Whitley Z9419 near Sherburn in Elmet.
On 7th June 1943 this A.F.E.E. aircraft took off from Sherburn in Elmet airfield for a dual instruction training flight. After around thirty minutes flying the aircraft the starboard engine developed trouble and not having enough power to maintain height the pilot force landed in a field some 400 yards north west of the village at 15.30hrs. The aircraft was landed with the wheels down but the undercarriage collapsed, badly damaging the aircraft. An investigation into why the engine failed found that the magneto had a broken drive shaft. The two AFEE personnel on board the aircraft escaped injury.
Pilot - Acting F/O Tom Winnington RAF (137273).
Pilot - F/O Stanley John Rane RAAF (404061).
Tom Winnington was granted a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 19th December 1942 and rose to F/O six months later. He remained in the RAFVR until 26th January 1957 when he relinquished his commission.
Stanley Rane was born in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire in October 1912 but moved to Australia before WW2, he enlisted into the RAAF in Brisbane. He served with 38 Squadron in the Middle East in 1941 and survived the crash of Wellington X9685 on 15th September 1941 when a propeller blade flew off on a mine laying flight off Tripoli. He force landed the aircraft at Luqa but sustained injuries. For service with the AFEE he was awarded the Air Force Cross, Gazetted on 13th June 1946 and when the award was presented in 1949 his address was The Red Bear Hotel, Sherburn in Elmet.