Halifax W1273 at Topcliffe airfield.
On 28th May 1943 this 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft was being used to convert two 427 Squadron pilots to fly the Halifax type. Upon landing at Topcliffe airfield at 23.05hrs the aircraft swung off the runway, the pilot over-corrected the swing and the undercarriage collapsed.
Instructor Pilot - P/O Merle Omer Frederick RCAF (J/16132).
Pupil Pilot - F/Sgt Francis Joseph Higgins DFM RCAF (R/98109).
Pupil Pilot - Sgt James Douglas Hamilton RCAF (R/102390).
He was converting to flying the Halifax type at Topcliffe when this landing accident occurred in May 1943 and on completion of this training he returned to 427 Squadron. On the night of 25th / 26th June 1943 he was flying Ops to Gelsenkirchen in Halifax DK190 when the aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter over Holland, he and his whole crew were all killed. F/Sgt Higgins was twenty two years old and is buried in Gorssel General Cemetery, Holland.
Francis Higgins was born on Amherstburg, Ontario in 1921 and was living there when he enlisted into the RCAF in Windsor in April 1941. After training he was posted to 427 Squadron and flew his first operational flight as a second pilot to Mannheim with a 420 Squadron crew on 6th December 1942. On 10th April 1943 he was the pilot of a Wellington that was badly damaged by flak on Ops to Frankfurt, he was able to make a landing in the UK at West Malling and for his actions he was awarded an immediate DFM, Gazetted on 25th May 1943. The citation for his DFM (as sourced by Hugh Halliday) reads "Flight Sergeant Higgins piloted an aircraft detailed to attack a target in southwest Germany one night in 1943. Shortly after bombing the target the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and much damage was sustained. In difficult circumstances Flight Sergeant Higgins flew the aircraft to an airfield in this country where he effected a successful crash landing. He displayed great courage and determination."
James Hamilton was born on 19th April 1920 in Regina, Saskatchewan when he enlisted into the RCAF he was studying for an engineering degree at the University of Saskatchewan. He enlisted into the RCAF in May 1941 in Regina and after basic training he was awarded his Wings on 3rd July 1942. On arrival in the UK he trained at 3 (P)AFU beginning in August 1942 and later at 22 OTU beginning in October 1942. He was posted to 427 Squadron after converting to the Halifax type at Topcliffe but was killed only weeks later flying Ops to Mulheim on 22nd / 23rd June 1943 flying in Halifax DK141 when the aircraft was shot down by a night fighter over Holland, only the flight engineer survived. Sgt Hamilton was twenty two years old and is buried in Bergen Op Zoom Canadian War Cemetery, Holland. A memorial was erected on the crash site in 2013.
Merle Frederick was later posted to 405 Squadron. On 13th / 14th February 1945 he was flying Lancaster PB183 on an operational flight to Dresden when the aircraft was probably damaged by flak. He was the sole survivor having managed to bale out, briefly becoming a PoW he survived the War. He later returned to Canada and died in 1999.
Halifax W1273 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was taken on charge as new by 78 Squadron at Middleton St.George on 16th August 1942. On 9th September 1942 the aircraft was damaged on Ops by an enemy aircraft that killed the rear gunner, F/Sgt W Dewhurst, the crew landed at Tangmere and it saw a Cat.Ac/FB damage assessment made on the aircraft's damage. The aircraft was repaired on site and it was returned to 78 Squadron on 2nd December 1942 who had moved to Linton on Ouse while it was being repaired. On 6th December 1942 the aircraft was transferred to 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit at Leeming. On 14th March 1943 the unit moved to Topcliffe. As a result of the damage sustained at Topcliffe on 28th May 1943 Cat.Ac/FA damage was the initial damage, unfortunately the damaged was re-assessed on 26th June 1943 and deemed much more deriously damaged. Re.Cat.E damage was the assessment and the aircraft was struck off charge.