Halifax NR194 at Riccall airfield.
During the morning of 25th March 1945 the crew of this 425 Squadron undertook an operational flight to bomb a target at Munster and took off from Tholthorpe at 07.05hrs. Outbound the aircraft had problems with the effects of icing soon after setting course but this problem cured itself before they crossed the English coast. The aircraft also suffered a problem with the starboard inner engine. The crew released their bomb load at 01.16hrs from 15,800 feet over the target and made for home. On their return to Yorkshire poor visibility saw them diverted from Tholthorpe initially to land at Dishforth but the weather was also poor there so they were diverted south to land at Riccall where the visibility was slightly better. The crew attempted to land at Riccall airfield but the aircraft was not lined up with the runway and clipped trees on the approach to land. The pilot attempted to abandon the landing to fly another circuit of the airfield, they raised the undercarriage but did not allow time for the flaps to go in, the aircraft then lost height and a belly landing was the result on Riccall airfield. As the aircraft was not lined up with a runway it struck Harvard KF177 that had landed there earlier, visiting from Boscombe Down. No injuries resulted. The landing time varies between records. The 425 Squadron orb stated it was at 12.20hrs, Riccall's station orb gives 13.18hrs, the AM Form 1180 states 13.45hrs. The AM Form 1180 gives the time in the air as being 5.15hrs so this would put the time of the landing at 12.20hrs.
Pilot - WO M J P Lavoie RCAF (R/136732).
Navigator - Sgt J A Robert Villiard RCAF (R/199989).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Jean U Paquette RCAF (R/219053).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt J J P Grandguillot RCAF (R/195435).
Air Gunner - Sgt W Jolicoeur RCAF (R/261247).
Air Gunner - Sgt R Boivin RCAF (R/136646).
Flight Engineer - Sgt J J L Robitaille RCAF (R/136841).
Lavoie was serving with 425 Squadron on 28th June 1944 and flying Halifax MZ683 that crashed at Tholthorpe. Unfortunately his aircraft crashed into two fully loaded Halifaxes (LW680 and MZ618) on the ground that were parked on dispersal points on the edge of the perimeter track. He was one of those trapped inside the wreckage. A large fire developed and all three aircraft set on fire. Some of the bombs on board the parked Halifaxes later exploded destroying all the aircraft and injuring a number of people trying to rescue some of the trapped aircrew inside Halifax MZ683. Various acts of heroism resulted after the crash which resulted in various awards for gallantry. A/C Arthur Dwight Ross lost a hand and was awarded the George Cross. F/Sgt Joseph René Marcel St.Germain was awarded the George Medal. Cpl Maurice Marquet was awarded the George Medal. LAC Melvin Muir McKenzie was awarded the British Empire Medal. LAC Robert Rubin Wolfe was awarded the British Empire Medal. F/O Andrew Dollar Baillie received a Mention in Despatches. The citations for the awards was a joint one between Ross, St.Germain, McKenzie, Marquet and Wolfe and stated.. "One night in June 1944, an aircraft, while attempting to land, crashed into another which was parked in the dispersal area and fully loaded with bombs. The former aircraft had broken into three parts and was burning furiously. Air Commodore Ross was at the airfield to attend the return of aircraft from operations and the interrogation of aircrews. Flight Sergeant St.Germain, a bomb aimer, had just returned from an operational sortie and Corporal Marquet was in charge of the night ground crew, whilst Leading Aircraftmen McKenzie and Wolfe were members of the crew of the crash tender. Air Commodore Ross, with the assistance of Corporal Marquet, extricated the pilot who had sustained severe injuries. At that moment ten 500-pound bombs in the second aircraft, about 80 yards away, exploded, and this officer and airman were hurled to the ground. When the hail of debris had subsided, cries were heard from the rear turret of the crashed aircraft. Despite further explosions from bombs and petrol tanks which might have occurred, Air Commodore Ross and Corporal Marquet returned to the blazing wreckage and endeavoured in vain to swing the turret to release the rear gunner. Although the port tail plane was blazing furiously, Air Commodore Ross hacked at the perspex with an axe and then handed the axe through the turret to the rear gunner who enlarged the aperture. Taking the axe again the Air Commodore, assisted now by Flight Sergeant St.Germain as well as by Corporal Marquet, finally broke the perspex steel frame supports and extricated the rear gunner. Another 500-pound bomb exploded which threw the three rescuers to the ground. Flight Sergeant St.Germain quickly rose and threw himself upon a victim to shield him from flying debris. Air Commodore Ross' arm was practically severed between the wrist and elbow by the second explosion. He calmly walked to the ambulance and an emergency amputation was performed on arrival at station sick quarters. Meanwhile, Corporal Marquet had inspected the surroundings and, seeing petrol running down towards two nearby aircraft, directed their removal from the vicinity by tractor. Leading Aircraftmen McKenzie and Wolfe rendered valuable assistance in trying to bring the fire under control and they also helped to extricate the trapped rear gunner, both being seriously injured by flying debris. Air Commodore Ross showed fine leadership and great heroism in an action which resulted in the saving of the lives of the pilot and rear gunner. He was ably assisted by Flight Sergeant St.Germain and Corporal Marquet who both displayed courage of a high order. Valuable service was also rendered by Leading Aircraftmen McKenzie and Wolfe in circumstances of great danger."
Lavoie spent some time in hospital and had to undergo re-crewing at Heavy Conversion Unit stage once fit. He and his new crew were posted to 425 Squadron on 8th March 1945. On 31st March 1945 his navigator Villiard was flying with a different crew in Halifax MZ418 when the aircraft failed to return from Ops to Hamburg. Villiard became a PoW. It saw Lavioe and his current 425 Squadron navigator-less and posted to 1666 H.C.U. again to regain a navigator and re-train on Lancasters.