On the night of 2nd/3rd April 1943 the crew from 51st quadron were undertaking an operational flight to Essen in Germany; leaving Snaith Airfield at 19.53hrs.
On their return, as they approached the Airfield, inst ead of landing, they overshot, resulting in the Halifax circling, & flying low before crashing nearby in a field in Newland at 00.25hrs.
The location given was opposite Field House, between New Land and Seg Lane. Sadly, three of the crew were killed and four were injured. A letter from a rescuer of the crew to the rear gunner in 2005 published on “aucklandmuseum.com” provides information surrounding what happened after the crash.
Air historians Albert Pritchard, Eric Barton and Ken Reast located small fragments on the surface at the crash site in August 1997 with permission from the landowner, confirming the crash location was in this area. Their finds were in a field just west of Newland, roughly mid-way between Drax and Rawcliffe.