Halifax DT770 at Linton on Ouse airfield.
On the evening of 2nd March 1943 the crew of this 78 Squadron aircraft were tasked with a mine laying flight, on the return to base at 23.24hrs the crew decided to overshoot their first landing at Linton on Ouse to make a better approach to land. The pilot applied power to the engines but before the aircraft could climb away properly it clipped trees tops in a wood which caused the aircraft to stall. The aircraft crashed just off the eastern boundary of airfield given as being some 1200 yards off the airfield boundary. The aircraft caught fire on impact and sadly two of the crew of eight died. It was thought that the engine throttle controls were not locked and had kept back which resulted in less power being applied to the engines. The exact location of where this occurred is not known when the webpage was created. The names of the two men who died are listed first on the list below.
Halifax DT770 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was immediately taken on charge by 78 Squadron at Linton on Ouse on 26th January 1943. As a result of the crash on 2nd March 1943 Cat.E2/FB Burnt damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge.
Navigator / Bomb Aimer - Sgt Ronald Edward John White RAF (655917), aged 22, of Redland, Bristol. Buried Canford Cemetery, Bristol, Gloucestershire.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt Arthur Henry Evans DFM RAF (643334), aged 26, of Coventry. Buried Stivichall Churchyard, Coventry, Warwickshire.
Pilot - Sgt Frank Short RAFVR (1082034). Injured.
Navigator - F/O Bernard William Ingham RAFVR (127014). Seriously injured.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Joseph Benedict Brophy RCAF (R/105305). Uninjured.
Air Gunner - Sgt Rex Gordon Perrett RAAF (404983). Slightly injured.
Air Gunner - Sgt Geoffrey Villian Delaroy-Hall RAFVR (1252540). Seriously injured.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Thomas Ellwood RAFVR (941983). Injured.
Bernard Ingham received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 11th August 1942, he was promoted to F/O (war subs) on 11th February 1943.
He relinquished his commission on the grounds of ill health, as a result of his injuries sustained in this accident near Linton on Ouse, on 5th August 1943. He was probably born in Huddersfield in 1912 and died there in 1987.
Geoffrey Delaroy-Hall was the son of a Jamaican father and an English mother. He recovered from his injuries following the accident near Linton on Ouse and received a commission (174343) on 12th March 1944 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). He was promoted to F/O (war subs) on 12th September 1944 and was awarded the DFC for service with 78 Squadron while in the rank of Acting F/Lt, Gazetted on 16th February 1945. On 12th March 1946 he was promoted to F/Lt (war subs) and was graded as F/Lt (subs) on 12th September 1947. On 13th November 1948 he was "cashiered" by a General Court Martial and removed from his commissioned rank - he probably left the RAF after this date. In civilian life he took a career as a barrister and later became the up and coming rockstar Marc Bolan's first manager (of T-Rex fame). He later retired to Yorkshire Dales where he died in 2002.
Rex Perrett was born on 1st March 1919 in Brisbane and enlisted into the RAAF there on 5th January 1941. Sadly Warrant Officer Perrett died on 30th July 1943 when Halifax HR906 crashed in Germany. He was twenty four years old and was initially buried in Stade Community Cemetery, Hamburg but is now buried Becklington War Cemetery.
Joseph Brophy was born on 14th March 1916 at Blackville, New Brunswick, Canada. He later transferred to Coastal Command and would survive a ditching whilst at Wick. He died in 1963.
Arthur Evans' DFM was awarded for service with 83 Squadron and was Gazetted on 18th April 1941.