Cadets Honour Halifax Bomber Crew

On Remembrance weekend 2010, cadets from 1224 (Wharfedale) Squadron visited the memorial on Ilkley Moor marking the crash site of the Handley Page Halifax DK185 which crashed on 31st January 1944. The bomber took off from RAF Dishforth on a training exercise but became lost in the cloud and mist area and crashed into Ilkley Moor whilst trying to locate RAF Yeadon (now Leeds-Bradford Airport).

All seven crew members were killed in the crash - six of which were from the Royal Canadian Air Force. The youngest being 19 and the eldest 27.

The cadets held their own remembrance ceremony led by Warrant Officer David Wood with Cadet Sergeant Tom Smith laying a wreath and Cadet Corporal Rhys Leighton playing Last Post.

The cadets at the memorial.

All cadets from the the Squadron were involved in the Poppy Appeal collection held in Ilkley and collected over £2,000 for the National Appeal.

For more information on the Halifax Crash see:

http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/planes/dales/dk185.html
and
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/content/articles/2006/01/31/bomber_memorial_ilkley.shtml