Handley Page Halifax Mk.V LL178 of No.434 Sqn, RCAF, crashed near Kepwick on the 18th March 1943.
|
Crew / Passengers |
Rank - If Applicable |
Position e.g. Pilot |
Status |
| David Carson Evans | Flying Officer RCAF | Pilot |
Killed |
| Douglas Andrew Thicke | Pilot Officer RCAF | 2nd Pilot |
Killed |
| Geoffrey Hutt | Pilot Officer | Flight Engineer |
Killed |
| Edson Gilroy Armour | Flying Officer RCAF | Navigator |
Killed |
| Donald Edward Jackson | Pilot Officer RCAF | Bomb Aimer |
Killed |
| Walter Cotton | Sergeant | Wireless Operator / Air gunner |
Killed |
| Joseph Simon Sleigher | Pilot Officer RCAF | Air Gunner | Killed |
| Robert Elmer Ballentine | Pilot Officer RCAF | Air Gunner | Killed |
The aircraft flew into the high ground to the south of Arden Great Moor while returning to RAF Croft from a "Gardening" mine laying operation off Heligoland in poor weather. On impact it broke up over a fairly large area and burned out.
The first items of wreckage, a couple of scraps of aluminium and some tubing.
Further scattered items, to the bottom left are the remains of a landing lamp.
The main crash site is marked by two areas of burnt debris, this is the smaller of the two.
This is the larger of the two burnt areas, just out of shot to the right are a couple of larger pieces which appear to have been dug out recently.
The stone in the middle was left at the site as a memorial to the crew.
Not far from the crash site is this collection of parts, it is from many different areas of the aircraft so was probably dumped in the pit during the clear up following the crash.
Also near the site is this cross with a plaque engraved with the names of the 8 crewmen.