Wellington HE177 at East Moor airfield.
On the night of 21st / 22nd May 1943 the crew of this 428 Squadron aircraft were undertaking a mine laying operational flight and had left Dalton airfield at 22.07hrs. On their return to Yorkshire the pilot tried to land at East Moor airfield at 02.35hrs, made an approach to land and descended to 200 feet off the ground but then flew across the aerodrome at that height. At the end of the runway the aircraft then lost and hit the ground some 300 yards beyond the end of the runway. The aircraft ended up at right angle to the runway in the fields off the end of the runway but there are two conflicting locations; near Low Carr Farm and near Thrush House Farm - locations at opposite ends of the main runway. Four of the five man crew were sadly killed in the crash, the fifth was pulled clear by rescuers. It was later thought that the crew had attempted to overshoot but had not changed flap and propeller settings which resulted in the crash. East Moor's Commanding Officer commended a number of airfield personnel for their rescue work; S/Ldr A P S Chiplling (108178), F/Lt L C Dilworth (J/10896), F/Lt J C Garton (133341), F/Sgt M Delaney (53534), Cpl O Greenwell (897498) and LAC S G Cooper (R/183879).
Wellington HE177 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was awaiting collection in November 1942. It was taken on charge by 428 Squadron at Dalton on 4th December 1942. As a result of damage sustained on 6th February 1943 minor Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site. It then returned to 428 Squadron use until crashing at East Moor on 22rd May 1943. After this second incident Cat.E/FB damage was the assessment and it was written off. It was struck off charge on 12th June 1943.
Pilot - F/Sgt Alexander James Simpson RCAF (R/144570), aged 20, of Oxbow, Saskatchewan, Canada. Buried Dishforth Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Navigator - F/Sgt Stanley Douglas Frewen RCAF (R/120897), aged 23, of Baljennie, Saskatchewan, Canada. Buried Dishforth Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Air Bomber - F/O Arlie Berton Douglas RCAF (J/20854), aged 31, of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Buried Dishforth Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Alfred Joseph Grenon RCAF (R/199705), aged 25, of Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada. Buried Dishforth Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Rear Gunner - Sgt A J Howes RCAF (R/75311). Seriously injured.
Arlie Douglas and his grave at Dishforth Cemetery, Yorkshire. He was born on 27th December 1912 in Strome, Alberta, Canada and was the son of James Garfield and Ida Christina (nee Rockstad) Douglas. The family moved to Edmonton, Alberta around 1928 when he started high school there. He later studied pharmacy at the University of Alberta and was working as a pharmacist when he enlisted into the RCAF. He enlisted on 8th January 1941 in Edmonton and initially undertook pilot training but switched to be a bomb aimer mid way through training. He gained his Air Bomber's badge and also received a commission on 6th November 1942. On arrival in the UK he trained at 23 OTU from 19th January 1943 and 1659 HCU from 25th April 1943. He was posted to 428 Squadron on 6th May 1943.
Stanley Frewen was born on 1st November 1919 in Billinghurst, West Sussex. England and was the son of George Herbert and Ada Georgina (nee Gould) Frewen. The family later emigrated to Baljennie, Saskatchewan, Canada where his father obtained some land and started farming. As a young man Stanley worked on the family farm. Between 1939 and 1941 he studied wireless engineering at the Canadian Institute of Science and Technology in Toronto. He enlisted for RCAF service in Regina on 23rd August 1941 and following training in Canada he was awarded his air navigator's flying badge on 28th August 1942. Arriving in the UK in November 1942 he trained at 3 (O)AFU, 23 OTU and 1659 HCU before posting to 427 Squadron on 25th April 1943. He was then posted to 428 Squadron to 6th May 1943.
The gravestones of the other two airmen sadly killed in this accident at East Moor whom I have yet to locate a photograph of.
Alexander Simpson was born on 5th February 1913 at Oxbow, Saskatchewan, Canada and was the son of John and Margaret Ann (nee Davidson) Simpson. His father had been wounded twice in WW1 and had sadly lost two brothers. Both Alexander's parents were born in Elgin, Moray, Scotland and had emigrated to Canada after WW1 where they obtained some farmland in Oxbow, Saskatchewan. Alexander enlisted for RCAF service in Regina on 11th July 1941 and was working in on the family farm at Oxbow at the time. After training he was awarded his pilot's flying badge on 9th October 1942. Less than a month later he was in the UK. He trained at 11 (P)AFU, 23 OTU and 1659 HCU before posting to 427 Squadron in April 1943. He was then posted to 427 Squadron on 6th May 1943.
Alfred Grenon was born on 26th August 1917 in Dumas, Saskatchewan, Canada and was the son of Henry Joseph and Ida Marie (nee Filteau) Grenon. Dumas is no longer standing by the looks of Google Earth's imagery. The family moved to Radville, Saskatchewan where he attended school and his brother Albert was born. Alfred moved to Neepawa, Manitoba in 1935 and started work for a flour mill and while at Neepawa he met and then married Rosalie Lillian Barnes in November 1940. He was still working at the flour mill where he enlisted for RCAF service on 24th July 1941 in Winnipeg. He trained as a wireless operator / air gunner in Canada and was awarded his air gunner's badge on 12th October 1942. On arrival in the UK he trained at 23 OTU from 19th January 1943 and 1659 HCU from 25th April 1943. He was posted to 428 Squadron on 6th May 1943. His brother Albert Joseph Grenon served in the Royal Canadian Navy and died on 20th September 1943 on HMCS St.Croix. The Grenon Lake is named in their honour.
