Halifax V9984 near Brafferton.
On 26th June 1943 those flying this 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft were carrying out a daytime training flight, during the flight the aircraft suffered an engine failure so it was crash-landed in a field near Ray Banks Farm, Brafferton at 11.40hrs. I have yet to find out exactly why the aircraft was force landed, it should have remained in the air while flying on three engines long enough to make the short flight back to Topcliffe airfield where the unit, 1659 H.C.U. was based.
Instructor Pilot - F/Lt Murray Stanley Fuller Schneider RCAF (J/16432).
Trainee Pilot - P/O John William Richardson RCAF (C/20348).
Murray Schneider was born in Oak River, Manitoba to Monague and Annie Schneider on 3rd March 1921. He enlisted into the RCAF in August 1940 and left Canada in May 1941 after initial training. After arriving in England he continued his training at 10 OTU before posting to 10 Squadron at Leeming in August 1941. He flew operationally with 10 Squadron before their conversion from Whitleys to Halifaxes and flew two operation flights in Halifaxes before a serious accident on 15th January 1942 in Halifax L9622 near Northallerton from which he was the only survivor. As a result of the crash of L9622 he received numerous injuries to his body and face and it is remarkable that he survived let alone returned to active service. He sustained a fractured skull, a broken wrist, numerous broken ribs, serious burns and cuts to the hands and face, a bullet in the shoulder and other injuries. He also lost his memory for some months. By mid-July 1942 he was out of hospital and back with 10 Squadron for non-flying duties awaiting a medical assessment. He was later treated at the East Grinstead specialist hospital. In October 1942 he was passed fit for non-operational flying and was posted to 1659 HCU as an instructor. While with 1659 HCU he force landed Halifax W1150 near Pickering in January 1943 without injury to himself or any of those on board. Only on 3rd April 1943 was he assessed as being fit for operational flying again. On 26th June 1943 he force landed Halifax V9984 near Brafferton after engine failure and was again uninjured.
He was later posted back to operational flying and to 405 Squadron PFF, he completed at least ten operational flights before being lost on 9th October 1943 when 405 Squadron Lancaster JA980 was shot down by a night fighter on Ops to Hamburg. Five were killed and there were two who became PoW's. S/Ldr Schneider is buried in Hannover War Cemetery. Also on this aircraft was the flight engineer from 408 Squadron Halifax JD174, Sgt James Connelly, JD174 crashed on the North Yorkshire Moors in July 1943 near Hawnby. Both had been posted to 405 Squadron for Pathfinder duties.
John Richardson was nearing the end of his training at 1659 HCU when he flying as a second pilot in 408 Squadron Halifax JD216 on 9th / 10th July 1943 for operational experience, the aircraft was shot down on Ops to Gelsenkirchen with the loss of the whole crew. F/O Richardson is now buried in Reichswald War Cemetery, Germany.
