During the early hours of 9th June 1944 the crew of this 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft were to undertake a night training flight, the aircraft took off from Marston Moor airfield at 00.37hrs in drizzle with a crosswind blowing across the runway. After leaving the ground the aircraft failed to gain height and it flew into some eighty foot high trees on the boundary of the airfield and crashed. Unfortunately four members of the crew died as a result of the crash.
Pilot - F/O Sidney Ronald Bolter RAFVR (124812), aged 25. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (B/F/5).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Ronald Henry Kilner RAFVR (979520), aged 24, of Llanvair Kilgeddin. Buried Llanfair Kilgeddin Churchyard, Monmouthshire.
Bomb Aimer - F/O James Thomas Irwin RAFVR (153129), aged 21, of Feltham. Buried Feltham Cemetery, Middlesex.
Air Gunner - F/O Albert Frederick Tidmarsh DFC RAFVR (149066), aged 30, wife of Northfield, Birmingham. Buried Northfield Churchyard, Warwickshire.
? - P/O Justin Hoar RAAF (429225). Slightly injured.
? - P/O Robert William Hamilton Charles RAFVR (118232). Injured.
? - F/Sgt John William Henry Cruse RAAF (421176). Slightly injured.
Sidney Bolter was born in the Lambeth area of London in 1919. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 3rd July 1942 and was promoted to F/O six months later.
James Irwin received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 20th August 1943 and was promoted to F/O six months later.
Albert Tidmarsh received a commission on 18th July 1943 to the rank of P/O on probation and was promoted to F/O six months later. His DFC was gained following service with 51 Squadron and was Gazetted on 19th October 1943.
John Cruse was born on 31st October 1922 at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and enlisted for RAAF service there. His service file has yet to be digitised.
Justin Hoar was born on 9th May 1915 at Tooraweenah, New South Wales, Australia and enlisted for RAAF service in Sydney. His service file has also yet to be digitised.
Robert Charles received a commission in the RAF Regiment on 20th March 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation (with seniority of 24th December 1941) and rose to F/O on 1st October 1942. He transferred to the General Duties branch of the RAF on 19th December 1943 at his own request but in doing so dropped a rank. He survived the War and remained in the RAF until 1965.