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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14.09.1943 No. 158 Squadron Halifax II LW246 NP-Z Fl/Sgt. I.R. Trower-Foyan

Operation: Training (Fighter affiliation)

Date: 14th September 1943 (Tuesday)

Unit: No. 158 Squadron

Type: Halifax II

Serial: LW246

Code: NP-Z

Base: RAF Lissett

Location: Mill Farm at Fordon near Filey

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Ivor Raymond Trower-Foyan 990159 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. James Hunter 1568637 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Nav: Sgt. Donald Allen Lawson 1389676 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Alexander Thompson 1515448 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. John George Taylor 1028370 RAFVR Age 32. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Albert Thomas Nicholas 1316582 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Howard Charles O'Neill AUS/425205 RAAF Age 26 Killed

PX: LAC. Arthur Nasmith Perrin 1049981 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

PX: Sgt. Olive Mary "Daphne" Morse 2040538 WAAF Age 25. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 15:08 hrs on a Fighter affiliation exercise with a Hurricane from RAF Leaconfield. The aircraft carried a full crew plus (according to records) 2 ‘unauthorised’ passengers (some reports state that they were on board for ‘air experience flying’).

Visibility at the time was good with about 8/10 large white cumulous clouds who’s base was 3,000 ft and tops up to 10,000 ft. The exercise started at 15:30 hrs between 7 - 10,000 ft and was due to continue for some 20 minutes. The Halifax made several step diving turns as part of the exercise and after 10 minutes it straightened out after one of these turns to port flying into heavy cloud at 7,000 ft. It was next seen at 1,500 ft with its port outer wing off - the aircraft then crashed near the village of Foxholes.

Court of Enquiry Report:

"Investigations concluded that the cause of the accident was the failure in normal flight of the lower bolt assembly of the leading spar of the port main plane where the port outer is attached. It is thought that the violent manoeuvres of the aircraft properly carried out during the Fighter affiliation exercise which was in progress, probably helped to accelerate the bolt assembly failure.

It is understood that main plane attachment fittings for the Halifax is already the subject of re-design. Also added to the report that the unmodified attachment bolts are examined every 10 hours - Modified bolts (MOD.823) are coming off the production line for retrospective fitting at the rate of 50 sets per weeks and are fitted by units as soon as they are available." (dated 28th October 1943)

Burial details:

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Fl/Sgt. Ivor Raymond Trower-Foyan. West Kirby churchyard (St. Bridget) Grave L.R.37. The son of The Reverend Thomas Frederick Trower-foyan and Eveline Hilda (née Steele) Trower-foyan of West Kirby.

Sgt. James Hunter. Sanquhar Parish Churchyard extension, Dumfries. Grave 360. The Son of William Hunter and of Isabella Hunter (née Stoddart), of Sanquhar, Scotland.

Sgt. Donald Allen Lawson. Amersham Cemetery. Grave 1710. South west corner. The son of Simon and Annie Lawson, of Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England.

Sgt. Alexander Thompson. St Mary's Churchyard, Norton, Durham. The son of Alexander and Francis Mary Thompson, of Norton, Stockton-On-Tees, England.

Sgt John George Taylor. St Mary's churchyard, Heacham, Norfolk. Son of John and Edith Ellen Taylor, of Heacham and husband of Edith Mary Taylor of Norfolk, England.

Sgt. Albert Thomas Nicholas. Brynmawr Cemetery, Blaenau Gwent, Wales. Section 13, Row 35, Grave 20. The son of Thomas Edmun and Blodwen Nicholas, of Nantyglo, Monmouthshire, Wales.

Fl/Sgt. Howard Charles O'Neill. Stonefall Cemetery, Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Section C, Row B, Grave 18. Born on the 11th May 1917 at Cloncurry, Queensland, Australia, the son of Charles Howard and May O'Neill, of Normanton, Queensland, Australia. His funeral took place on the 18th September at 12:00 hrs - conducted by the Rev. Sq/Ldr. Thrush - wreaths placed by the station Commander and from his fellow Sergeants.

LAC. Arthur Nasmith Perrin. Stonefall Cemetery, Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Sec. C. Row B. Grave 19. The son of Howard Nasmith Perrin and Katharine Meta Fairfax Perrin, of Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol. England.

Sgt. Olive Mary "Daphne" Morse. All Saints Churchyard, Witham, Norfolk. North west section. Daughter of Percival Ramey Morse and Olive S. Morse of Norfolk, England.

Researched by Mike McQuaid for Aircrew Remembered - January 2017 and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to sources as quoted. With thanks also to Bobby-Jo Treglown who has researched the life of the pilot and contacted us in July 2017 with information and photographs.

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