On 17th September 1944 the crew of this 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft took off from Marston Moor airfield to undertake a training flight involving practicing flying on three engines. This would simulate the failure of a engine in flight should the problem occur under normal flying. The aircraft made an approach to land at Marston Moor while flying on three engines, while the aircraft was at around a thousand feet off the ground and with the wheels down control was lost and the aircraft dived into the ground at 15.12hrs near Angram, Askham Richard. Sadly all on board were killed. A detailed examination of the wreckage found that part of the elevator control system had broken in flight resulting control being lost.
(Instructor) Pilot - F/O Edward Fred Hutchinson Haly DFC RAFVR (144463), aged 23, of British Guiana. Cremated Harrogate, Yorkshire.
(Trainee) Pilot - F/Lt Arthur Albert Bacon RAFVR (115404), aged 28, wife of Isleworth, Middlesex. Cremated Mortlake, Surrey.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Derek Eugene Ell RAFVR (3030988), aged 19, of Brighton. Buried Hove New Cemetery, Sussex.
Flight Engineer - Sgt James Robert McCarthy RAFVR (3031377), aged 19, of Edgware. Buried Little Stanmore Churchyard, Middlesex.
Navigator - F/O Denis Graham Clough RAFVR (162049), aged 21, of Upper Norwood, Surrey. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (E/F/4).
Air Bomber - F/O James Lewis Fox RAFVR (149196), aged 30, wife of Gerrards Cross. Buried Gerrards Cross Churchyard, Buckinghamshire.
? (Wireless Operator / Air Gunner?) - F/Sgt Maxwell Bruce Waugh RAAF (428873), aged 22, of Koorawatha, New South Wales, Australia. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (E/F/5).
Air Gunner - Sgt William Goodbrand RAFVR (1790117), aged 20, of Portsoy, Banff. Buried Urquhart Burial Ground, Banff.
Air Gunner - Sgt John Duff Forbes RAFVR (1826864), aged 31. Buried Auchterarder Cemetery, Perth.
Maxwell Waugh was born 1st February 1922 at Young, New South Wales, Australia and enlisted for RAAF service in Sydney.
On 14th November 1942 Edward Haly was flying in Halifax R9376 on a training flight based at Melbourne airfield in a 10 Squadron Conversion Flight aircraft (but he was probably on the books of 1658 HCU at the time), on the take off run the aircraft's port outer propeller flew off, followed by the reduction gear and most of the engine. The instructor force landed the aircraft in a field straight ahead with the wheels up and it was badly damaged by there were no injuries. He had flown his first operational flight with 10 Squadron as a second pilot in Halifax BB220 on 18th November 1942 with S/Ldr Barratt and crew while training and two more as second pilot on 10 Squadron Ops in November 1942. His name does not appear in 10 Squadron's operation record book in December 1942. He was posted from 1658 HCU to 51 Squadron on 4th January 1943 and would have flown his first Op as captain with 51 Squadron on 18th February 1943 in W7818 had it not crashed soon after taking off. His next was a successful mine laying trip in W7772 on 26th February 1943. He receieved his commission on 21st March 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). He was later awarded the DFC for service with 51 Squadron, Gazetted on 17th August 1943. He was promoted to F/O on probation (war subs) on 21st September 1943. He was twenty three years old and is buried at Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire. CWGC list him as being the son of John and Edith Marie Haly and the husband of Daphne Pauline Haly, of Wokingham, Berkshire. But with him being originally from British Guiana.