During the afternoon of 22nd January 1944 the crew of this 424 Squadron aircraft were undertaking a training flight around the general area of Skipton on Swale airfield, stated in a No.6 Group flying control log to have been a circuits and landings exercise. 424 Squadron was in the process of converting to fly the Halifax MkIII type and were training on these aircraft at the time hence the basic training exercise. During this flight the crew were practicing shutting down one of the engines and feathering the propeller to simulate an engine failure but when the crew attempted to restart the engine nothing happened. On making a landing back at base of Skipton on Swale at 15.30hrs the aircraft overshot the runway and unfortunately ran off the airfield and into the River Swale that bordered the west side of the airfield. Sadly the aircraft sank and while other members of the crew escaped from the aircraft and swam to the riverbank two members became trapped. A fitter of "B-Flight" 433 Squadron, LAC R A Watson RCAF (R/135889?) had witnessed the incident unfold, he ran over to the riverbank, stripped off his clothing and dived into the river with a rope around his waist secured on the riverbank. The river was fast moving at the time and on his second attempt he was able to tie the rope onto the aircraft. One of the trapped aircrew, the mid upper gunner, was unable to swim and because of the rope that had been attached he was able to get to the riverbank to safety. The bomb aimer however could not be located and it was assumed that he had become trapped below the water and sadly drowned. The 60 M.U. record book mentions this accident and stated that on 28th January 1944 “Crash party commenced work. Marine Salvage rendering assistance, aircraft has to be brought up twenty feet bank of River, Army rendering assistance with 'Tank Extractor', work still in progress." It was not until 13th February 1944 that the body of the bomb aimer was located downstream having been freed during the salvage operation.
The 433 Squadron record book mentions the rescue efforts of LAC Watson but the digitised version on the UK National Archives website is very poorly copied so that zooming in to read the name and service number is very difficult. It appears to show the name and service number I state above though I cannot locate any further reference to him assuming he was put forward for some form of award (a Mention in Despatches at the very least, or perhaps something higher like a B.E.M.).
Bomb Aimer - F/Sgt Henry Jacob Zacharias RCAF (R/85341), aged 22, of Herbert, Saskatchewan, Canada. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (C/K/20).
Pilot - F/O W B Cotnam RCAF (J/24326).
? - F/Sgt R A Waugh (?).
Rest of crew - Names unknown.
Henry Zacharias was born on 14th November 1921 at Herbert, Saskatchewan, Canada and was the son of Rev. John Ens and Mary (nee Klassen) Zacharias. After leaving high school he studied an aero engine mechanics course with the DPYT in 1940 so when he enlisted for RCAF service on 31st January 1941 at Regina, Saskatchewan he initially served as an aero engine mechanic. Around the end of 1942 he remustered for aircrew duties and trained as an air bomber. After training in Canada he was awarded his air bombers' flying badge on 2nd April 1943. Almost certainly as he was on leave to go overseas he married Margaret Taylor on 4th May 1943 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Once in the UK he trained at 5 (O)AFU, 23 OTU and 1664 HCU before posting to 424 Squadron on 28th December 1943. His brother E.J.Zacharias (R/146160) served in the RCAF during WW2
I have been unable to locate details of the survivors of this incident and would welcome more information.