Halifax LV865 at Snaith airfield.

During the morning of 17th September 1944 this 51 Squadron aircraft was to have flown an operational flight attack German positions in the Boulogne area. At 07:28hrs as it picked up speed on the runway at Snaith one of the engines failed. Because of there being maximum power being applied to the two engines on the other side of the aircraft and only half that on that the other side a swung developed, the pilot decided to abort take off but could not stop aircraft before it ran off the runway area and into the bomb dump. It collided with a fusing hut and caught fire. Sadly one member of the crew was killed as a result of the accident while two others received minor injuries.

Air Gunner - Sgt Robert Henry Dunkley RAFVR (1608128), aged 20, of Northampton. Buried Mixbury Churchyard, Oxfordshire.

Pilot - F/O Bernard Mark Twilley RAFVR (151201). Injured.

Navigator - Sgt Richard Holden RAFVR (1671139). Injured.

Flight Engineer - Sgt Roy Challinor Hitchen RAFVR (2203456).

Bomb Aimer - P/O Carl Winston Cassini RAFVR (154240).

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt Roberts Hall RAFVR (1457899).

Air Gunner - Sgt L G Morris.

All of the survivors apart from Sgt Morris were still flying with 51 Squadron in Halifax NP934 on 18th December 1944 when the aircraft crashed in Belgium. All are buried Leopoldsburg War Cemetery. I have not yet fully identified Sgt Morris.

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