The Wartime Memories Project - RAF Burn

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Information. RAF Burn is situated 2.5 miles south of Selby. Constructed as a three runway Bomber Command station in 1942, Burn was assigned to No. 4 Group on November 11, 1942. It became home to No. 431 Squadron was formed as an RCAF unit at Burn. The airfield was not used for operations again until the arrival of No 578 Squadron in February 1944. The only VC awarded to 4 Group was won by a 578 Squadron pilot, Cyril Barton. In total 55 Halifaxes were lost during operations from Burn. The airfield closed in July 1945 and was used by The Royal Army Service Corps to store surplus military vehicles on its runways. Today the site has returned to argiculture but all the runways and most of the hardstandings still exist. Part of the site is used by a gliding club. A memorial to 578 Sqn stands beside the main road in the village. Squadrons stationed at RAF Burn 431 Squadron Nov 1941 to July 1943 No 578 Squadron. Feb 1944 to April 1945 The Wartime Memories Project would like to hear from anyone who was stationed at Burn during the war years, or anyone who lived nearby. We would love to hear your recollections of life on the base and the surrounding area. Please contact us: Click to send an email. or Click here to complete the online form. My wife (Jill Cole) and her two brothers (Robert and Colin Clarke) have just this last weekend (4th Sept 2004) returned from a very moving ceremony in Mailly Raineval (nr Amiens - France). They were there to unveil a 60th aniversary plaque in memory of their uncle, Flying Officer Robert Fussell Wilden, from Rode Somerset, and his six crew mates who were all shot down and killed in a Halifax Bomber just outside the village on the 13th June 1944. They were attacking the railway Marshalling Yards at Amiens when their Halifax was brought down by anti-aircraft fire. Only the bodies of Robert Wilden and the rear gunner Dave Mitchell, were recovered from the plane by local villagers. They were finally laid to rest in Abbeville some 10 mile north of Amiens. I see the event is also recorded on the "Bickerstaff" web site which records the death of another member of the crew (Sergeant William Currams). My brother-in-law Robert Clarke was named after his dead uncle by his mother Peggy Fussell Wilden who in turn was the beloved sister of Robert Wilden. Robert Clarke was asked by other relatives of the crew and the local village people to officially unveil the plaque to the seven men on the day. The plaque itself now stands proud right next to the War Memorial and Marie Information point in the centre of Marie Raineval itself. Full Crew list: R Wilden, P Robin, D Askwith, J Hocking, W Currums, J de Burgh Griffith, D Mitchell. Has anyone got a picture of Robert Widen in RAF uniform for us and more memories? The official unveiling ceremony The official plaque unveiled to the crew. The plaque in pride of place at the memorial in Mailly Raineval High Street right next to the Marie information point. I have lots of piccies of the ceremony (including plaque) if anyone needs them. Geoff Cole Photographs Hut on the accomodation site. Aircraft dispersal just off the Southern perimeter track Southern peri track looking East towards the South end of the North-South runway Photos by Noel J Ryan. Old Airfields If you have any Photographs you would like to share please get in touch. List of those who served at Burn during WW2 D Askwith 578 Sqd. (d. 13th June 1944) Pilot Officer Cyril Joe Barton V.C. 578 Sdn. (d. 31. March 1944) Read his story Sergeant Ernest Bramwell Blair. 578 Sqd. (d.15th Feb 1944) Sgt William Currums 578 Sqd. (d. 13th June 1944) Geoffrey P. Dawson. bomb aimer. 578 Sqd. George Hadley Templeton Eades. (d. 26th March, 1943) Read his story J de Burgh Griffith 578 Sqd. (d. 13th June 1944) Eric Grimswald. rear gnr. 578 Sqd. Sergeant F W Hayman 578 Sqd. J Hocking 578 Sqd. (d. 13th June 1944) Warrant Officer John Byrne Horgan RAAF 578 Sqd. (d.15th Feb 1944) Len Lambert. nav. 578 Sqd. Read his story Sergeant W J Leiper RAAF 578 Sqd. Flying Officer Leonard James "Lindy" Lindridge. nav 578 Sqd. Charlie Maddison. flt eng. 578 Sqd. Read his story Earnest Maddison. eng. 578 Sqd. "Mugsie" Matthews. mid up gnr. 578 Sqd. David Mitchell. rear gnr. 578 Sqd. (d. 13th June 1944) Sergeant Mervyn Kenneth Piper 578 Sqd. (d.15th Feb 1944) P Robin 578 Sqd. (d. 13th June 1944) George Westmoorland. nav. 578 Sqd. Flying Officer Robert Fussell Wilden. 578 Sqd. (d. 13th June 1944) Read his story F/O Douglas Knight Williams DFC. 105 Sqdn. (d. 5th July 1944.) Charlie "Ginger" Woodward. W/Op. 578 Sqd. If you have any names to add to this list, or any recollections or photos of those listed, please get in touch. If you have a story which you would like to share, or a website dedicated to an airfield or aircrew, please get in touch. Send an E-mail to The Wartime Memories Project Links 578 Sqd, Bomber Commmand History Airfields Index The Wartime Memories Project is a non profit organisation. This website is run out of our own pockets and from donations made by visitors. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources. If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small to help with the costs of keeping the site running. Or by cheque to: PO Box 325, Stockton on Tees, TS20 1XL. Website and ALL Material © Copyright MMII - All Rights Reserved