On 31st August 1943 466 Squadron supplied a number of aircraft for the planned bombing raid on Monchengladbach, Wellingtons HZ531 and LN292 were two of the aircraft that were to have been used for the raid carried out in the early hours. Both Wellingtons took off from Leconfield at around 00.13hrs and while climbing to await the main bomber force setting out across the North Sea both LN292 and HZ531 collided over Goole at 00.25hrs. Wellington LN292 crashed into Carlisle Street, Goole. Wellington HZ531 is listed on the AM Form 1180 as having crashed onto farmland near "Sand Hill Farm, Howden". It actually fell near Sandhall Farm which is just across the River Ouse from Goole and the other crash site. In all ten airmen were killed as well as at least three people on the ground in Goole.
Pilot - F/Sgt Mervin John Smart RAAF (416798), aged 21, of Somerton, South Australia. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Navigator - F/Sgt Newton Hasalby Fuss RAAF (407349), aged 23, of Prospect, South Australia. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Bomb Aimer - F/Sgt James Barber McLachlan RAAF (420353), aged 30, of West Wyalong, New South Wales, Australia. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt Edwin Henry Berry RAAF (410436), aged 26, wife of Northcote, Victoria, Australia. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Air Gunner - Sgt John Trevers Eccleston RAFVR (1476724), aged 20, of Halebank. Buried Widnes Cemetery, Lancashire.
The crew of Wellington HZ531 when it crashed near Howden. Back row: Fuss, McLachlan, Smart. Front row: Berry & Eccleston. Photograph "AWM.gov.au". The four Australians were buried at Harrogate on 4th September 1943.
Mervin Smart was born on 24th January 1922 in Brighton, South Australia and enlisted for RAAF service in Adelaide. At the time of his death his father was livin in Glenelg, South Australia.
Newton Fuss was born on 8th June 1920 in Burra, South Australia and was the son of Lyall Hasalby Fuss of Prospect, South Australia. He enlisted for RAAF service in Adelaide on 14th September 1940 and after basic training in Australia left for service overseas on 24th August 1942.
Edwin Berry was born on 28th December 1916 in Northcote, Victoria, Australia and enlisted for RAAF service in Melbourne on 30th January 1942. After basic training in Australia he left for service overseas on 6th January 1943.
James McLachlan was born on 15th May 1913 and was the son of William and Mary Ann McLachlan. He was working in farming when he enlisted for RAAF service in Laen, Victoria on 11th October 1941. After basic training in Australia he left for service overseas on 3rd October 1942 initially to Canada and then on to the UK. On arrival in the UK he trained at 10 (O)AFO and 27 OTU before posting to 466 Squadron on 21st July 1943.
I have been given Eric Barton's aviation research and crash site visit notes. There are notes he made when he, Ken Reast and Albert Pritchard sought permission from the landowner and searched for the crash site of Wellington HZ531. Unfortunately he forgot to date when they visited the site but he did note that they located small fragments on the surface of the land opposite the Victoria Pier, Goole and that they located further parts near Sandhall Farm where the wreckage was recovered to that confirm the location.