Halifax RG444 on Brantingham Wold.

During the 17th February 1945 the crew of this 76 Squadron aircraft took off from Holme of Spalding Moor airfield at around 11.30hrs to undertake a daylight bombing raid on the German town of Wesel. On the orders of the Master Bomber the releasing of their bombs was abandoned, probably because of poor weather and as this raid was probably in support of advancing Allied lines inaccurate bombing would cause Allies soldiers lives. On their return to England 76 Squadron crews were sent radio messages informing them that they were to divert to land elsewhere because of poor visibility over the general area of their base. Because of technical trouble with their radio equipment this crew did not receive the message to divert so made for Holme on Spalding Moor. The aircraft then flew into rising ground near Wauldby Green, on Brantingham Wold at 16.52hrs as they returned to join the landing circuit. Sadly one of the crew died as a result of this accident. The squadron records suggest that the bomb load was still on board at the time of the crash, if so, because there were very few injuries it appears that it did not explode. Just eight days later Halifax MZ464 would crash around a mile away from where this accident occurred. In January 1981 Piper Aztec G-BOST would also crash in the same general area.

Bomb Aimer - F/O Cyril Roy Bobby RAFVR (154328), aged 21, of Coventry. Cremated Canley, Coventry, Warwickshire.

Pilot - S/Ldr William Hubert Rigby Whitty RAF (90288). Slightly injured.

Flight Engineer - Sgt W J Opie RAF (646052). Head injuries.

Navigator - Sgt B Emmerson RAFVR (1622931). Broken back.

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt M J Rattue RAFVR (1867610). Minor injuries.

Air Gunner - Sgt C W Boyers RAFVR (1425269). Minor injuries.

Air Gunner - Sgt V Hudson RAFVR (1598229). Face injuries.

This crew have proven difficult to research, the 76 Squadron record book does not seem to list their postings in or out with service numbers so obtaining much more information is difficult. Thankfully the No.4 E.F.T.S. record book mentions the incident because their medical team were called out to assist with the injuries and the records list all the crew by service number.
Cyril Bobby was born in Coventry in early 1924 to William Henry and Emily May (nee Barnacle) Bobby. He had two older brothers; William H S, born 1917 and Leslie, born 1920. Cyril enlisted for RAFVR service on 26th November 1943. In 1949 Leslie emigrated to San Diego, California, USA and his parents followed the following year. They all died there. I thank family for contacting me and supplying additional information about him and his family.

From squadron records we learn that Whitty, Opie, Rattue and Boyers were posted to 640 Squadron in April 1945 and remained there until it was disbanded shortly after V.E.Day.

The only member of the crew I have found any information is the pilot and William Whitty's RAF service was a long and varied one. Born in Lancashire in 1914 he attended Liverpool University before joining 607 Squadron as a member of the auxilliary squadron. He received a commission in March 1938 and on the outbreak of WW2 he received a call-up. On 16th October 1939, while stationed at Acklington, he was credited with the shooting down of a Dornier Do18 flying boat while he was the pilot of a Gloster Gladiator. 607 Squadron moved to France in November 1939 and he served there with the squadron in what became the Battle of France until the squadron withdrew in May 1940, he then served with 607 Squadron throughout the Battle of Britain. Following 607 Squadron he served as an instructor with 56 OTU. In early 1944 he transferred to Bomber Command and joined 76 Squadron in July 1944. Following the crash near Brantingham in February 1945 he was posted to 640 Squadron. Post-WW2 he briefly commanded 158 Squadron in July 1945 and was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 26th October 1945. He was later awarded the US DFC, Gazetted on 14th June 1946 and after leaving the RAF in 1946 went to live in Canada. He died in November 2003.

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