On the night of 23rd / 24th August 1943 78 Squadron supplied a number of aircraft for the operational orders to bomb Berlin. Halifax BB373 and Halifax JB874 were two of the 78 Squadron aircraft, both crews had released their bomb load over the target and were in nearing Yorkshire when they received orders to divert to land at Leconfield instead of base of Breighton. Before they could land there they were re-diverted to land at Hutton Cranswick but both BB373 and JB874 collided over Hull Bridge at 04.30hrs and crashed around two miles north-east of Beverley. Sadly all eight airmen on board BB373 were killed and six of the seven onboard JB874 died, two possibly of their injuries rather than being killed outright in the crash. A memorial close to the site commemorated the incident. This was a bad night for 78 Squadron; they lost five aircraft and thirty one airmen. This was also the worst night in terms of losses for Bomber Command in the whole war to this date.
Pilot - F/O Charles James Keirl RAFVR (133026), aged 23, born London. Buried Queensgate Cemetery, Beverley, East Yorkshire.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Ernest Bertram Frank Scorey RAFVR (1628705), aged 19, of Southampton. Buried South Stoneham Cemetery, Hampshire.
Navigator - F/O Harry William Baylis RAFVR (136528), aged 25, of Buckhurst Hill, Essex. Buried Queensgate Cemetery, Beverley, East Yorkshire.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Henry Raymond Jones RAFVR (1419935), aged 21, of Pen-y-groes. Buried Pen-y-Groes Chapelyard, Carmarthenshire.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Charles Henry Hilton RAFVR (1208584), aged 29, of Yelden. Buried Yeldon Churchyard, Bedfordshire.
Air Gunner - Sgt Frederick Roberts RAF (649066), aged 21, of Liverpool. Buried Anfield Cemetery, Liverpool.
Air Gunner - Sgt J Greet. Seriously injured. Admitted to hospital and spent some five years recovering.
The graves of two of the crew, F/O Keirl and F/O Baylis who were buried at Queensgate Cemetery, Beverley, East Yorkshire.
Charles Keirl received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 30th September 1943 and rose to F/O on 30th March 1943.
Harry Baylis received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 18th December 1942 and rose to F/O on 18th June 1943.
Henry Jones' grave at Pen-y-groes. Photograph kindly submitted by Kirstie Hackett.