Halifax LW645 at Topcliffe airfield.
On 28th January 1945 the crew of this 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft were about to fly a night time cross country training flight. As the aircraft was taking off from Topcliffe airfield at 18.09hrs it swung off the runway and struck a bank of ploughed snow just off the runway intersection, this damaged the starboard undercarriage and it skidded to a halt. The damage sustained was enough for it to be deemed not worthy of repairing. The pilot's name is confirmed, the crew were those posted with him to 426 Squadron on 22nd February 1945 so I assume most or all would be training with him a few weeks earlier.
Pilot - P/O A T Wilkinson RCAF (J/90889).
Assumed crew..
Navigator - F/O R E Chauder? RCAF (J/41430) .
Air Bomber - F/O T H Kingeland? RCAF (J/42052).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Wo2 W F/P Hill RCAF (R/152036).
Flight Engineer - Sgt J B Jassel? RCAF (R/209788).
Air Gunner - Sgt W T Donnelly RCAF (R/274978).
Air Gunner - Sgt G W Hall RCAF (R/278952).