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Plane was Halifax DG414 at Yorkeshire, England

Entered by Robin Stammers from personal papers and letters of E. P. (Ted )Wixted. 

On Wednesday, July 5, 1944, a Halifax four-engined bomber, stationed at Sandtoft Aerodrome, took off on a training flight. On board were seven regular crew, an engineer instructor and a pilot instructor. Whilst over the Alkborough area, the plane developed a problem, apparently loss of power and it ultimately crashed. Wireless Operator Flt. Sgt. Robert Anthony Wixted was one of the crew killed.

The rest of the crew were:

Pilot Officer Edward Barley176237 Pilot under instruction

Sergeant George Beedle 1594241 Flight Engineer

Flight Sergeant John Norman Bond 474080 Navigator

Sergeant T. E. Carr 1590301 Flight Engineer

Sergeant Hubert Fryer 1623205 Air Bomber

Flight Lieutenant Benjamin Edward McLaughlin D.F.C. 127223 Instructor Pilot

Sergeant P. Morrissey D.F.M. 1661466 Flight Engineer

Sergeant Ivor Hubert Simonds 1836668 Flight Engineer

Flight Sergeant Robert Anthony Wixted 434555 Wireless Air Gunner.

From witness reports, the plane landed but collided with the biggest tree before they could avoid it. All but one of that crew were killed. The plane was described as flying low over the hillside, hit the ground, then hit the tree and burst into flames. 

Below are Witness Accounts. 
Raymond Barnard. "I was at the Coronation Club to buy cigarettes. I heard a bang and went outside to see what it was. Saw smoke rising, ran down the hill and along. I couldn't get to the machine because of the intense heat. There were bullets going off and more people arrived to see what was going on. Someone went to ring the fire brigade, who took over when they arrived. RAF arrived. The Fire Brigade from Winterton was probably the ones to retrieve the bodies. Roy Drinkall and others took a fence gate, carried it to the crash, then with the airforce airmen, carried it to Witchmere Walk where the ambulance came.

There was one survivor who I saw walking around. There was one badly burned at the front of the aircraft.

The aircraft did not turn over. The only noise then was from the chap lying in front of the aircraft. I saw him almost as soon as I got there. His flesh had been burned."

Roy Whittingham - "I, Roy Whittingham, heard this bang around 1pm, in my dinner hour. I was going back to work and called into the Coronation Club for some cigs. And stood on the steps was Mrs. Wynn, stewards wife and daughter, they said it was a plane crashed in the woods. I went back to work at Mr. Drake's College Farm and his wife said he had gone to see what happened so I got on my bike, went up the woods and when I got near the scene there were bullets whistling all over. When I got down to the plane it had almost burnt out and to my horror there were three bodies laid out with all their clothes burnt off, which had been carried out of the plane, and the smell was so horrid I had to come away. We learnt that night there was one missing and he was later found under an engine. "

Unknown but member of Home Guard and very possibly Lt. Burgess as he was seen by Roy Drinkall at the crash scene when he arrived. 

- " At about 13:10 Wed, 5 Jul an aircraft was observed to crash and immediately burst into flames, in the wood at A. (Alkborough)  Five minutes later 5 HG (Home Guard) were on the site and the aircraft identified as 4 engined Halifax bomber which was burning fiercely. One RAF Sgt had escaped from rear gunners position and it was ascertained from him that there 8 members of crew in the wood and that the plane carried no bombs, but a large quantity of petrol and SAA flares which was exploding continuously. Petrol tanks burnt at short intervals. In spite of this, the relatively small parts of the fuselage left intact, were examined and found to be empty.

A search was commenced among the burned wreckage and within a short time dead and badly injured members of the crew were found mostly under burning wreckage. In all 5 were found to be alive but terribly injured and burnt. They were carried on improvised stretchers up the very difficult hillside to ambulances which had arrived at Walcot Hall. This was continued until the whole of the crew alive and dead were extracted and got to top of hill which was completed about 1600 hours. LT. Grant and myself were very gratified at the way the men turned out without being called at and the way young and old HG (Home Guard) worked at a very unpleasant job which was not altogether without danger. My and our only regret are that only one crew is now alive but we felt that all that could be done to save them, was done. We do not claim that the HG did all the work as CP turned out in force also Regulars from B Scouts and Police, but this Report deals with HG only. Attached is list of HG who assisted. 

Batt Parade, SGT. Lazenby, LT. Barratt, Pte. Lowe, Pte. Dawson, Pte. Coy, Pte. Allenby, Pte. Whittingham, LT. Burgess, Pte. Brown Pte. Cawline

Sunday Parade

LT. Barratt, Pte. Lowe, Pte. Barnard, Pte. Coy, LT. Burgess, Pte. Whittingham, Pte. Allenby, Pte. Brown LT. Firth

Keadly? Bridge

Pte. H. Dawson, Pte. E. Coy, Pte. S. Waddington

At his date of death, Bobbie Wixted was 20 years old. He was attached to 11 Base Heavy Conversion Unit RAF. 
Rest In Peace Bobbie, Rest In Peace.