to deploy properly so the aircraft was flown in a circuit of the airfield and the leg lowered correctly but in making the circuit the pilot lost sight of the airfield. On the second attempt at landing the aircraft touched down on wet grass and not on the concrete, it failed to stop in the distance available and ran into the ditch at the end of Topcliffe airfield. Two times have been quoted for this incident; 10.04hrs (in unit orb) and possibly 10.22hrs (on AM Form 1180). The unit orb states the aircraft carried the unit code "O-Orange".
Instructor Pilot - W/O Murray Stanley Fuller Schneider RCAF (R/59677).
Pupil Pilot - Sgt Phillip Shuttleworth Johnson RCAF (R/102710).
Pupil Pilot - Sgt L Bakewell RAFVR (1211862).
Flight Engineer (instructor) - Sgt James Jardine Devan RAF (616421)
Flight Engineer (pupil) - Sgt Thornhill RCAF (R/70386).
Navigator - F/Sgt Donald Dennis Scowen RCAF (R/87500).
Air Gunner - Sgt Cooker.
Murray Schneider was born in Oak River, Manitoba to Monague and Annie Schneider on 3rd March 1921. He enlisted into the RCAF in August 1940 and left Canada in May 1941
after initial training. After arriving in England he continued his training at 10 OTU before posting to 10 Squadron at Leeming in August 1941. He flew operationally with
10 Squadron before their conversion from Whitleys to Halifaxes and flew two operation flights in Halifaxes before crashing Halifax L9622 near Northallerton in January 1942. As a result of the crash of L9622 he received numerous injuries to his body and face and it is remarkable that he survived let alone returned to active service. He sustained a fractured skull, a broken wrist, numerous broken ribs, serious burns and cuts to the hands and face, a bullet in the shoulder and other injuries. He also lost his memory for some months. By mid-July 1942 he was out of hospital and back with 10 Squadron for non-flying duties awaiting a medical assessment. He was later treated at the East Grinstead specialist hospital. In October 1942 he was passed fit for non-operational flying and was posted to 1659 HCU as an instructor. While with 1659 HCU he overshot Halifax R9437 into the ditch at the end of Topcliffe's runway on 29th November 1942 and then force landed Halifax W1150 near Pickering in January 1943 without injury to himself or any of those on board. Only on 3rd April 1943 was he assessed as being fit for operational flying again. On 26th June 1943 he force landed Halifax V9984 near Brafferton after engine failure and was again uninjured. He was later posted back to operational flying and to 405 Squadron PFF, he completed at least ten operational flights before being lost on 9th October 1943 when 405 Squadron Lancaster JA980 was shot down by a night fighter on Ops to Hamburg. Five were killed and there were two who became PoW's. S/Ldr Schneider is buried in Hannover War Cemetery. Also on this aircraft was the flight engineer from 408 Squadron Halifax JD174, Sgt James Connelly, JD174 crashed on the North Yorkshire Moors in July 1943 near Hawnby. Both had been posted to 405 Squadron for Pathfinder duties.
Halifax R9437 was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett. It was firstly taken on charge by 78 Squadron at Croft on 13th February 1942 and was shortly transferred to 78 Conversion Unit at Croft but the transfer date is not recorded on the aircraft's AM Form 78. It was transferred back to the parent 78 Squadron on 11th March 1942. On 25th April 1942 it was transferred to 405 Conversion Flight at Pocklington. It moved to Topcliffe with this unit on 7th August 1942. On 7th October 1942 405 Squadron Conversion Flight was absorbed into 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit at Leeming. As a result of the incident at Pocklington on 29th November 1942 Cat.B/FA was the damage assessment and it was taken away and repaired in works by Handley Page. After being in store at 8 MU from 24th March 1943 it was eventually taken on charge by 1668 H.C.U. at Balderton on 15th November 1943 but 28th November 1943 it was transferred to 1656 H.C.U. at Lindholme. On 29th April 1944 it was destroyed in a crash on take off from Lindholme when the starboard outer engine failed. Cat.E/FA damage was the assessment and it was struck off charge on 1st May 1944.
Both Johnson and Thornhill were later posted to 419 Squadron. On the 3rd April 1943 they were flying Halifax JB805 on Ops to Essen when the aircaft was badly damaged by a night-fighter and injured but their air gunners. They were able to limp back to Coltishall airfield and the both air gunners were taken to hospital. On 29th / 30th May 1943 Johnson was flying Halifax JB805 on Ops to Wuppertal when the aircraft was shot down over Belgium with the loss of all on board. He is buried at Charleroi Communal Cemetery.
Donald Scowen was also posted to 419 Squadron and was made a PoW on 5th / 6th March 1943 when Halifax DT646 failed to return from Ops to Essen.
Sgt Bakewell was also posted to 419 Squadron on 1st December 1942.
