Squadron: (B) Sqn (RCAF)
Start Date: 1944-12-18
Completion Date: 1944-12-18
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City:
Target Specific:
Base: Tholthorpe
Take Off Time: 02.22
Squadron Code: KW V
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City:
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason:
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
Having climbed to between three and five hundred feet in the minute after leaving the ground the aircraft then lost height and clipped two trees around forty feet high. The pilot then lost control and the aircraft crashed into a ploughed field some four hundred yards later near Alne village. Upon impact the bomb load on the aircraft exploded, the aircraft was destroyed and all on board were killed. The crash occurred around a mile and a half in a straight line from the end of the runway in use at Tholthorpe.
There was superficial damage done by the blast to cottages on the north west side of Alne village but there were no civilian casualties. An investigation was held to try and determine why the aircraft had lost height so soon after taking off, it found that the flying conditions at the time of take off were good; visibility was around 3500 yards, surface wind was light and there was little cloud. The pilot was an experienced operational captain and had already flown twenty eight operational flights so inexperience was believed not to be a factor. As a result of the good flying conditions and lack of any other evidence to suggest why height had been lost so soon after taking off no conclusions could be made and the reason behind the crash was never learnt. A memorial to the eight airmen is to be found in Alne church. (Aircraft Accidents In Yorkshire)