Remembrance Day and an RCAF crashed aircraft

[Jack Richards]

On the 21/22 March 1944, a Halifax LK930 Bomber attached to the Royal Canadian Air Force (R.C.A.F.) with mostly Canadian airmen on board set off from Dishforth, Yorkshire on a mission.

A few hours later, it crashed in my tiny home village with the loss of 3 lives. Some crew members bailed out. Two bothers in the village went into the burning aircraft, tearing away the hot metal with their bare hands in an effort to reach the crew. Subsequently, they received the British Empire Medal (B.E.M.) from the King. They too suffered from burns.

The story is on my web site - Volume 6. Perhaps you may be interested in this little bit of history, especially if you are resident in Canada. Who knows, you may be able to bring this little story to the attention of other interested parties, such as descendants of these airmen?

I thought this might be appropriate as Remembrance Day has just passed.

Regards

Jack Richards.

[Jack Richards]

Last evening (Monday, 20 December) on English ITV television, there was an hour long programme relating to Bomber Command, Lancaster Bombers and the 54,000+ airmen who lost their lives during the war.

The Lancaster Bomber was similar to the Halifax - one being built in Lancashire the other in Yorkshire - at least I think so.

There was a reference to airmen on these bombers crashing and burning in circumstances similar to the one I describe in my research into the tragedy at Palterton, Derbyshire in 1944. The story is on my web site

Regards

Jack (Richards)