Halifax HR919 near Bishop Wilton.

On the night of 16th / 17th September 1943 the crew of this 102 Squadron aircraft were undertaking an operational flight to bomb Modane and bombed the primary target area from 15,000 feet. On the return to Yorkshire the aircraft flew into the ground on Bishop Wilton Wold at 04.46hrs, possibly near Manna Green Farm and was badly damaged. One member of the crew later died of his injuries. This appears to have been this crew's first operational flight and many of these also appear to have been posted away from 102 Squadron soon after.

Pilot - WO Edward Morgan Cartwright RAF (655565). Head injuries.

Flight Engineer - Sgt R W Barber.

Navigator - Sgt D J Nicholson.

Bomb Aimer - Sgt Philip Frederick Jones RAFVR (1337681), aged 20, of Abersychan. Buried Trevethin Churchyard, Monmouthshire. Died of injuries.

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt J R Fletcher.

Air Gunner - Sgt B Brawn.

Air Gunner - Sgt A W Snowden (Possibly Arthur William Snowden RAFVR (1301000)).

Edward Cartwright was initially treated at York Military Hospital, after further treatment at RAF Hospital Rauceby and Marchwood Park he was admitted to East Grinstead Hospital on 10th March 1944 and became one of the famous Guinea Pig patients.
If the Sgt Snowden was Arthur William Snowden then he was posted to 578 Squadron around the time it formed and was killed on 24th March 1944 when Halifax LW508 failed to return from Berlin. He is buried in Hanover War Cemetery and was still just twenty years old.

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