On the night of 18th / 19th September 1943 the crew of this 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit Halifax were tasked with flying a night training flight, during the flight both starboard engines caught fire. Before all of the crew could comply with the pilot's instructions to bale out the aircraft became uncontrollable and crashed at 23.55hrs near Armthorpe. Sadly three of the crew were killed. Only five members of aircrew are listed in William Chorley's Bomber Command losses book for this incident but the Riccall airfield station orb states that three were killed and three others baled out. It was thought that a blade on the starboard outer engine had broke off and then struck and became lodged within the starboard inner engine, this had then resulted in both starboard engines failing. This was one of three 1658 H.C.U. aircraft that were destroyed in flying accidents on this night.
Pilot - F/Sgt Robert Walter Wetherall Frankish RAAF (415130), aged 27, of West Northam, Western Australia. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Air Bomber - Sgt Cyril James Ringer RAFVR (320553), aged 19, of Manor Park, London. Buried Woodgrange Park Cemetery, East Ham, London.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Albert James Taylor RAFVR (1385739), aged 21, of Popham. Buried Popham Churchyard, Hampshire.
Flight Engineer - Sgt A C Skinner RAFVR (1254668).
Navigator - Sgt J H Bulmer (Possibly Sgt James Henry Bulmer RAFVR (1474195)).
Air Gunner - Sgt Jessup. Uninjured.
Robert Frankish was born on 16th April 1916 in Maylands, Western Australia and enlisted for RAAF service in Perth.
The navigator Sgt Bulmer was possibly later posted to 77 Squadron and if the person I suggest was indeed him then on the night of 16th / 17th June 1944 he was flying in Halifax MZ698 on Ops to Sterkrade when the aircraft crashed in Holland. F/Sgt Bulmer was taken PoW. He later received a commission back dated to the 15th June 1944 (the day before he was posted as missing).
Halifax JB905 was built to contract ACFT/1808/C4 by English Electric Ltd. at Samlesbury and was taken on charge by 405 Squadron at Leeming on 31st March 1943. As a result of battle damage sustained on 9th April 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment. The damage was repaired on site but not long after it was completed it was transferred to 1658 H.C.U. at Riccall on 25th May 1943. On 6th August 1943 it received an unspecified repair on site by Handley Page Ltd. On 14th August 1943 it was returned to 1658 H.C.U.. On 18th September 1943 the aircraft crashed near Armthorpe, Doncaster that saw three of it's then crew killed. Cat E2/FA Burnt damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge on 23rd September 1943 having clocked up a total of 331 flying hours.