Explosion at Snaith airfield.
This incident is well detailed on the internet and while it is not a flying accident I feel that it should be covered on my webpages. At 13.20hrs, on 19th June 1943 the bomb load was being prepared for the night's planned operations to le Creusot a serious explosion happened in Snaith airfield's bomb dump. A large fuzed bomb accidently detonated after it had been armed and the explosion caused the incendiary store nearby it catch fire. A large number of high explosive bombs that had already been fully fuzed for operational use were also caught in the initial blast, some also exploded upto twelve hours after the initial explosion. Because the heat from the incendiary fire was intense and the fuzed bombs were fitted with delayed-action fuzes and other with dangerous anti-disturbance devices it was not safe to enter the area for fear of further explosions. The main LNER railway line was closed and it was left until 09.00hrs the following day before area was assessed from the air. W/Co John Rowlands MBE was a bomb disposal expert and had been at an airfield near Snaith when he saw the explosion. The following day he took up a Tiger Moth to inspect the bomb dump from the air and reported seeing a number of dead in the area but it was deemed that the area was still not safe to enter on the ground. It was not until 26th June 1943 that it was felt safe enough to venture into the bomb dump and ten bodies were removed; nine of which were identified and one was not possible to identify. The bodies of a further eight were never found such was the devastation. The funeral for the ten victims found was held in Selby Abbey on 30th June 1943 with all being buried in Selby Cemetery. W/Co Rowlands and S/Ldr Herbert Apted led the operation to make the area safe, their team then started to clear the area and a large number of bombs were dealt with over a number of days. The nine killed, identified and with graves are as follows...
F/Sgt Victor Harold Benfield MiD RAF (550323), aged 24, of Shrivenham, Wiltshire. Buried Selby Cemetery, Yorkshire.
AC2 Joseph Ridley Cousin RAFVR (1479455). Buried Selby Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Sgt Ernest David Francis RAF (511509), aged 31, of Rhydyclafdy, Caernarvonshire. Buried Selby Cemetery, Yorkshire.
AC2 Anthony Charles O'Donnell RAFVR (1600881), aged 21, of Brockenhurst, Hampshire. Buried Selby Cemetery, Yorkshire.
AC2 Joseph Edward Powell RAFVR (1419217), aged 32, of Coton Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Buried Selby Cemetery, Yorkshire.
LAC Herbert Rudge RAFVR (1011171), aged 23, of Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent. Buried Selby Cemetery, Yorkshire.
LAC Hugh Smith RAFVR (1374424). Buried Selby Cemetery, Yorkshire.
AC1 Sidney Miller Stubbs RAFVR (1312076), aged 35, of Newcastle-on-Tyne. Buried Selby Cemetery, Yorkshire.
LAC Robert Menzies Taylor RAFVR (1374432), aged 35, of Aberdeen. Buried Selby Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Numerous people have posted comments on websites and web-forums to ask how it was possible that unidentified body at Selby Cemetery could remain unidentified if the RAF knew who the casualties were. The issue is that in addition to the identified nine (listed above) there were a further nine fatalities and of these nine casualties, eight were simply never found and are recorded on the Runnymede Memorial. The ninth is the body buried as an "unknown" at Selby Cemetery but was unidentifiable. The following are the names of these other nine men.
LAC Hugh Bannatyne RAFVR (1374377), aged 35, of Douglas, Lanarkshire. Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
LAC Stephan Blackwell RAFVR (1278728). Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
AC2 John Brown RAFVR (1645687). Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
AC1 Oliver Richard Edward Dormon RAFVR (1391523), aged 22, of London. Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
LAC Hugh Finlayson RAFVR (1374446), aged 35, of Edinburgh. Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
LAC Kenneth William Harris RAFVR (1099749), aged 22, of Nottingham. Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
LAC Alfred Irvine RAFVR (1374412), aged 35, of Maybole, Ayrshire. Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
LAC John Jamieson RAFVR (1374372), aged 36. Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
LAC James Roberton RAFVR (1374376), aged 37, of Edinburgh. Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Victor Benfield had been Mentioned in Despatches on 1st January 1943.
For his actions in this operation and for his bomb disposal work in general W/Co John Samuel Rowlands MBE RAFVR (73378) was awarded the George Cross, Gazetted on 10th August 1943, the citation reads.."For over two years, Wing Commander Rowlands has been employed on bomb disposal duties and has repeatedly displayed the most conspicuous courage and unselfish devotion to duty in circumstances of great personal danger." John Rowlands had already been awarded the MBE on 11th June 1942 probably for his bomb disposal work. He was later awarded the OBE, Gazetted on 1st January 1954.