Buckden Pike N.2848 Memorial
3.5 miles away
North Yorkshire
Great Whernside Halifax Memorial
Great Whernside, above Kettlewell, Pennines (North)
Comprehensive Record
The Memorial
It is maintained by Kettlewell with Starbotton Parish Council.
Type
Crash site cairn
Inscription
Could you help us fill in the inscription?
LocationApproximate Location
Great Whernside, above Kettlewell, Pennines (North), North Yorkshire
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What Happened
Halifax DT578 departed RAF Riccall on a night training exercise with a crew of seven, piloted by Sergeant Chadwick. The aircraft flew into the hillside of Great Whernside, above Kettlewell in the Pennines, in conditions of probable icing. All seven men aboard were killed. Among them was Sergeant Kenneth Vincent, an air gunner aged just 19, and navigator Sergeant Frank Weldon Robson, at 30 the eldest of the crew. The remaining crew — Sergeant Frank James Robinson, Sergeant Norman Sebright Martin, Sergeant Donald Paget Aitken, and Sergeant Ernest Stabler — also perished. There were no survivors.
Community Connection
Every memorial has a story — why it was built, who campaigned for it, and what it means to the local community. If you know the story behind this memorial, we would love to hear it.
Share this memorial's storyRemembrance
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Aircraft & Operation Details
Aircraft Type
Halifax
Serial Number
DT578
Squadron
1658 Heavy Conversion UnitStation
RAF Riccall
Date of Loss
1943-11-23
Operation Type
Training
Cause of Loss
Flew into hillside; probable icing conditions
Crew (9 members)
About the Crew
Sgt Stanley Chadwick(age 21)Pilot
Killed when Halifax DT578 struck the western slope of Great Whernside at approximately 2,000 feet in severe icing conditions on the night of 23/24 November 1943.
Sgt Frank Weldon Robson(age 30)Navigator
Killed when Halifax DT578 struck the western slope of Great Whernside at approximately 2,000 feet in severe icing conditions on the night of 23/24 November 1943.
Sgt Frank James Robinson(age 25)Flight Engineer
Killed when Halifax DT578 struck the western slope of Great Whernside at approximately 2,000 feet in severe icing conditions on the night of 23/24 November 1943.
Sgt Norman Sebright Martin(age 19)Wireless Op/Air Gunner
Killed when Halifax DT578 struck the western slope of Great Whernside at approximately 2,000 feet in severe icing conditions on the night of 23/24 November 1943.
Sgt Donald Paget Aitken(age 21)Bomb Aimer
Killed when Halifax DT578 struck the western slope of Great Whernside at approximately 2,000 feet in severe icing conditions on the night of 23/24 November 1943.
Sgt Ernest Stabler(age 20)Air Gunner
Killed when Halifax DT578 struck the western slope of Great Whernside at approximately 2,000 feet in severe icing conditions on the night of 23/24 November 1943.
Sgt Kenneth Vincent(age 19)Air Gunner
Killed when Halifax DT578 struck the western slope of Great Whernside at approximately 2,000 feet in severe icing conditions on the night of 23/24 November 1943.
Memorial Care
parish council
Organisation
Kettlewell with Starbotton Parish Council
Local Contacts
These local organisations are connected to this memorial and may be able to help with information or visits.
Skipton Royal British Legionbritish legion
Local remembrance and memorial support
Kettlewell with Starbotton Parish Councilparish council
Local authority responsible for memorial upkeep
Further Reading
Yorkshire AircraftRetrieved 2026-03-23
Detailed account of Halifax DT578 from 1658 HCU Riccall, which crashed into Great Whernside above Kettlewell on 23 November 1943. The aircraft flew in a flight of six Halifaxes on a stormy night with severe turbulence, gale force winds, and icing conditions.
What you'll find: Explore detailed account of Halifax DT578's crash at Great Whernside, including weather conditions and flight details from 1658 HCU Riccall.
Aircraft was built by English Electric, Preston. Previously in service with 502 Squadron Coastal Command. Icing conditions reported at 4,000 feet. Not a mid-air collision with JB926 as previously believed; both incidents were independent.
Peak District Air Accident ResearchRetrieved 2026-03-23
Crash database entry for Halifax DT578 at Great Whernside, North Yorkshire. Records the aircraft as from 1658 HCU RAF Riccall, lost on a night cross-country training exercise in severe weather.
What you'll find: Explore Halifax Memorial's crash database entry for Great Whernside, detailing its tragic loss during a night training exercise amidst harsh weather conditions.
Crash date 23 November 1943. Unit 1658 HCU, RAF Riccall. All seven crew killed.
aircrashsites.co.ukRetrieved 2026-03-23
Photographic documentation of the DT578 crash site on Great Whernside, including wreckage remains. Memorial plaque placed at the site in June 2016 by Joseph Stabler (half-brother of crew member Ernest Stabler) and the Robson family.
What you'll find: Explore photographic evidence and memorial plaque from DT578 crash site on Great Whernside.
Memorial plaque dedicated June 2016. Organised by Joseph Stabler and David Robson with wider family members. A separate memorial exists inside the chapel at Hagg Dyke.
Airedale & Wharfedale Family History SocietyRetrieved 2026-03-23
Family history society record of the Great Whernside crash site memorial near Kettlewell, documenting the seven crew members and their burial locations across England.
What you'll find: Explore the Great Whernside Halifax Memorial's family history society documentation, detailing seven crew members' lives and burials in England.
Crash site at approximately 2,310 feet on Great Whernside, Yorkshire Dales. Accessible on foot from Kettlewell.
Nearby Memorials
Sources
Yorkshire Aircraft (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Peak District Air Accident Research (retrieved 2026-03-23)
aircrashsites.co.uk (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Airedale & Wharfedale Family History Society (retrieved 2026-03-23)
militaryaircraftcrashsites.blogspot.com (website)
Credits & Acknowledgements
Record compiled by
Keith Binley
Last updated 2026-03-23
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