On the night of 22nd / 23rd April 1944 the crew of this 103 Squadron aircraft took off from their base at Elsham Wolds at 23.16hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Dusseldorf. The aircraft probably sustained flak damage while over enemy territory. On their return to the UK bad visibility appears to have effected their flying, the crew appear to have flown in over the coast too far north of their Lincolnshire base and they flew over the Yorkshire Wolds. The aircraft was flying low just before the crash with the crew probably lost, it was thought that pilot may have seen the ground below them at the last moment and fearing a crash he pulled back on the flying controls, this caused the aircraft's nose to rise but it was assumed that no additional power being applied to the engines, this resulted in a stall and the aircraft then fell to the ground. The crash occurred around half a mile south of Thorpe Hall at Rudston at 04.55hrs and sadly all on board were killed. Two possible reasons for the aircraft being low were suggested, one reason being the crew were about to make a forced landing and the other reason being that the crew were lost and were flying low to try and work out where they were. Either possibly senarios would fit and for them then seeing the approaching rising ground in front of them prior to stalling. The aircraft is listed in more modern publications as crashing into a small wood or plantation near Rudston. This aircraft did not crash near the Thorpe Hall, to the south of Helmsley, as given in the first edition book of the generally accurate Bomber Command losses by William Chorley, despite the AM Form 1180 stating "Thorpe Hall, Rudston".
Pilot - P/O Thomas Edwin Astbury RAFVR (172418), aged 20, of Chester. Buried Overleigh Cemetery, Chester.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Cyril Whittle RAFVR (1106196), aged 23, of Higher Irlam. Buried Newchurch Churchyard, Lancashire.
Navigator - F/Sgt Donald Hopkins RAFVR (1546820), aged 21, of Jesmond, Newcastle on Tyne. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (B/B/9).
Air Bomber - Sgt Donald Arthur William Leftly RAFVR (911476), aged 23, of Leyton, London. Buried Leyton Churchyard, Essex (Special Memorial).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Anthony Jervis RAFVR (1585814), aged 21, of North Wembley. Buried St.Pancras Cemetery, London.
Air Gunner - Sgt William Brodie Graham RAF (622825), aged 24, wife of Tolworth, Surrey. Buried Buchanan Churchyard Ext, Stirlingshire.
Air Gunner - F/Sgt Aubrey Hogg RAAF (436032), aged 23, of Bayswater, Western Australia. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (B/B/10).
I have attempted to search for the location of this crash site because a public footpath run around the woodland I understand the aircraft crashed into. While there is an obvious hole in the trees, as shown in these photographs, I have yet to discover if this is the crash site. The RAF AM1180 accident card states that the aircraft crashed at 170 feet above sea level while the more detailed AM765c gives 150 feet above sea level. The area of the woodland in these photographs are higher at just above 200 feet. 150 or 170 feet would probably put the site slightly nearer Rudston. The War Office map for the period that would have been used by the scribes of the accident cards has clear contour lines and heights marked. Both AM1180 and AM765c state that the aircraft crashed onto the downhill slope given as being as a 45 degree slope but there are very few slopes as steep as this in the Rudston area. I would welcome confirmation of the crash site location.
Lancaster LL913 was built by Armstrong Whitworth and was taken on charge as new by 550 Squadron on 15th April 1944. It was then immediately transferred to 103 Squadron the following day. as a result of the crash on 23rd April 1944 Cat.E damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge on 30th April 1944.
Gravestones of two of the crew who were buried at Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery.
Aubrey Hogg was born on 7th January 1821 at Westray, on the Orkney Islands. He later emigrated to Australia with his family and enlisted for RAAF service in Perth.
Thomas Astbury was born on 18th September 1923. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 28th February 1944. Prior to serving at 103 Squadron he had trained at 30 OTU and 1667 HCU.