Comments on: Halifax bomber crash site, Clifton, 70 years on

By: Penny Harrison

Penny Harrison — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 12:54:05 +0000

Just heard about this on Heir Hunters (More 4 Tuesday 5th July 2022) including the name of the co-pilot whose family was being researched. The Halifax bombers were being decommissioned at various aerodromes including Clifton and this was being flown in for that purpose. There was an obstruction on the runway and the pilot was told to go round. He clipped the tower of St Joseph’s and came down unfortunately killing himself and the co-pilot.
I am sure the programme can be found on catch-up by anyone wanting to know more.

By: David Abson

David Abson — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 21:52:57 +0000

My grandmother lived in Abbey street and 2 Canadian Airmen were biĺleted with her for a while. We visited an aerodrome during this time. There were Halifaxes but I can’t be sure if it was Rawcliffe or Linton.

By: David Abson

David Abson — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 21:42:39 +0000

That’s as I remember it.Tiles were knocked off the roof of the adjacent house and the aircraft exploded in the Imperial garden. I’m sure there was a picture of the damaged roof in the Press.
David

By: David Scarth

David Scarth — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 15:29:38 +0000

I was born in Kingsway North in 1943 and given up for adoption shortly after birth, my father is unknown but it’s been said he was a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force from a nearby base, I wondered if Canadians were stationed at RAF Clifton at that time.
If anyone has any information regarding RAF Clifton and the area at that time, I would be most grateful, who knows?, it could help me in my family history search.

By: Mrs Jan Thompson

Mrs Jan Thompson — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 20:16:53 +0000

I remember it well. Coming home from school walking over the bridge I heard a plane in distress, I swear the pilot looked at me, my family said I’d imagined it then I heard an explosion. I was terribly upset as my brother was in bomber command and had a lucky escape when he was knocked out of the rear gun turret as it was crashing rest of crew died.

By: John Bryan Coates

John Bryan Coates — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 21:49:04 +0000

I have just written about the crash in my memories.
In 1948 on 8th June I was going for my dinner when I saw a large plume of smoke near by. Being curious I went in the direction of the smoke and to my horror I came upon a crowd with fire engines present, at the rear of the Imperial Hotel on Crichton Avenue. A Halifax bomber on its way to Clifton airfield had been diverted by a flare due to an obstruction on the runway. The aircraft had one engine out of action and at a height of 50 feet the right-hand wing clipped the large cross on top of St Joseph’s Church causing it to swing round, hitting the corner of a house in what is now in Burton Green before crashing into the open area behind the Imperial. I saw a stretcher being carried out with a body lying on it but the thing that stood out was an arm hanging down from the stretcher with a watch on the wrist and blood running down the arm. I did not know it at the time but both aircrew were dead. Needless to say I was late for lunch that day.
You can see where the aircraft struck the house at the rear top corner by the repaired bricks.
Hope this helps.