On the evening of 24th March 1944 the crew of this 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft carried out a night circuits and landings exercise. They took off from Lindholme at around 20.35hrs and on board was an instructor with four trainee aircrew. Twenty five minutes later the aircraft made approach to land at Lindholme but then carried out an overshoot at around 300 feet off the ground. The aircraft then sank towards the ground and crashed at 21.12hrs just off the south-west side airfield and burst into flames. The crash team from Lindholme airfield would have been on the site quickly but sadly all on board were killed. The crash occurred in the area behind Boston Park on land near Cockwood and Gate Farms on the Auckley side of the airfield.
As the aircraft came in to land the undercarriage would have been lowered and locked down in preparation to land, also the flaps on the wings would have been lowered to slow the aircraft. The crash site was investigated and it was found that while the aircraft crashed with the undercarriage still down the flaps were found to be in the up position. It was assumed that when the overshoot was made the flaps had been raised too quikcley instead of the undercarriage. The levers for both were next to each other in the cockpit and this was a reasonably common mistake in training.
Pilot (instructor) - F/Lt John Edward Sanderson DFC RAFVR (142852), aged 23, of Withington, Manchester. Buried Salendine Nook Baptist Chapelyard, Huddersfield, Yorkshire.
Pilot (pupil) - P/O Raymond Henry Gardner RAFVR (171094), aged 20, of Leeds. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (F/E/7).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Bernard John Brawn RAFVR (1868334), aged 19, of Leicester. Buried Scraptoft Churchyard, Leicestershire.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Peter Dennis Newman RAFVR (1399876), aged 20, of Fulham, London. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (F/E/6).
Air Gunner - Sgt John Harold Gilbertson RCAF (R/214779), aged 19, of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (F/E/5).
John Gilbertson was born on 20th August 1924 at Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and was the son of John James and Edna Marion (nee Gall) Gilbertson. As a young man John worked in a foundry and as a tool and die maker. He enlisted for RCAF service in Hamilton on 22nd January 1943 and after training in Canada he was awarded his air gunner's flying badge on 17th September 1943. He was then posted to the UK soon after and trained at 30 OTU before posting to 1656 HCU on 21st February 1944.
Raymond Gardner received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 19th January 1944.
John Sanderson had survived a possible serious crash on 25th February 1943 with 76 Squadron when taking off for an operatiobnal flight to bomb Nuremberg. After taking off from Linton on Ouse the aircraft lost lift just after clearing the airfield boundary and crashed. Remarkably all on board escaped serious injury. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 14th March 1943 and completed a Tour with 76 Squadron for which he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 13th August 1943. I have yet to locate a citation for his award. He then rose to F/O on probation on 25th August 1943 and was confirmed in the rank of F/O on 23rd December 1943. This is not a normal promotion date period in the RAFVR. At the time of his death he must have been in the rank of Acting F/Lt. After serving with 76 Squadron he appears to have instructed at 18 OTU before posting to 1656 HCU.
DT482 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and was awaiting collection on 22nd August 1942. It was initially taken on charge by 103 Squadron Conversion Flight at Elsham Wolds and then transferred to the parent 103 Squadron itself. On 31st October 1942 it transferred to 1656 H.C.U. at Lindholme. As a result of the damage sustained on 11th February 1943, 10th April 1943 and then on 15th August 1943 minor Cat.A(c) damage was the damage assessment each time and it was repaired on site each time and returned to 1656 H.C.U. use. On 24th March 1944 it crashed near Lindholme and was badly damaged. Cat.E2/FA damage was recorded and the aircraft was written off.