6 Group Unavailable
David Thompson - "˜and in the morning"¦'
On Monday 15th January 1945 the aircraft was allocated to Flying Officer F.W. Mooney RCAF and his crew of eight other airmen to carry out circuits and landings, taking off at 20:55 hours. It is important to note the crew had been involved just over two hours previously at 18:50 hours in an aborted take-off when the aircraft Halifax Mk.III LK871 was damaged beyond economical repair having it swung violently to starboard on take-off for the second time, the starboard wheel left the metalled runway and dug in causing the aircraft to ground loop, the port tyre then burst and the port undercarriage collapse. Without being medically checked the crew were assigned to Halifax Mk.III serial number LK878 and ordered to carry on with the exercise! Taking off for the second time the aircraft in less than three minutes flew into high ground at Catcliffe Wood near Felixkirk, 4 miles NE of Thirsk, Yorkshire at roughly 20:59 hours. The aircraft initially struck the ground of a snow-covered field near the village of Felixkirk, immediately bounced across a narrow lane and into an area of woodland and broke up on impact, the rear turret coming adrift. When rescuers arrived at the scene the Rear Gunner was still alive but succumbed to his injures. Northallerton Military Hospital records record that at 22:15 hours the "Mobile Surgical unit proceeded to Felixkirk at the request of RCAF Topcliffe." The injured airman was removed from the car and transferred to the ambulance. "He was in a very poor condition and died immediately after admission to hospital (at Northallerton) from multiple injuries". The Humber (vehicle) had to be abandoned half a mile from the scene of the crash owing to deep snow. Personnel walked through the snow to the crash. The surgical unit returned to Northallerton at 00:15 hours".
Halifax LK878 was the 64th aircraft from the Unit to become non effective and struck off charge (S.O.C. on Saturday 20th January 1945) All nine members on board perished!
The average age of the crew was 20 years 204 days, the average age of the those that died on No.1659 Heavy Conversion Unit was 23 years 37 days and the average age of those that died on a Heavy Conversion Unit 23 years 183 days.
Error: HalifaxLK 878Crew.JPG storedserdocimage serdoc DIR000006 image not found(Photographs "“ (internet) Left to right, McGregor, Stavenow, MacDonell, Mooney, Savy & McCrea: Sergeant Richard (Michael) Sullivan the Extra F/E (in Civilian clothes)., Sergeant Robson F/E Halifax LK878 and Flight Sergeant Walton the Extra Pilot)
Lest we forget"¦
(Information from "˜and in the morning"¦' Database, Information can be verified using MOD documentation and the CWGC Register"¦ No.1659 HCU and Volumes of the H.C.U's to be released)
and in the morning,