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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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Bomber command
82 Operational Training Unit Wellington III BK387 W/O.2. Ernest Israel Glass

Operation: Training

Date: 02nd January 1944 (Sunday)

Unit: No. 82 Operational Training Unit. 63 Group

Type: Wellington II

Serial: BK387

Code: -

Base: RAF Ossington, Nottinghamshire

Location: Tewitt Hall Wood, Oakworth, West Yorkshire.

Pilot: W/O.2. Ernest Israel Glass R/2285 RCAF Age 27. Killed

Nav: F/O. James Justin McHenry J/25563 RCAF Age 24. Killed

Air/Bmr: WO.2. James Edwin Dalling R/137946 RCAF Age 25. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: W/O.2 Jack Henfrey R/119823 RCAF Age 24 Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Norman Willard Crawford R/190343 RCAF Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Emery Henry Savage R/2129 RCAF Age 27. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

The crew were detailed for a night time navigation exercise taking off at 18:31 hrs. The route - Abingdon-Peterborough-Aylsham-Saffron Walden-York-Base.

At 19:57 hrs the crew sent a position message of 5235north - 0030south which placed them as on track, A further position message at 21:54 hrs 5325north - 0020west put them a little east of track, it was assumed that they would return from this position they would be back at base at 22:31 hrs.

The aircraft crashed at 22:40 hrs at a position of 53,40north 0200west hitting the ground 1000 ft high at full power. It struck the ground with the port wing tip. turning over, disintegrated and caught fire.

The enquiry reported:

Very little is known regarding this accident. Weather conditions in Yorkshire were 8/10/10 cloud, base 1500-2500ft. Visibility generally over 4 miles. A report has been received from a POC post at Burnley, Lancashire, that cloud was 10/10 covering hills. Visibly 2 miles.

The most likely explanation of the aircraft's movements is contained in the navigation officers report. No concern was felt regarding the weather, until the time this aircraft was due back at base. No recall action was taken, therefore. The aircraft taking off approximately 1 hour later were recalled as they would have been effected bt a detonation in the weather.

This appears to be another instance of a pilot coming down to see where he was. It seems that in spite of constantly reiterating warnings at briefings pilots still continue to make this stupid mistake.

Burial details:

The crew were buried on the Saturday 08th January at 10:00 hrs.

W/O.2. Ernest Israel Glass. Harrogate Cemetery (Stonefall). Sec. C. Row H. Grave 16. Born on the 03rd February 1916. Worked as an apprentice Pharmacist for J. G. Wright, Moosomin, Saskatchewa. Enlisted on the 05th June 1937. Received his wings on the 05th March 1943 and prompted to Fl/Sgt. on the 01st April 1943. Son of Andrew Hamilton (formerly from Londonderry, Northern Ireland) and Bertrande Glass (née Simm) of Grenfell, Saskatchewan. Husband of Corinne Mary Glass (née Davis - originally from St. Vital, Manitoba, Canada), of Chelsea, London, England who he married on the 16th November 1940.

F/O. James Justin McHenry. Harrogate Cemetery (Stonefall). Sec. C. Row H. Grave 12. Born on the 17th July 1919. A student prior to service at Deseronto High School. Enlisted on the 13th June 1938. Awarded navigator badge on the 16th April 1943 and promoted to P/O. then to F/O. on the 16th October 1943. Son of Daniel Joseph (died 1962, age 82) and Mary Julia McHenry (née McCarten - died 1962, age 74), of Lonsdale, Ontario, Canada. Epitaph: 'He Fought The Good Fight He Finished The Course He Kept The Faith R.I.P\.

WO.2. James Edwin Dalling. Harrogate Cemetery (Stonefall). Sec. C. Row H. Grave 13. Born on the 26th October 1918 at Sackville, New Brunswick. Resident at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Working for Maple Leaf Milling Company as a salesman. Enlisted on the 20th January 1942. Promoted to sergeant and awarded air bomber badge on the 04th December 1942. Promted to W/O. 2 on the 04th December 1943. Son os Guy Dalling and Etta Dalling of 146, Hillsboro Street, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Epitaph: 'His Life A Beautiful Memory, His Absence A Silent Grief. Mother, Dad And Bob'.

W/O.2 Jack Henfrey. Harrogate Cemetery (Stonefall). Sec. C. Row H. Grave 14. Born on the 30th November 1919. Worked as a photography apprentice at Lakewood Studio, First Street South, Kenora, Ontario. Enlisted on the 26th June 1941. Awarded his wireless operator badge on the 20th July 1942 and promoted to sergeant. Promoted to W/O2 on the 29th July 1943. Son of Harry and Norah Henfrey (née Whetton), of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Epitaph: 'Letum Non Omnia Finit' (Death Does Not End It All)

Sgt. Norman Willard Crawford. Harrogate Cemetery (Stonefall). Sec. C. Row H. Grave 15. Bborn on the 29th August 1922, Working as an electrician for E.S. Stevenson, in Saint John, until enlisting. Enlisted on the 02nd November 1942. Promoted to sergeant on the 03rd September 1943. Son of Walter Raymond Crawford and Ada Mae (née Wilson) Crawford, of 68, Murray Street, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. Epitaph: 'In God We Trust '.

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Emery Henry Savage. Harrogate Cemetery (Stonefall). Sec. C. Row H. Grave 11. Born on the 01st October 1916. Received a .22 Gun Shot Wound in the right chest. Spending 4 weeks in hospital and was discharged and returned to Fisher Branch Public School. Enlisted on the 17th April 1937 as a Motor Mechanic. Awarded his air gunner badge on the 19th September 194 and promoted to sergeant. Son of Alderic C. Savage and Rose Savage (neé Charret) of Festier Branch, Manitoba, Canada.

1: Glass Lake, Saskatchewan was named after W/O.2. Ernest Israel Glass. On behalf of the family, Doug Chisholm installed a memorial plaque at the lake west of Weyakwin in 2003.
2: Savage Lake northeast of Nejani Lake was named after Sgt. Emery Henry Savage in 1974.
3: Henfrey Lake northwest of Hublry Lake was named after W/O.2 Jack Henfrey in 1996/

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to National Archives Kew, International Bomber Command Centre IBCC, Government of Canada service files, Paradie RCAF archive.

Other sources as quoted below:

KTY 02-04-2023

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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