Handley Page Halifax DT578

Traces of paint still remain on some wreckage

On the 23rd of November 1943 DT578 flying out of No.4 Group's airfield at Ricall ,in a flight of 6 aircraft on a very stormy night, crashed into Great Whernside above Kettlewell.
3 of the 6 crashed that night ,Halifax Mk.II JB926
crashed over at Masham with all crew lost.

The crew of DT578 were also all killed , they were

Pilot Sgt. S Chadwick 1453551
AG Sgt. K. Vincent 1819902
Flt. Eng. Sgt. F.W. Robson 1451671
WO Sgt. D.P. Aitken 1322354
BA Sgt N. Martin 1600285
Nav Sgt. F. J. Robinson 538137
AG Sgt. Ernest Stabler 1784108 

I have found conflicting reports has to who was performing which function on this flight .

The shot below shows the main wreckage pool which lays in the beginnings of a stream  just below the impact point..

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Looking down from the highest signs of the impact

Handley Page Halifax JB926

Main wreckage pool in front of Slipstone Crags on Agra Moor .

 The area surrounding this memorial is burnt earth covered with a scatter of tiny fragments .

The night of 23rd/24th November turned into tragedy for No4 Groups No.1658 Heavy Conversion Unit .
Six Halifax's took off from Ricall on a cross country training exercise , the weather was poor to begin with ,and rapidly detereorated , only two aircraft from this flight completed the task and returned to Ricall , one landed at another airfield and three crashed .

The crew of 8 were all killed

Pilot Sgt. R.E.C. Bacon
Flt Eng Sgt G.H. Manley
Flt Eng Sgt. J. Titterington
Nav F/O H. McCarthy
BA F/Sgt J.J. MacGillivray (RCAF)
WO Sgt B.F. Taylor
AG Sgt, A.J. Winton
AG Sgt.D.E. Phillips

JB926 was reportedly heard to circle before going into a steep dive . Icing up of the flying surfaces is thought to be the cause . The crash was at high speed and the aircraft burned on impact . Evidence of which can clearly be seen at the crash site .

No.1658 HCU was first formed on 7th October 1942 adopting the word 'Heavy' in the name on 1st November the same year. It supplied airmen to No.4 Group .
The HCU,s didnt teach men to fly as such but rather prepared trained men to fly heavy bombers (usually 4 engined ones ,Halifaxes for No4 Group Squadrons) .