Maurice John William ASPINALL

Maurice John William ASPINALL. Flying Officer, Pilot J/14046 Royal Canadian Air Force. Formerly Sergeant R78390 RCAF. attached to RAF No 5 Operational Training Unit at RAF Long Kesh, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Born 14 October 1920 to Maurice and Anna Isobel Aspinall, Squires. Husband of Joan Frances Aspinall of Stratford Ontario Canada. 22 November 1949 his widow received at 78 Shakespeare Street, Stratford, Ontario his Memorial Bar
Enlisted 28 October 1940. Posted to No 2 Manning Depot as Air Crew Observer. His home address with his parents was 102 St Vincent Street, Stratford, Ontario. At the time of enlistment, he was residing at 219 Dundas Street, Toronto, occupation machinist, single.
He received elementary flying training at No 2 (E.F.T.S.) Elementary Flying Training School, Trenton flying Moths where he was placed 23 in a class of 25. His Service Training was completed at No 7 (SFTS) Service Flying Training School.
29 December 1941 at No1(BGS) Bombing and Gunnery School, at RCAF Jarvis.
30 June 1942 he was discharged from RCAF under Kings Regulation (Air) Para 392 (18) to commission.
19 October 1942 embarked from Canada for UK and information not recorded posted to for attachment to RAF No 5 Operational Training Unit Long Kesh Northern Ireland.
The 23 July 1943 he was piloting a Beaufort JM451 aircraft on non-operational day flying map reading exercise, air to air firing and Q.G.H. (Controlled descent through cloud with assistance of radio control from the ground), training flight. At about 10.35 am the plane hit the top of a hill while flying through a cloud causing instant death to all members of the crew. The accident occurred five miles West of Swatragh, County Londonderry Northern Ireland. When his body was recovered, he had multiple injuries and incineration of body, he was aged 23 year The 28 July 1943 he was laid to rest at 3pm in Eglantine Church of Ireland Cemetery County Down Northern Ireland.

Court of Enquiry.
The following is report taken from the service record of Sgt Alan Gilbert Potter about the Pilot, Flying Officer Maurice John William Aspinall, RCAF actions during a training flight which caused the death of his crew
A. The pilot was briefed to carry out a map reading exercise, air to air firing, photography and QGH (.Controlled descent through cloud with assistance of radio control from the ground). He flew through cloud at a height of approximately 1200 feet (without QGH) and hit the top of a hill. Both engines were under normal power and aircraft appeared to have been in level flight.

B. Weather at base good. Mist and low cloud covered some of the hills. Pilot was briefed to fly at 3000 feet if he encountered cloud.

C. It is considered that the accident was due to direct disobedience of orders and gross carelessness on the part of the pilot who had over 800 hrs flying experience.

From the propeller marks on the ground it appears both engines were under normal power. The aircraft was on track so it appears only carelessness could account for this accident.

The other crew members of JM451 were:
Sergeant Eric Charles Buttle (1207235) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Reginald Douglas Eaglen (1027840) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Alan Gilbert Potter (417302) (RAAF) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)