Aircraft accidents in Yorkshire.

Halifax JN891 damaged by flak, returned to Snaith airfield.

On 29th July 1943 this aircraft took off from Snaith airfield at 22.24hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Hamburg. The aircraft sustained damage by flak over the target area and the crew dropped their bomb load at 00.52hrs from 17,500ft but on 1,000lb bomb hung-up. The crew made for home and the hung-up bomb was later jettisoned. The crew were able to bring the aircraft back to Yorkshire and they landed safely at Snaith airfield in the early hours of 30th July 1943 at 03.30hrs.

Pilot - Acting F/Lt Thomas William Albert Hutton RAFVR (124855).

Navigator - F/O William Henry Lewis Sydney Way RAFVR (129744).

Bomb Aimer - F/O Paul Barber RAFVR (129476).

Wireless Operator - Sgt Dennis Roy Perrin RAFVR (1215283).

Flight Engineer - Sgt Royston James Child RAFVR (1450303). of Thornton Heath, Surrey.

Air Gunner - P/O William Inverarity RCAF (J/21538), of Tudor, Alberta, Canada.

Air Gunner - F/Sgt Joseph Jean Robert Theobald Godin RCAF (R/96327), of Eastview or Northbay, Ontario, Canada. or Clarkstown, Ottawa?

All of the above were posted to 35 Squadron PFF on 28th August 1943. On the night of 5th / 6th January 1944 all of the above were flying together in Halifax HX160 on Ops to Stettin when the aircraft was attacked before reaching the target area by a night-fighter, and over the target area the starboard wing caught fire. Four of the crew were able to bale out and became PoWs while Child (20), Way and Godin (24) were killed and are now buried in Poznan Cemetery, Poland. Inverarity sustained a broken pelvis on landing and Godin was wounded in the legs by canon fire from the night-fighter but survived.

Thomas Hutton received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 3rd July 1942, rising to F/O on 3rd January 1943 and F/Lt (war subs) on 26th January 1944. He was made a PoW on 6th January 1944. For earlier service with 35 Squadron and while in the rank of Acting S/Ldr he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 8th May 1945 (with effect of 4th January 1944). Postwar he remained in the RAF being promoted to W/Co and was awarded the OBE on 1st January 1965. He was promoted to G/Cpt on 1st January 1966 and became Station Commander of RAF Seletar in the same year.

William Way was born in London in 1923. He received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 28th August 1942 and was promoted to F/O on 28th February 1943. After his death he was awarded the DFC for service with 35 Squadron but the notification was published in the London Gazette on 8th May 1945 and the notification states he was in the rank of Acting F/Lt at the time (but with effect from 4th January 1944).

Paul Barber received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 19th September 1942 rising to F/O on probation on 19th March 1943 and F/Lt on 19th September 1944. He was made a PoW on 6th January 1944. For earlier service with 35 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 8th May 1945 (with effect of 4th January 1944). He remained in the RAF after the war, as F/Lt on 1st January 1949 he was received a King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air and later the OBE, Gazetted on 11th June 1966 in The Queen's Birthday Honours List. He retired on 2nd May 1970 while in the rank of W/Co.

Royston Child received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 18th July 1943. For earlier service with 35 Squadron he was awarded the DFC but the notification was published in the London Gazette after his death on 8th May 1945 (but with effect of 4th January 1944).

Dennis Perrin received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 17th June 1943 rising to F/O on 17th December 1943 and F/Lt on 17th June 1945. He was made a PoW on 6th January 1944. For earlier service with 35 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 8th May 1945 (with effect of 4th January 1944). He remained in the RAF after the war rising through the ranks and he too was awarded the OBE, Gazetted on 1st January 1976 while in the rank of W/Co. He retired as W/Co on 19th January 1976.

William Hunter Inverarity was born in July 1917 in Halifax, Nova Scotia but was living in Tudor, Alberta when he enlisted into the RCAF in June 1940. He originally served as ground crew but re-mustered as aircrew in 1942. He awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 8th May 1945 (with effect of 4th January 1944) for service with 35 Squadron. He died in December 2013.