Halifax HX285 near Brandesburton.

At 00.20hrs on 29th January 1944 the crew of this 433 Squadron had taken off from Skipton on Swale airfield to undertake an operational flight to bomb Berlin. On their return to the UK the weather was poor, the aircraft also ran very low on fuel so they were instructed to divert and make a landing nearer the coast at Catfoss airfield. Because of poor visibility the crew overshot their first attempt at landing, they flew a circuit of the airfield to make a second attempt but while making a turn to make their final approach to land the fuel ran out and the engines failed. At 08.00hrs the aircraft lost height and struck a tree in the "Above Towns" area of Brandesburton, off the Catwick road. Unfortunately the pilot was killed in the accident but as he had ordered his crew to their crash positions the others on board survived. The squadron record book for this date is pretty much unreadable but thankfully the service records for one of the crew give the Air Ministry Form 765c which lists all involved. The aircraft was badly damaged and written off but all four engines appear to have been salvaged for repair.

This incident was also listed in the No.2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit record book and stated it crashed within the grounds of Brandesburton Hall, to the south west of the airfield. It is also mentioned in No.6 Group's flying control log that states it occurred near Catfoss airfield's officers mess (preseumably they used the hall).

Pilot - WO2 William Alfred Stiles RCAF (R/121112), aged 26, of Innisfail, Alberta, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (C/J/15).

Navigator - F/O Arnold Willy Norris RCAF (J/20921).

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/O Peter Aldege Schnobb RCAF (J/12895).

Bomb Aimer - Sgt Henry Glen Boissevain RCAF (R/121204). Injured.

Air Gunner - Sgt Anthony M P Camenzuli RAFVR (1818930).

Flight Engineer - Sgt James Graig Cummings RAFVR (1343298).

Mid Upper Gunner - Sgt Richard Lewis B Ludlow RAFVR (1252763). Injured.

William Stiles was born on 1st September 1917 at Innisfail, Alberta, Canada and was the son of George Edgar and Jennie May (nee Dodd). As a young man he worked at a number of jobs locally, latterly at a creamery. He joined the Canadian Army in October 1940, serving with the Calgary Highlanders briefly before transferring to the 15th Alberta Light Horse regiment. He transferred / enlisted for RCAF service on 29th July 1941 at Calgary and after training in Canada he was awarded his pilots' flying badge on 4th December 1942. On arrival in the UK he trained at 1 (P)AFU, 23 OTU and 1664 HCU before posting to 433 Squadron on 29th November 1943.
Morris, Schnobb, Boissevain, Schnobb and Cummings remained part of the same crew at 433 Squadron and received a new pilot (F/O W Canter DFM). On the night of 22nd / 23rd April 1944 they were flying in Halifax HX291 on Ops to Dusseldorf when the aircraft was shot down over Holland. Cumming and Boissevain were killed and are now buried in Heverlee War Cemetery. Morris became a PoW while Camenzuli evaded capture for a time before ending up a PoW. Schnobb evaded capture and remained in Belgium until being liberated later in 1944. Schnobb was later awarded a Mention in Despatches (Gazetted on 13th June 1946).

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