408 Squadron’s Last Casualties of WW2

408 Squadron’s Last Casualties of WW2 and The Final Flight of EQ-U Lancaster Mk X KB993

18 May 1945

RAF Station Linton-on Ouse

Michael Cecil Cameron (W.Op / Air Gunner). This picture was taken in Canada before he joined 408 Squadron.
Michael Cecil Cameron (W.Op / Air Gunner).

The war in Europe had ended 10 days before and life at 408 Squadron was good.  With only 4 weeks remaining until the Squadron redeployed to Canada, the wartime alert levels had been stood down and daily operations took on a training and maintenance role.  While the air war against Germany was over, 408 Squadron was one of eight squadrons selected for redeployment to the Pacific Theater of Operations and the continued fight against Japan. The squadron had begun conversion to the Avro Lancaster X from their Handley Page Halifax VII bombers and 40 Squadron was devoting most of its time to flight and ground training.

 

In the early evening, Flying Officer Anthony Clifford and his crew were in the circuit practicing

WO2 Cameron in front of a Halifax VII.
WO2 Cameron
WO2 Cameron (right) and his crew in front of a Halifax VII. While the crew is not named, it is suspected that these are the members of the Clifford Crew during their Heavy Bomber Conversion. Most crews stayed paired throughout training and deployment
WO2 Cameron (right) and his crew in front of a Halifax VII.

 

At 2210 hours, EQ-U was observed flying into the hillside of James’s Thorn above Ashton Clough in Derbyshire.  All six of the crew perished in the crash, making them the last 408 Squadron casualties of the Second World War.

13. Memorial to the RCAF Crew of KB993 during its unveiling on 18 May 1995.
Memorial to the RCAF Crew of KB993

Memorial to the RCAF Crew of KB993

On 18 May 1995, on the 50th anniversary of the crash, a memorial to KB993 and its crew was unveiled at the crash site.  Two men from the Glossop are, Paul Booth and Stephen Lewis were the driving force behind the memorial.  It also has a plaque commemorating the crash of a USAAF C-47 Skytrain a few meters away from the same site on 24 July 1947, claiming the entire crew. The ceremony was attended by Mrs. Marion Clifford, the 91 year old mother of Flying Officer Clifford and other relatives of the crew, including the widow of the tail gunner, Flight Sergeant Hellekson.

RAF and RCAF Colours flying at the crash site during the dedication ceremony, 18 May 1995
RAF and RCAF Colours flying at the crash site

 

The Dedication Plaque on the Memorial
The Dedication Plaque on the Memorial

The lower plaque reads;

 

UNVEILED ON 18th MAY 1995 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE CRASH OF   KB993 BY MRS MARION CLIFFORD, CANADA. ERECTED BY PAUL BOOTH AND STEPHEN LEWIS TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE KILLED.

The upper plaque reads;

ON THE NIGHT OF MAY 18th 1945 AVRO LANCASTER KB993 OF   CANADIAN 408 SQUADRON CRASHED AT THIS PLACE.THE CREW WERE FLYING CIRCUITS AND BUMPS

F.O A.A CLIFFORD

F.O D.A FEHRMAN

W.O M.C CAMERON

F.S C.J HALVORSON

F.S L.C HELLERSON

P.O K.B McIVERTWENTY

SEVEN DAYS LATER 408 GOOSE SQUADRON RETURNED TO CANADA.

FOR FREEDOM.

NEARBY ON THE MOOR BELOW LIE THE REMAINS OF C47 SKYTRAIN   2108982 WHICH CRASHED ON THE 24 JULY 1945 WITH THE LOSS OF ALL ON BOARD.

1st Lt G.L.JOHNSON USAAF

1st Lt E.W.BURNS USAAF

1st Lt B.W. IZLAR USAAF

Sgt T.R. McCROCKLIN USAAF

Sgt F.M MALONEY USAAF

Cpl G.R ALEXANDER USAAF

LAC J.D MAIN RAF

IN MEMORY

THEY ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

 

11.Flying Officer A.A. Clifford, Pilot RCAF. Anthony Arthur Clifford was 21 years of age and is commemorated on page 504 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
Flying Officer A.A. Clifford, Pilot RCAF.
Flying Officer D.A. Fehrman, Air Bomber RCAF. David Arthur Fehrman was 20 years of age and is commemorated on page 514 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
Flying Officer D.A. Fehrman, Air Bomber RCAF.
Pilot Officer K.B. McIvor, Flight Engineer RCAF. Kenneth Bruce McIvor was 34 years of age and is commemorated on page 543 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
Pilot Officer K.B. McIvor, Flight Engineer RCAF.
 Flight Sergeant C.J. Halvorson, Air Gunner RCAF. Clarence Julius Halvorson was 34 years of age and is commemorated on page 521 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance
Flight Sergeant C.J. Halvorson, Air Gunner RCAF.
 Warrant Officer II M.C. Cameron, Wireless Operator / Air Gunner RCAF. Michael Cecil Cameron is commemorated on page 501 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
Warrant Officer II M.C. Cameron, Wireless Operator / Air Gunner RCAF.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The crew of EQ-U is interned at Brookwood Military Cemetery at Pirbright, UK.  In September of 2006 Christine Hulett, the great-niece of WO2 M.C. Cameron, visited the cemetery and took photos of the grave markers of the crew.  The photos above were provided by her for 408 Squadron.

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