On Tuesday, 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 the Goole area at 00.25hrs. Wellington HZ531 crashed onto farmland across the River Ouse from Goole while Wellington LN292 broke up and crashed into buildings in Goole; into Carlisle Street, 47 North Street and the Peacock Hotel on the corner of North Street. As a result of the crash in Goole large fires broke out in the town. Fire Watchers Robert Cooper, George Gunnill and Cyril Olsen were later commended for their actions on this night.
In all ten airmen were killed as well as at least two civilians on the ground in Goole. The civilian injuries and possible further deaths are in need of further information to get the full list. Elsewhere on the internet it is recorded that Mrs Jessie Stanley jumped from a bedroom window but struck a soldier on the head while he was trying to help catch her and that he died in hospital; Sapper George Wood died on 31st August 1942 and his death is registered in Goole so I link him as being this individual.
Pilot - Sgt John Leonard Harwood RAFVR (1390412), aged 29, of London. Buried Selby Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Navigator - Sgt Geoffrey George Payne RAFVR (1579828), aged 19, of Bushby. Buried Thurnby Churchyard, Leicestershire.
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Joseph Noar RAFVR (1239310), aged 27, of Salford. Buried Rainsough Jewish Cemetery, Lancashire.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Peter Arthur Frank Elliot RAFVR (656764). Buried Wandsworth (Earlsfield) Cemetery, London.
Air Gunner - Sgt Thomas Daniel McCann RCAF (R/154939), aged 24, of Allston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (C/B/7).
Civilian - Mrs Rose Alice Cook, died 47 North Street, Goole. Aged 37. Buried Goole Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Civilian - Master James William Stanley, aged 12, died Peacock Hotel, North Street, Goole. Buried Goole Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Rescuer - 1x "Soldier", died of injuries. Probably Sapper Kenneth George Wood RE (2075945), (582 Army Field Coy), aged 26. Buried Gravesend Cemetery, Kent.
Civilian - Mrs Jessie Stanley, of Peacock Hotel, North Street, Goole. Injured.
Civilian - Mrs Enid Parish, of 30 Carlisle Street, Goole. Injured.
Civilian - Mrs Mary E Pettican, of 21 George Street, Goole. Injured. (widowed on 8th March 1943 - wife of Charles Wm Pettican MN.)
Thomas McCann was born on 22nd September 1918 in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada and was the son of Daniel and Mary (nee Hanlon) McCann. The family lived in Saint John for the first seven years of his life before moving to Brighton, Massachusetts, U.S.A. After leaving school he worked as a book keeper and later as a traffic manager in Boston but travelled to Canada in 1942 to join the RCAF. He enlisted for RCAF service on 30th May 1942 at Moncton, New Brunswick. After basic training in Canada he was awarded his Air Gunnery flying badge on 2nd April 1943, he then left Canada, after sailing from New York he arrived in the UK in May 1943. Following posting to train at 15 OTU later that month he was the posted to 466 Squadron on 4th August 1943.
John Harwood's grave in Selby Cemetery and Joseph Noar's grave in Rainsough Cemetery, Manchester.