Operation: Anti Submarine patrol

Date: 17th/18th August 1944 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit No: 59 Squadron, 18 Group, Coastal Command

Type: Liberator GR.V

Serial No: BZ724

Code: WE:P

Location: 3¼ miles west of Helmsdale, Scotland

Base: RAF Ballykelly, Northern Island

Pilot (Capt): Plt Off. John Lloyd 416584 RNZAF Age? Survived/ Injured

2nd Pilot: Fg Off. Ronald Hudson Le Grow J36472 RCAF Age 26. Killed

Nav: Plt Off. Robert Seigler J36088 RCAF Age 30. Killed

Nav (B): Sgt. Harry Frederick John Newell 1399435 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

Flt Eng: Sgt. Ernest Neal Lowe 1056512 RAFVR Age 35. Killed

WOp (Air): Sgt. Donald Pratt 1078897 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

WOp/Air Gnr: WO. Alan James McLay 421025 RAAF Age 21. Killed

WOp (Air): Sgt. Thomas Harold Matthew Instone 1417346 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

WOp (Air): Sgt. Gordon Anthony Grill 1607109 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Alan Wright Christie 3005923 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

Note: BZ724 was built as B-24D #42-40445 and started its RAF service with 86 Sqn on the 18th March 1943. Transferred to 59 Sqn on the 6th January 1944.

Above left Fg Off. Le Grow and right Plt Off. Seigler from their service records

REASON FOR LOSS:

BZ724 took off from RAF Ballykelly at 11:43 hrs on the 17th August, 1944 on an Anti Submarine patrol. At 21:25 hrs the Pilot received a signal diverting him to Tain and to arrive there before 03:45 hrs on the 18th August. Course was set for Tain on leaving the patrol area.

An unreliable QDM from Tain was obtained at 03:05 hrs. From the track chart it was determined that the aircraft did not change course. The aircraft eventually arrived over Skitton which was mistaken as Wick. This assumption was made as they had received the Wick Responder Beacon on their Radar.

QDM - Magnetic heading (zero wind) for the receiver to fly towards.

The aircraft arrived in the Wick area at 03:34 hrs, however, the pilot was uncertain of his position. After verifying the aircraft’s position and obtaining a distance and course to steer he set course for Tain at 04:29 hrs.

Whilst climbing to a safe height, the last altimeter reading he remembers was 2800 ft, just before 04:00 hrs, engine trouble, indicative of petrol shortage, occurred in #4 and then in #3 engines. Apart from taking action to counteract this, the pilot remembers no more.

From the engineer's log it was evident that by 04:25 hrs the petrol shortage was such that engine failure was imminent. At 04:00 hrs the aircraft apparently suffered at least partial petrol starvation, and lost height and flew into high ground a height of about 1300 ft.

The primary cause of the accident was loss of power on #4 engine followed by loss of power on #3 engine, due to petrol starvation, which caused the aircraft to lose height and crash into the high ground.

The aircraft struck the hillside at Beinn Mhealaich 3¼ miles west of Helmsdale, Scotland. There was no fire and distribution of the wreckage indicated that the aircraft flew into the ground at high speed.

The elevation of the ground in this vicinity is between 1300 and 1350 ft.

Plt Off. Lloyd survived the crash albeit seriously injured. All other crew members perished.

The Court of Inquiry concluded that from the evidence available the aircraft Captain had not handled his Navigator, Wireless Operator and Flight Engineer, as would have been expected from a Captain of this type of aircraft. In the opinion of the Court the entire crew lacked experience, and were not capable of working as a team under the conditions they encountered.

Burial Details.

Fg Off. Ronald Hudson Le Grow. Wick Cemetery Sec. O. Grave 446. Grave Inscription: "GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN". Born on the 4th April 1918 in Springdale, Newfoundland. Son of Peter Allan and Ivy Stella (née Anstey) LeGrow of Springdale, Newfoundland, Canada.

Plt Off. Robert Seigler. Glasgow (Glenduffhill) Jewish Cemetery Sec. C. Grave 197. Born on the 8th August 1914 in Montreal, Quebec. Son of Bernard His father predeceased him) and Ida (née Gold) Seigler, of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.

Sgt. Harry Frederick John Newell. Wick Cemetery Sec. O. Grave 448. Grave Inscription: "BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART". Born 1st Qtr of 1921 in Lambeth, Greater London. Son of Douglas Harry and Phyllis Mary (née Burrows) Spencer Newell, of Balham, London, England

Above: Grave Marker for Sgt Lowe, courtesy of Len-FindAGrave

Sgt. Ernest Neal Lowe. Great Crosby (St. Luke) Churchyard Sec.F. Grave 641. Born 2nd Qtr 1909 in West Derby, Lancashire. Son of William Neale (his father predeceased him in Oct 1934) and Betsy A. (née Hindle) Lowe of Crosby, Lancashire, England

Sgt. Donald Pratt. Wick Cemetery Sec. O. Grave 453. Grave Inscription: "IN LOVING MEMORY OF A DEAR HUSBAND AND SON. IN THE MIDST OF LIFE WE ARE IN DEATH". Son of Percy Edgar and Ellen Pratt, of Wombwell, Yorkshire; husband of Eileen Ruby (née Watson) Pratt, of Wombwell, Yorkshire, England.

Plt Off. Alan James McLay. Wick Cemetery Sec. O. Grave 456. Grave Inscription: "TILL WE MEET". Born on the 2nd March 1923 in Narrandera, New South Wales. Son of Andrew Currie McLay and Gladys Irene Mary McLay, of Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia.

WO. McLay was commissioned and promoted to Plt Off. with effect 12th July 1944

Sgt. Thomas Harold Matthew Instone. Wick Cemetery Sec. O. Grave 458. Grave Inscription: "HIS GAY LIFE WE SHALL NEVER FORGET NOT EVEN UNTO DEATH". Born on the 15th January 1921 in Llandrindod Wells, Powys. Son of Harold and Fanny Gertrude (née Hatthews) Instone, of Llandrindod Wells, Radnorshire, Wales.

Sgt. Gordon Anthony Grill. Chelmsford (Writtle Road) Cemetery Grave 5682. Grave Inscription: "AND THEE HE CHOSE FROM WHOM TO TAKE O WONDROUS DEPTH OF GRACE DIVINE". Born 3rd Qtr 1923 in Pontypridd, Glamorganshire, Wales. Son of Frederick and Annabel (née Owen) Grill, of Chelmsford, England

Sgt. Alan Wright Christie. Thetford Cemetery Plot 1. Row N. Grave 579. Grace inscription: ”RESTING WHERE NO SHADOWS FALL. IN PERFECT PEACE HE AWAITS US ALL. TILL WE MEET AGAIN”. Born on the 26th June 1925 in Thetford, Norfolk. Son of Alexander and Edith Christie, of Thetford, Norfolk, England.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this crew (Apr 2022). Additional information about aircraft added (Oct 2022).

Other sources quoted below:

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