Remembering Today 5/10/43 Sergeant:Frank Squibbs,1411892,51 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Sergeant (Wireless Op./Air Gunner)SQUIBBS, FRANK
Service Number 1411892

Died 05/10/1943

51 Sqdn.
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Casualty

 

Sgt Frank Allan Squibbs ( - 1943) - Find A Grave Memorial

 

Halifax HR727

On October 5th 1943 Halifax bomber HR727 was returning from a raid when it crashed on Edale Moor, England.

After dropping its bombs Halifax HR727 was coned by searchlights over Frankfurt and was attacked by a German night-fighter. The pilot Sergeant Fenning managed to escape, but his plane was badly damaged. With one engine out, communication equipment not working, and a fuel tank holed and leaking fuel, the Halifax limped back towards its base in Yorkshire in deteriorating weather. With no way of knowing precisely where they were, the Halifax gently descended through the cloud, Sgt Fenning believing the aircraft to be in the vicinity of Selby, some 35 miles North East of where they actually were, that is over the hills of the Peak District.

The impact of the crash killed 4 crew members immediately. Three crew members survived, so while Sgt Garland stayed with the injured Sergeant Lane, Sgt Mack set off along the debris trail and into the night to find help. By the time help arrived the next day, Sgt Lane had died. Their bodies were taken down to the chapel in the Woodlands Valley.

Crew;
Sergeant Ernest Hatfield Fenning, RAF, pilot, killed.
Warrant Officer Class Two, Jean Gilbert Felix Fortin, RCAF, navigator, killed.
Sergeant Eric George Lane, RAFVR, flight engineer, survived briefly.
Sergeant Frank Allan Squibbs, RAFVR, wireless operator, killed.
Sergeant Boris Carl Short, RAFVR, gunner, killed.
Sergeant Victor Garland, RAF, bomb-aimer, survived.
Sergeant Jimmy Mack, RAF, gunner, survived.

Details from PEAKLAND AIR CRASHES – THE NORTH (2006) by Pat Cunningham.


Halifax HR727 - aircrashsites.co.uk

 

Frank Squibbs was born in the first quarter of 1923, and came from Monmouthshire. His service number seems to be one of a block issued in March 1941 in Penarth (source here).

Sgt Fenning was born in the last quarter of 1918 in Colchester. He was married in 1942 to Lucy Lambert from Suffolk. His service number 658569 suggests he transferred from the army into the RAF in January 1939.

WO Fortin was 25 and came from Sturgeon Falls, Ontario.

Sgt Short was born in the first quarter of 1924 in North London.

Cheers, Pat.

(Edited to include details of other crew members.)