Site last updated 1st February 2012

Peak District Air Accident Research

Avro Lancaster B.Mk.I ED481 WS-N of 9 Squadron RAF, flew into Hawnby Hill in the North Yorkshire Moors, on the 30th January 1943 after having diverted to RAF Leeming on return from a raid against Hamburg, the aircraft should have been returning to RAF Waddington.

Crew / Passengers	Rank - If Applicable	Position e.g. Pilot	Status
Frank Goheen Nelson RCAF	Warrant Officer	Pilot	Killed
McKeen Allan RCAF	Sergeant	Flight Engineer	Killed
George Francis Done	Sergeant	Navigator	Killed
Allan Arthur Frederick Williams	Sergeant	Bomb Aimer / Navigator	Killed
Henry Summers Jones	Sergeant	Wireless operator / Air gunner	Killed
Arthur William Butcher	Sergeant	Air gunner	Killed
Walter George Murton	Sergeant	Air gunner	Killed

Although Flight Sergeant Nelson was serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force he was in fact American, being from Wilkinsburg Pennsylvannia.

Not much remains of ED481 today on Hawnby Hill, just a small collection of well hidden fragments in the long grass and heather.

The aircraft first impacted behind where this photo was taken and it came to rest in the foreground.