Wellington BK387 near Oakworth.

I would direct anyone with an interest in this specific incident to the village website and also a nearby public house, both give excellent accounts of the incident with photographs of the crew involved. "www.thegrouse.co.uk" and also "www.oakworthvillage.com".

During the evening of 2nd January 1944 the crew of this 82 O.T.U. aircraft took off from Ossington airfield (near Newark) at 18.31hrs to undertake a night cross-country training flight. The route was to have used turning points after taking off of Abingdon, Peterborough, Aylsham, Saffron Waldon and York before returning to base. A number of radio messages were received and at first the aircraft was flying on track, by 21.54hrs however the aircraft was east of the intended flightpath but was deemed not a serious issue. At 22.40hrs however, the aircraft was over the Pennines and well west of the intended track flying through cloud which covered the high ground. It flew into high ground at 22.40hrs at Tewitt Hall Wood in low cloud conditions and was destroyed by fire, it first struck a field with it's wingtip before disintergrating through woodland. It would later appear from the navigation log that the aircraft was flying around the hills between Manchester and Leeds for a time with the crew apparently completely lost. In trying to work out their position the aircraft was descended through the cloud but as they were over high ground at the time the crash occurred.

Pilot - WO2 Ernest Israel Glass RCAF (2285), aged 27, of Walpole, Saskatchewan, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (C/H/16).

Navigator - F/O James Justin McHenry RCAF (J/25563), aged 24, of Lonsdale, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (C/H/12).

Bomb Aimer - WO2 James Edwin Dalling RCAF (R/137946), aged 25, of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (C/H/13).

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - WO2 Jack Henfrey RCAF (R/119823), aged 24, late of South Kenora, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (C/H/14).

Air Gunner - Sgt Norman Willard Crawford RCAF (R/190343), aged 21, of St.John, New Brunswick, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (C/H/15).

Air Gunner - Sgt Emery Savage RCAF (Can/2129), aged 27, of Fisher Branch, Manitoba, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (C/H/11).

Ernest Glass was born on 3rd February 1916 at Walpole, Saskatchewan, Canada and was the son of Andrew Hamilton and Bertrande (nee Simm) Glass. After leaving school he worked as a druggist's apprentice. He enlisted for RCAF service way back on 5th June 1937 for ground duties and he served as an airframe mechanic in Canada where he married Corrine Davis in November 1940. He served in a ground role until mid-1942 when he remustered for aircrew duties and after training as a pilot was awarded his Wings on 5th March 1943. His wife appears to have later lived at St.Vital, Manitoba and then Chelsea, London, England.

James McHenry was born on 17th July 1919 at Lonsdale, Ontario Canada and was the son of Daniel Joseph and Mary Julia (nee McCark) McHenry. He too had served in the RCAF pre-war in the ground trades. He enlisted on 13th June 1938 at Kingston, Ontario straight out of college and served as an air frame mechanic in Canada. He re-mustered as aircrew in mid-1942 and after training was awarded his air navigation flying badge and also a commission on 16th April 1943.

James Dalling was born on 26th October 1918 at Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada and was the son of Guy and Henrietta (nee Taylor) Dalling. The family later moved to Prince Edward Island. As a young man he initially worked as a travelling salesman working for the Maple Leaf Milling Company before briefly working for a packing company at Halifax, Nova Scotia. He enlisted for RCAF service on 20th January 1942 at Halifax, Nova Scotia. After training in Canada he was awarded his air bombers' flying badge on 4th December 1942.

Jack Henfrey was born on 30th November 1919 at Minette, Manitoba, Canada and was the son of Harry and Norah (nee Whetton) Henfrey who had both emigrated to Canada from England. As a young man he worked as a photographer (probably with his father) in Ontario and briefly served in the Canadian Army in 1941 while waiting to join the RCAF. He enlisted for RCAF service in Winnipeg on 26th June 1941 and after training was awarded his air gunners' flying badge on 20th July 1942 before undertaking the wireless operator tests.

Norman Crawford was born on 29th August 1922 at St.John, New Brunswick, Canada and was the son of Walter Raymond and Ade Mae (nee Wilson) Crawford. As a young man he undertook a number of jobs that include truck driving, being a service station attendant and electrical work all locally at St.John. He enlisted for RCAF service on 2nd November 1942 at Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada and after training was awarded his air gunner's flying badge on 3rd September 1943

Emery Savage was born on 1st October 1916 at Fisher Branch, Manitoba, Canada and was a son of Alderic and Rose (nee Charret) Savage. As a young man he worked as a clerk in a general store but he too enlisted for RCAF service before the war, he enlisted on 17th April 1937. After basic training he then served as a motor mechanic in an M.T. section until re-mustering as aircrew in early 1943. After training in Canada he was awarded his air gunner's flying badge in September 1943.

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