Lancaster W4776 near Branton, Doncaster.

During the evening of 27th October 1943 the crew of this aircraft were to undertake a basic night-time circuits and landings exercise with 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit. The aircraft took off from Lindholme at 21.50hrs and possibly during the first of a series of landings the aircraft approached Lindholme with the undercarriage lowered but during the approach the crew had probably realised that they were too high to make a landing. Power was applied to the engines to climb away but instead of raising the undercarriage, the flaps were raised in error. Both levers were next to each other in the cockpit and this was a fairly common mistake to make. With the flaps raised and the undercarriage still down too much drag resulted and the aircraft began to sink to the ground, it eventually crashed on farmland at 22.00hrs near Kilham Farm, Branton between Doncaster and Finningley. Only the flight engineer is listed on the CWGC database as dying on 27th October 1943, the other six aircrew are listing as having died on 28th October 1943 which would suggest that the flight engineer was died almost immediately while the other members of the crew were seriously injured and passed away in the hours that followed.

Pilot - Sgt Thomas Frank Skipp RAFVR (900261), aged 22, of Shepherd's Bush. Buried Acton Cemetery, London.

Flight Engineer - Sgt George Eric Glass RAFVR (1802673), aged 22, of Hackney Wick, London. Buried City of London Cemetery, Manor Park.

Navigator - F/Sgt Alfred William Turpin RAFVR (1246515), aged 31, of Kingsteignton. Buried Kingsteignton Churchyard, Devon.

Bomb Aimer - F/Sgt Victor James Baker RAFVR (658156), aged 24, wife of Taunton. Buried Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol, Gloucestershire.

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Thomas Patrick Higgins RAFVR (1430315), aged 21, of Rawmarsh. Buried Haugh Road Cemetery, Rawmarsh, Yorkshire (F/214).

Air Gunner - Sgt Frank Edward Lovegrove RAFVR (1811507), aged 19, of Fulham. Buried Fulham Cemetery, London.

Air Gunner - Sgt James Frank Lee RAFVR (1624263), aged 18, of Prescot. Buried Prescot Cemetery, Lancashire.

Lancaster W4776 was built to contract B.69275/40 by Metropolitan Vickers Ltd. at Trafford Park, Manchester and was awaiting collection in September 1942. It was received by A.V.Roe Ltd on 21st September 1942 and was taken on charge by 101 Squadron at Holme on Spalding Moor when they began conversion to Lancasters on 11th October 1942 and was one of the first two they received. The aircraft was then transferred to 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit at Lindholme on 22nd October 1942 because it did not have certain modifications made to it that 101 Squadron needed for them to use it. As a result of the damage sustained on 28th January 1943 Cat.Ac/FA damage was the damage assessment with the repairs beginning on 2nd February 1943 and being complete on 13th February 1943. The aircraft was again slightly damaged at Lindholme on 25th May 1943, with Cat.Ac/FA damage again being the damage assessment. It was again repaired on site at Lindholme and returned to unit on 3rd July 1943. On 27th October 1943 it crashed near Branton, Doncaster while on a training flight which sadly killed it's then crew. Cat.E2/FA Burnt damage was recorded and the aircraft was written off.

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