Stirling EF444 at Pudsey.

On 20th July 1944 the 1661 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft took off from Winthorpe airfield during the morning for the trainee crew to undertake a training flight. On board was a trainee crew of seven plus a staff wireless operator from the H.C.U. training unit to oversee part of the training. While over Yorkshire the aircraft's engines began to fail. In an interview in 2004 the staff wireless operator recalled that the port outer engine failed first because of an oil leak so was shut down and the propeller feathered. The same thing then happened to the starboard inner engine and that too was shut down. The starboard outer engine then began to fail and loosing of height would have been a problem, the pilot ordered the crew to bale out over the north-west Leeds area. He then force-landed the aircraft on open land at what is known as Dawson's Corner, Pudsey at 10.30hrs and he sustained minor injuries, being admitted to Westwood EMS Hospital. The flight engineer was did as a result of this incident, he baled out but his parachute failed to open. Everyone else appears to escaped injury. The general area of the crash site was once open land but has since been built over, with the Pudsey Civic Hall and Green Flag insurance building and their carparks now occupying the land.

Flight Engineer - Sgt Alfred Keith Moncur RAFVR (1574423), aged 17, of Dundee. Buried Dundee Eastern Necropolis.

Pilot - P/O Samuel Bowden RAFVR (182602). Slightly injured.

? - Sgt Lewis Wolfe Nagley RAFVR (1676957).

? - Sgt Stanley C Alldis RAFVR (1398378).

? - Sgt Hughes.

? - Sgt Hammett.

Air Gunner - Sgt Sidney Charles Green RAFVR (1585525).

(Staff) Wireless Operator - F/O Stanley Bray RAFVR (172308).

Some members of this crew completed their training and joined 57 Squadron. On 11th November 1944 the were flying Lancaster LL939 on Ops to Harburg when the aircraft was badly damaged by flak. Alldis and Nagley managed to bale out and survived to become PoWs. Everyone else on board was killed including Bowden and Green who are now buried at Hamburg Cemetery. Samuel Bowden (who received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 26th July 1944) an F/Sgt Green are now buried Hamburg Cemetery.
In August 2994 Flypast magazine they ran a superb story about Stanley Bray's RAF service in which he gave an interview that detailed the incident at Pudsey in some detail. Prior to posting to 1661 Heavy Conversion Unit to serve as a staff wireless operator he had flown a Tour with 467 Squadron. He received a commission on 8th January 1944 to the rank of P/O on probation and rose to F/O six months later.
I have not yet been able to fully identify Sgt's Hughes and Hammett.

Back to monthly table.