A joint investigation by North Yorkshire Police and the Ministry of Defence Police into the discovery of human remains and military memorabilia has concluded. They were found at the remote farming location in the Hambleton District on March 31, 2020.
It resulted in a large-scale operation involving subject matter experts from the RAF and the Army, as well as forensic archaeologists who were able to identify the remains as male and more than half-a-century old.
The Crown Prosecution Service has now determined that there is not enough evidence to pursue suspected offences.
However, they praised the efforts of North Yorkshire Police and the Ministry of Defence Police, recognising the “exceptionally challenging” nature of the investigation.
One of the positive outcomes of the investigation was the identification of two Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve air crew from World War Two who were reunited with their families and given military burials on August 12 last year.
It can now be confirmed the remains were identified as Pilot Officer Alfred Robert William Milne, aged 22 from Mitcham, Surrey and Warrant Officer Eric Alan Stubbs, also aged 22, from Guildford, Surrey.
They were tragically killed when their Mosquito aircraft crashed on the North York Moors near Bransdale, Helmsley, on 11 October 1944. They were on a training exercise from RAF Beccles in Suffolk to RAF Turnberry in Ayrshire.
"At the beginning of this investigation, I don’t think any of us thought we’d be able to identify who the remains belonged to let alone return them to their families and be given military burials with the dignity and respect that they deserved," said Detective Inspector Carol Kirk, the North Yorkshire Police senior investigating officer. “Even without being able to progress the investigation to court, we still believe this is a significant achievement. I have recently had contact with both families and they wish to pass on their thanks to all those involved in bringing Alfred and Eric home.”
Photo: Pilot Officer Alfred Robert William Milne. Credit: North Yorkshire Police