During the early hours of 8th June 1944 the crew of this 77 Squadron aircraft were to undertake a night training exercise, they took off from Full Sutton airfield at 02.07hrs. While climbing away the aircraft suffered an engine failure which led to the instruments failing, the pilot lost control and at 02:07hrs it crashed into one of the dispersed W.A.A.F living sites on the north side of Elvington village. With the crash being close to Elvington airfield there were people soon on hand to try and rescue the crew. Five appears to have been killed in the crash but the pilot and one of the air gunner's appear to have been pulled clear of the burning aircraft though both died of their injuries in York Military Hospital later that day. Sous Lt Carrat FFAF, Sgt Chef Munier FFAF, Sgt St.Fileau FFAF, Sgt Chef Dubois FFAF, Caporal A Dubois FFAF, Soldat Gateau FFAF and W/O Smith RAF were commended for their actions at the crash site.
Pilot - P/O Gordon Leslie Hyde RAAF (422187), aged 27, of Petersham, New South Wales, Australia. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (B.E.18). Died of injuries.
Flight Engineer - Sgt Harry Fox RAFVR (1517617), aged 20, of Berry Brow, Huddersfield. Buried Lockwood Cemetery, Huddersfield.
Navigator - Sgt Edward Ferguson Chapman RAFVR (1346174), aged 21, of Aberdeen. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (B.E.19).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt David John Hutchison RAFVR (1560875), aged 21, parents of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (B.E.20).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/Sgt Kevin Francis Galvin RAAF (418382), aged 21, of Thornbury, Victoria, Australia. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (B.E.17).
Air Gunner - F/Sgt Aidan Jordan RAAF (429663), aged 18, of Victoria Park, Western Australia. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (B.E.16).
Air Gunner - F/Sgt John Duncan Krone RAAF (432211), aged 19, of Herne Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Buried Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire (B.E.15). Died of injuries.
Aidan Jordan was born on 5th September 1924 at Washington, Durham, England and was the son of William and Anne Hilda Jordan. He emigrated to Australia when he was a boy with his family. As a young man he served as an air cadet. He enlisted for RAAF service in Perth on 16th October 1942 and after training in Australia was awarded his air gunner's flying badge on 22nd July 1943. He left for service in the UK soon after and once in the UK he trained at 20 OTU and 1658 HCU before being posted to 77 Squadron on 23rd May 1944.
Kevin Galvin was born on 25th May 1923 at Unley Park, South Australia and was the son of John Michael and Grace Walmsley Galvin. He enlisted for RAAF service in Melbourne on 22nd May 1942 and after training he completed his wireless operator / air gunner's flying badge on 1st April 1943. A few weeks later he was in the UK and trained at 9 (O)AFU before meeting other members of his crew at 20 OTU. They then trained at 1658 HCU before posting to 77 Squadron on 23rd May 1944.
Gravestones of the others who died as a result of this accident.
John Krone was born on 28th July 1924 at Peakhurst, New South Wales, Australia and enlisted for RAAF service in Sydney. He died of his injuries in York Military Hospital at 03.40hrs. His service file has not yet been digitised. His brother W/O Henry Krone RAAF (413874) died on 15th March 1944 in Lancaster ND392 on Ops to Stuttgart with 460 Squadron.
Gordon Hyde was born on 5th June 1917 at Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia and enlisted for RAAF service in Sydney. His service file has not yet been digitised. At twenty seven years old he was very much the old man of this crew.
David Hutchison's parents lived in Australia.