More about 419 “Moose” Squadron
The Incident
Flying Officer Jones, the Meteorological Officer at RAF Wing, had just written an entry in his log to record that it was a very dark night, with total cloud cover, occasionally gusty winds, occasional drizzle and moderate icing in the clouds between 4000 and 6000 feet.
Out on RAF Wing airfield, the ground personnel of No.26 Operational Training Unit were managing a busy night of bomber crew training. Despite the early hour and weather, the pace was intense, with Vickers Wellington aircraft out on the runways and in the air, as the aircrew practiced their night flying techniques.
At just after 1:30am, the personnel identified a different type of aircraft engine noise approaching them. Flight control had not given permission for any other aircraft to enter the crowded airfield airspace. The first roar of Rolls Royce Merlin engines was accompanied by multiple Avro Lancaster bombers appearing out of the dark and cloudy skies and crossing the airfield at a height of around 500 feet – roughly the height of a wind turbine in our area.
At 1:34am there was a bright and large flash in the sky North-North West of the airfield. Avro Lancaster No.KB845 carrying a full Canadian crew and around 400 gallons of fuel had hit higher ground approximately a quarter of a mile South of Drayton Parslow village behind what is now Kingsland Farm. There were no witnesses to the crash. The following morning, boys from the village went over the fields to view the crash site.
From the marks on the ground, examiners believed the aircraft had contacted the ground in a slightly nose down attitude and in a right hand bank of 20 degrees. The tip of the Lancasters’ 51 foot long right wing touched first and at an estimated speed of 250 miles per hour. Examiners recorded the aircraft “completely disintegrating” leaving a trail of fiercely burning wreckage for over half a mile (three quarters of a kilometre) and deep craters. All four engines had been delivering power, and its undercarriage and flaps were still retracted for normal flight rather than set for landing.
The Mission
The crew had been airborne for 9 hours and 5 minutes when their aircraft struck the ground at Drayton Parslow.
They had taken off from RAF Middleton St George, five miles east of Darlington, at half past four the previous afternoon. The airfield is now known as Teesside International Airport.
Their aircraft was part of a large bombing force comprising 760 planes that included 84 Lancasters. All were headed to attack industrial manufacturing targets in Chemnitz, the third largest city in Saxony, Germany not far from the Czech border.
The original Pilot and navigator briefing at RAF Middleton St George required the crews to make their return from France to England at around 4000ft, and no lower than 2,500ft to avoid flying through thick cloud and facing the risks of icing up vital instruments and control surfaces.
On the night, it proved even more challenging. Some crews needing to fly back above 8000 feet to go over the thick cloud, while some decided to fly low to try to get under it.
The Aircraft
Their Avro Lancaster was one of the first 300 Lancaster Mark X’s ordered from Victory Aircraft Limited at Malton, Ontario, Canada. A total of 430 were manufactured by Victory and the majority were ferried to England.
Each aircraft in the first order was given a Serial Number between KB700 and KB999, and also a sequential and unique Construction Number. The Drayton Parslow Lancaster was Serial Number KB845 and it carried the unique Construction Number 37146.
On its side were painted large recognition letters ‘VR-L’ which identified the aircraft to the allies. The VR indicated it was from 419 Squadron, and the L showed which aircraft it was within that squadron. This last letter would be reassigned as aircraft were destroyed or became unserviceable.
The Crash Investigation
Letters to the deceased airmen’s families from the Wing Commander of 419 Squadron at the time, presumed that the aircraft had crashed as a result of damage suffered over enemy territory. This is not a confirmed cause and the aircraft crash damage at Drayton Parslow was so severe that it could not be proven as a theory.
Flight Lieutenant Frank Lynch was the Base Accident Inspector at the time, and he initially wrote “Aircraft apparently lost control due to icing. No evidence of structural or engine failure”. He later added though that any failure prior to the crash was obliterated by crash damage and fire on the ground.
A Court of inquiry was subsequently held at RAF Middleton St George on 20th March 1945. It concluded, “There were no witnesses other than the personnel at R.A.F Station, Wing, and even these saw nothing but the explosion at the point of impact. The fire burnt for several hours…”
The Flying Control Officer from RAF Wing, Flying Officer Cedric Deykin, reported in his evidence that, “….an explosion was heard and flames were seen North North West of the airfield…” The fire tender and ambulance were dispatched immediately.
Leading Aircraftsman J.C. Robertshaw was the Duty Crash Orderley at RAF Wing when the call came through to get to the scene. He said, “I was detailed to proceed to the scene of the crash with the Senior Medical Officer and the Duty N.C.O…the aircraft was burning furiously when we arrived and it was not possible to approach sufficiently near to see whether there were any crew still in the aircraft. After making certain that that none of the crew could possibly be saved, and as there was night flying still in progress at Wing, the medical officer gave instructions for us to return…”
The search for the crew and missing body parts, initially by Robertshaw and then by RAF Wing Orderley Corporal B.W.White, lasted from 3:45am to 5pm.
By the end of the inquiry, Group Captain MacDonald, the Commanding Officer at RAF Middleton St George, advised “There is no conclusive evidence as to the cause of the accident…the only remaining possibility, supported by the fact that the crew were preparing for an emergency, is that the aircraft got out of control in the cloud, through icing, or poor instrument flying and was too low to recover by the time the Pilot regained control. That the Pilot was not strapped in would possibly account for reaching this low height before regaining control…”
The Investigating Officer, Frank Lynch, had advised in his report that three of the crew had been found with their parachutes attached to their harnesses, and this was unusual practice once back over England. He concluded “…it appears the crew were preparing for some emergency…” and “…the Pilot was not strapped in at the time of the crash.”
Why some of the crew had their parachutes fixed on ready for an emergency, but the Pilot wore neither his parachute or fixed himself into his seat harness is not challenged. The aircraft had not been set for a landing and its undercarriage and flaps were still retracted.
In some other crashes where icing had caused issues, similar crew behaviour had been observed as the crew prepared to bail out, but required the Pilot to stay in his seat to maintain altitude and hold the aircraft steady. He would then either exit himself after grabbing his parachute or try to force land the aircraft.
However, in the concluding statement, Air Commodore McBurney for No.6 Group of the Royal Canadian Air Force simply advised, “I concur with the findings of the Investigating Officer…the cause of this accident remains obscure…”
The Crew
All seven Canadian crew were killed instantly and are buried together at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey. They were attached to No. 419 Squadron; known as “Moose Squadron”.
- 23 year old Flying Officer and the Pilot, Clifford Reitlo, who had 50 hours of experience flying Lancasters
- 27 year old Sergeant Jack King, their Flight Engineer
- 20 year old Sergeant Finley Leet, the Wireless Operator
- 20 year old Flying Officer William Dewitt, the Bomb Aimer
- 33 year old Sgt John Hanley, the Navigator
- 23 year old Flying Officer Gregory Hollinger, the Rear Gunner
- 19 year old Flight Sergeant Norman Poole, the Mid Upper Turret Gunner
The crash report (provided by John Perry)
Sample Court of Inquiry Document
