OCCUPATION: PILOT OFFICER R.A.F.

PARENTS: Marriages Mar 1920 Fletcher William Jones Beverley 9d 188 vs. Jones Elsie F Fletcher

https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/10039/

https://rotherhamwarmemorials.weebly.com/clifton-united-methodist-church.html

Alan Steel was born on 26 August 1919 in Doncaster, only child of engine fitter Tom Steel and his wife Emma Jane (nee Wilson, then Haywood). The couple who married in 1917 were both widowed and on their second marriage. They lived at 1 Makin Street, Mexborough and christened Alan at Mexborough St John the Baptist church on 22 April 1920.
He was a Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner), service number 550484, with 102 Squadron, Royal Air Force. On the night of 28/29 August 1940 Alan was part of the crew of Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk V, serial number N1489, with squadron markings of DY-C who were undertaking a night time cross country training flight to the Isle of Man. On the return leg and whilst flying in poor weather the aircraft crashed into a field at 00:35 close to Hay Hills Farm, near Silsden, to the south of Skipton. Four of the crew were killed, one survived after being rescued by a members of the local Home Guard who were on duty at Silsden Reservoir.
One of the home guard gave the following eyewitness report: “We immediately ran towards the plane which was burning furiously and we were about 50 yards away when there were two explosions which I though were exploding petrol tanks. Private Dobson and myself were first on the scene and managed to get through the petrol, blazing on the ground, to one flyer lying near the trailing edge of the starboard wing and the rear gun turret which had apparently broken off on impact. I sent Private Fort back to the reservoir to telephone Major Driver. Ammunition was continually exploding but the flyer was too heavy for us to carry and we could not drag him away because of possible internal injuries. He was badly burned about the face and hands but nothing could be done except try to clean the slight cuts with a field dressing. He appeared conscious but we were unable to get any intelligible replies as to whether there were any more still in the plane or whether they were carrying any bombs. He spoke vaguely about Dishforth, Driffield and Leeming aerodromes which I subsequently found were in the same group of Bomber Command. This was the first intimation we had that it was a British plane."
Alan Steel, aged 21 was buried in Mexborough Cemetery.

Note
Other crew on the aircraft were:
742082 Sgt Norman Kelvin Bott RAFVR, pilot - killed
42828 P/O Alexander William Fletcher RAF, pilot - killed
747490 Sgt Charles William Cavey Fleming Harrison RAFVR, observer - killed
Sgt L G Smalley, - air gunner injured

http://www.rafcommands.com/database/air81/index.php?qname=&qcntry=&cur=2500&qunit=&qnum=&qmem=&qdate=1940
AIR81/2869 Pilot Officer A W Fletcher, Sergeant N K Bott, Sergeant G W Harrison, Sergeant A Steele: killed; Sergeant L G Smalley: injured; aircraft accident, Silsden Moor, Whitley N1489, 102 Squadron, 29 August 1940.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16472186