Halifax LL131 at Wombleton airfield.
During the afternoon of 27th November 1944 this 1666 Heavy Conversion Unit Halifax had been flying a cross country training flight. The visibility in the Wombleton area on their return to the area was poor. On their return to the landing circuit of Wombleton airfield the aircraft's undercarriage legs would not lower normally, the crew then flying control they were flying another circuit of the airfield and would deploy the undercarriage using the hand pumps. A second approach was made but this time the flaps would not lower so they again flew another circuit of the airfield. They informed flying control of the problem and were told to make a flapless landing on the next approach to land. There was a reasonably strong cross-wind effecting the runway in use at the time and as they lowered down the aircraft drifted off the flarepath, with the undercarriage lowered using the hand pumps the pilot deemed it was not possible to climb away to overshoot so put the aircraft down on the grass next to the runway. The aircraft completely missed the runway, on touching down at 18.23hrs it slewed to starboard onto a dispersal pan and after the starboard undercarriage leg had collapsed, it came to a halt. The aircraft was badly damaged but the crew escaped injury.
Pilot - F/O Robert James Grisdale RCAF (J/89832), of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Walter Alfred James Thurston RAFVR (1896557), of Southwark, London.
Navigator - F/O Isaac Buck Zierler RCAF (J/40890), of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.
Bomb Aimer - F/O William Gordon McLeod RCAF (J/39929), of Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt Joseph Michael Hirak RCAF (R/205383), of Elphinstone, Manitoba, Canada.
Air Gunner - F/Sgt Francis Gerald Seeley RCAF (R/274963), of Trenton, Canada.
Air Gunner - F/Sgt David William Roberts RCAF (R/273241).
Isaac Zierler was born on 20th March 1922 at Sarnia, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Abraham and Leah (nee Rathman) Zierler. Both his parents were born in Poland but emigrated to Canada. As a young man Isaac attended Toronto University where he gained a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1943. He enlisted into the RCAF in Toronto on 7th January 1943 and after training in Canada he received a commission on 28th January 1944 having gained his naviagtor's flying badge on the same date. On arrival in the UK he trained at 8 (O)AFU, 24 OTU and 1666 HCU before being posted to 433 Squadron on 6th January 1945.
William McLeod was born on 25th July 1915 in Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Norman John and Ida McLeod. He enlisted for RCAF service on 24th June 1942 in Port Arthur and after basic training in Canada he was awarded his Air Bomber's badge on 23rd December 1943 and was awarded a commission to the rank of P/O on the same date. He arrived in the UK in April 1944 and then trained at 1 (O)AFU and 24 OTU before posting to 1666 HCU on 11th October 1944. Completing his training there he and the rest of this crew were posted to 433 Squadron on 6th January 1945.
Robert Grisdale was born on 22nd May 1922 aat Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and was the son of Robert Chaplin and Alice Mary (nee Fraser) Grisdale, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He was still studying at the United College and University of Manitoba in Winnipeg when he enlisted for RCAF service there on 14th August 1942. After basic training in Canada he was awarded his pilots' flying badge on 3th September 1943. On arrival in the UK he trained at 18 (P)AFU, 1514 BAT Flight, No.7 FIS and 24 OTU before posting to 1666 HCU in October 1944. He and his crew were then posted to 433 Squadron on 6th January 1945.
Joseph Hirak was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada on 2nd March 1922 and was the son of Michael and Rose Hirak but the family moved to Elphinstone, Manitoba when he was a baby. Both his parents were born in Ukraine but emigrated to Canada. He left high school in 1941 and had been working as a clerk for only a few months when he joined the RCAF. He enlisted into the RCAF on 19th November 1942 in Winnipeg and after basic training in Canada he was awarded his Air Gunner's badge on 27th March 1944. He left for service overseas soon after and then trained at 7 (O)AFU and 24 OTU before posting to 1666 HCU on 10th October 1944. After completing the course at Wombleton the crew were posted to 433 Squadron on 6th January 1945. He was awarded a commission after his death back dated to 9th April 1945.
Walter Thurston's gravestone.
Francis Seeley was born on 23rd October 1925 at Marmora, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Harry Arthur and Bertha Ann (nee Bateman) Seeley. After leaving school he worked on the family farm before begining work for the Canadian Doughnut Company in Trenton. He enlisted for RCAF service in Kingston, Ontario on 16th September 1943. After training in Canada he was awarded his air gunners' flying badge on 7th April 1944. On arrival in the UK he trained at 24 OTU and 1666 HCU before posting to 433 Squadron with the rest of this crew. He also received a backdated commision after his death to 9th April 1945.
David Roberts was born on 16th August 1924 at Knowlton, Quebec, Canada and was the son of Harry and Edith (nee Richardson) Roberts. He left school in 1942 and had been working for the Southern Press for a year when he enlisted for RCAF service on 20th September 1943 in Montreal. After training he was awarded his air gunners' flying badge on 7th April 1944. On arrival in the UK he trained at 24 OTU and 1666 HCU before posting to 433 Squadron with the rest of this crew. He also received a backdated commision after his death to 9th April 1945.
The above crew all completed their training at Wombleton and were posted to 433 Squadron but were to be killed on 10th April 1945 when Lancaster PB903 crashed in Germany after being hit by flak on an operational flight to bomb Leipzig. According to witnesses, the aircraft was hit by flak and the starboard inner engine was seen to be feathered at the time. A small explosion was seen, the aircraft flipped onto it's back and then spun into the ground. All were initially buried locally to the crash site at Lutschen but all are now buried in the Berlin War Cemetery. I thank Mr Graham Sharpe for all photographs of their gravestones.
