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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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428 Squadron Crest
31.01.1943 No. 428 Squadron Wellington X HE173 NA-S F/O. Norman Gorick

Operation: Training

Date: 31st January 1943

Unit: No. 428 Squadron (RCAF - Ghost Squadron)

Type: Wellington X

Serial: HE173

Code: NA-S

Base: RAF Dishforth, Yorkshire

Location: Near airfield

Pilot: F/O. Norman Gorick 124505 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Nav: F/O. George Wood J/10688 RCAF Age 26. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. William Mossop 632357 RAF Age 24. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. J. Welsh Injured

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 02:12 hrs from RAF Dishforth on a training exercise and crashed a minute later about 1 mile North West of the airfield. This accident was the first loss for 428 Squadron since its formation on 7th November 1942.

The aircraft caught fire in the air, crashing very shortly afterwards.

428 Squadron earned the nickname "Ghost" as none of the original Squadron members survived.

Final log book entry for the only survivor Sgt. J. Welsh (courtesy Stephen Elliot)Dishforth opened in 1936. At the beginning of the Second World War it became part of 4 Group, Bomber Command and was used for recruit training. Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bombers were flown from there in 1940. Between 1943 and 1945 the station was used by No. 6 (RCAF) Group RAF Bomber Command and was a sub-station of RAF Topcliffe. Immediately after the war the station was used to convert aircrew to the Douglas Dakota transport aircraft.

Burial details:

F/O. Norman Gorick. Worsley (St. Mark) Curchyard Grave 666. Son of William and Edith Rachel Gorick, of Eccles, Manchester, England.

Right: F/O. Norman Gorick grave (courtesy Peter Lucas)

F/O. George Wood. Bradford (Scholemor) Cemetery Cons Sec L. joint grave 271. Son of Charles and Agnes Harrison Wood, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, husband of Eileen Maude Wood, of Toronto. (Scoutmaster, 135 Toronto Troop.) Canada.

Fl/Sgt. William Mossop. Brandon and Byshottles (Meadowfield) Cemetery Sec. C. Grave 334. Son of Joseph A. Mossop and Phyllis Mossop, of Meadowfield, England.

Researched for relatives of the crew and for a very diligent member of the public Stephen Elliot who managed to save the log book of Sgt. J. Welsh at a recent auction. Photographic images from this have been entered into the Aircrew Remembered archives - another part of history saved. Also thanks to Peter Lucas for grave photo of pilot.

KTY 04.03.2016 Map added

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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 Captain 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', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, 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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