Losses

The following is a list of all operational losses of 514 Squadron Lancasters, with details checked with Bomber Command Losses (WR Chorley), www.lostaircraft.com, RAAF archives and Nachtjagd War Diaries (Dr. Theo Boiten).  The circumstances of the losses are as known or believed most likely.

Date        Serial    Code   Target        Pilot                     Notes


18-Nov-43 DS784 JI-C  Mannheim  P/O Thomas        The aircraft left Foulsham at 1724hrs and was attacked, apparently by two night-fighters, exploding at or over Assesse, ten miles SE of Namur, Belgium. The loss is credited to Lt. Erhard Peters, 1./NJG4 but was also claimed by Hptm. Franz Evers, Stab 1./NJG6. The crew had previously carried out one mining trip. The aircraft's two gunners escaped with their lives, Mid Upper gunner, Sgt HA Lucas, managing to evade capture and remain hidden in Brussels until the city was liberated whilst his colleague from the rear turret, whilst F/S BS Haines RAAF, was taken prisoner and  interned in Camp 4B, PoW No.267163. Those killed are buried in Assesse Communal Cemetery.

P/O SPL Thomas - Pilot KIA
Sgt R Fontaine - Bomb Aimer KIA
Sgt JL Brent - Navigator KIA
Sgt F Thomas - WOP/AG KIA
Sgt HA Lucas - MU Gunner Evaded (remained hidden in Brussels till Liberation)
Sgt H Stagg - Flight Engineer KIA
F/S PS Haines RAAF - Rear Gunner POW


26-Nov-43 DS814 JI-M    Berlin       F/O Cantin           Coned by searchlights as the aircraft left the target area and shot down by the flak battery of 1.-4./Schw.Abt.148.  DS814 crashed at Germendorf, 4 km w of Oranienburg.  When lost this aircraft had a total of 57 hours.  None of the crew, on their first op, survived. They were buried at Germendorf on 29th November 1943 and were subsequently re-interred in the Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery .  Parts of DS814 were subsequently salvaged from the crash site and have been preserved by German aviation archaeologists.

F/O MR Cantin, RCAF, Pilot KIA
Sgt. SE Smith, Bomb Aimer KIA
Sgt. WGF Saddler, Navigator KIA
Sgt. WE Mitchell, WOP/AG KIA
Sgt. LF Eyre, MU Gunner KIA
Sgt. RN Walne, Rear Gunner KIA
Sgt. KG King, Flight Engineer KIA

02-Dec-43 DS738 JI-J     Berlin       F/L Hinde           DS738, JI-J was lost over Potsdam as F/L GHD Hinde and his crew approached the target.  DS738 was possibly the Lancaster claimed by Lt. Alfred Koerver of Stab.II or 7/JG302 at 2011 hours.   When lost this aircraft had a total of 54 hours.  According to the Bomb Aimer, F/S JD Alford RAAF, the port fin and rudder were shot away, port wing tank set on fire, undercarriage hydraulics damaged and there was possibly damage to the rear turret. It is thought that the Rear Gunner, Sgt R. Curle, was killed as he did not respond to the order to bale out.  The port wing was on fire and the aircraft entered a dive. It is thought that F/L Hinde from Rhodesia, was thrown clear.  Sgt Curle's body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.  F/L G.H.D. Hinde was interned in Camp L1, PoW No.1676. Sgt J.D.Alford in Camp 4B. PoW No.267145. P/O M.S.C.Emery in Camp L1, Pow No.1756. Sgt R.Galloway was confined in Hospital due injuries. No PoW number. Sgt W.J.Stephen was held in the Dulag Luft Interrogation Centre. No PoW No.

F/L GHD Hinde (Pilot) POW
F/S JD Alford (Bomb Aimer) POW
P/O MSC Emery (Navigator) POW
Sgt W Muskett (WOP/AG) POW
Sgt R Galloway (MU Gunner) POW
Sgt R Curle (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt WJ Stephen (Flight Engineer) POW

20-Dec-43 DS817 JI-P     Frankfurt  F/S Davis             The aircraft exploded in mid air after being attacked by Hptmn Wilhelm Herget of 8./NJG3 at about 2015hrs, having bombed the target. The Lancaster exploded, with only F/S Davis surviving, due to wearing his parachute when he was thrown clear in the explosion.  He fell from 21,000 feet to around 600 feet before he got his parachute open.  F/S Davis was captured and spent the next seventeen months as a POW, in Dulag Luft & Stalag IVB, escaping three times and being recaptured each time.  Eventually, as a habitual escapee, he was marched along with many others, through Poland, to Stalag 17, a secure facility on the Silesian Plateau near the Ukraine.

F/S GJ Davis - Pilot POW
Sgt EJ Roberts - Navigator KIA
Sgt RJ Seddon - Air Bomber KIA
Sgt H Morris - WOP/AG KIA
Sgt AR Bird - MU Gunner KIA
Sgt WDB O'Dea RAAF- Rear Gunner KIA
Sgt J Smethurst - Flight Engineer KIA

24-Dec-43 LL671 A2-B    Berlin       F/O Whitting        According to F/S Maloney, the only survivor, it is believed that F/O Whitting, the pilot, was killed during an attack on the aircraft. The aircraft crashed at Catheim, approx 10 miles North of Frankfurt. This location has been difficult to verify; however it is likely that LL671 was attacked by Ofw. Walter Mackens of 1./JG300 at 0250 hours or Oblt. Hans-Heinz Augenstein of 7./NJG1 at 0300 hours, both of these unidentified claims being in the Frankfurt area.  The crew were on their first operation.
Moloney JE POW Camp 4B POW N°269792 -

F/O KG Whitting RAAF - Pilot, KIA
F/S D Edwards - Navigator, KIA
F/S RW Basey - Air Bomber, KIA
Sgt WA Casey - WOP/AG, KIA
F/S JE Moloney - MU Gunner, POW
Sgt PAT Nelson - Rear Gunner, KIA
Sgt LF Rostock - Flight Engineer, KIA

29-Dec-43 DS821 JI-S     Berlin      F/O Greenburgh   DS821, JI-S had come under attack from a Ju88 near Meppen on the outbound leg. A prolonged exchange of fire between the two aircraft was followed by the enemy fighter firing a rocket projectile which exploded under the port wing of the Lancaster. F/O Greenburgh's strenuous efforts to corkscrew his way out of trouble paid dividends, and the Ju88 was shaken off, though petrol was now leaking from the damaged Lanc. Undeterred, F/O Greenburgh pressed on to the target and was on the return leg near the site of the first attack when the mid upper gunner, Sgt Carey, saw another Ju88 manoeuvring to attack them. Both gunners fired on the enemy aircraft with commendable , and under stable, enthusiasm whilst F/O Greenburgh once again threw the Lancaster into a corkscrew. The gunners saw a red glow in the centre of the Ju88's fuselage as it broke away, seemingly out of control. Three twin-engine night fighters were lost on the evening and it is possible that Sgt Carey and his rear turret colleague F/S Drake had accounted for one of these.

The defenders of the Reich had not yet finished with DS821 and her crew, however. Quarter of an hour later, by which time the stricken Lancaster, perilously short of fuel, was heading due West some 30km South of Texel, Ofw. Karl-Heinz Scherfling of 12./NJG1 in another Ju88 found and attacked the aircraft. Three times Ofw. Scherfling pressed home an attack but eventually F/O Greenburgh managed to make good his escape. The damage was done, however, and after managing to transmit a message to his base, Lou Greenburgh achieved his greatest feat of the night, and possibly of his life, by successfully ditching his Lancaster in pitch darkness in the North Sea. The crew was, remarkably, able to get out of DS821 and into a dinghy where they could only await whatever fate held in store.

At first light the following morning Wing Commander Arthur Samson refused to leave his crew without hope of rescue. Assembling a scratch crew he flew back along the return route and, seventy miles off the Norfolk coast, on the first leg of the search a Verey Light was seen and a dinghy in which there appeared to be six men was shortly afterwards sighted. This was kept in sight for three hours during which time other aircraft on Air/Sea Rescue duties appeared and remained on the scene. Finally a Rescue Launch appeared in the vicinity and was guided to the dinghy and all the occupants were taken on board. It was subsequently ascertained that the dinghy contained all seven of the crew of the Squadron aircraft which had ditched the previous night, and that none of them was injured. This is the first known case of a 'ditching' in the Squadron and the circumstances of the rescue 'caused great satisfaction'. The aircraft itself was observed still afloat, after nearly twelve hours in the sea.

This was not the last time F/O Greenburgh's exploits would feature in the annals of 514 Squadron history. Meanwhile Ofw. Scherfling, an experienced combatant for whom DS821 was the 26th victory, would be shot down himself on the night of 20th/21st July 1944 by a Mosquito nightfighter, losing his life.


DS821 still afloat 12 hours after ditching in the North Sea.  All seven crew were rescued.

14-Jan-44 LL679  A2-J    Brunswick  F/S Paul Mason RNZAF          LL679, A2-J, a ‘C’ Flight Lancaster, piloted by F/S Paul Mason RNZAF, was shot down at Lauenberg, near Dassel. Other 514 Sqn aircraft had bombed the target at around 1915hrs. The location of the loss suggests that LL679 would have been shot down between 1930hrs and 1935hrs. Hptm. Erhard Peters of 9./NJG3 claimed a Lancaster shot down at an unstated location at 1933hrs and this claim is the most likely match for the loss of LL679. There were no survivors from the crew, on their first operational sortie, who are buried in Hannover War Cemetery.

F/S PE Mason RNZAF – Pilot
F/S AE Dimock – Air Bomber
F/S JS Gallagher RNZAF – Navigator
F/S L Kell RNZAF – WOP/AG
Sgt EJ Oakley RCAF – MU Gunner
Sgt JW Hennis – Rear Gunner
Sgt RF Laishley – Flight Engineer

14-Jan-44 LL685  A2-G    Brunswick   S/L Ernest Sly DFC             Squadron Leader Ernest Sly, DFC, having worked hard to get 'C' Flight ready for the fray, was in LL685, A2-G. His Lancaster was intercepted on approach to the target at 1905 hrs by Hptm. Walter Barte of Stab III./NJG3 West of Bennebostel and shot down, crashing 800 metres W of Bennebostel, 5 km S of Celle, where all were buried on 15th Jan44.  S/L Sly was the highest ranking officer to be lost by the squadron.  They were subsequently reinterred in the Hannover War Cemetery.  P/O Harvey had won an immediate DFM while serving with 149 Sqdn, the citation gazetted 16 Mar 43 paid tribute to his devotion to duty despite having been wounded in the head.  The awards gained by P/O Thomas, F/O Sneddon and P/O Rosher, were gazetted 14May43, 9Jul43, and 11Jun43 respectively

S/L EF Sly DFC (Pilot)
F/O PF Boulter (Flight Engineer
F/O JL Martin RCAF – Navigator
P/O EH Thomas DFM RCAF – Bomb Aimer
P/O WL Harvey DFM RNZAF – WOP/AG
F/O JA Sneddon DFM RCAF – MU Gunner
P/O FG Rosher DFM - Rear Gunner

S/L Sly DFC was Flight Commander, ‘C’ Flight.

21-Jan-44 DS824 JI-K      Magdeburg   P/O John Williams        DS824, JI-K was flown by P/O John Williams who, along with three of his crew was on his second tour. They were over the Ijsselmeer on the return from the target when they were shot down by the Bf110 night-fighter flown by Oblt. (later Hptm.) Martin Drewes, a high-scoring ace with 11./NJG1.

P/O JK Williams (Pilot)
P/O DP Henshaw (Bomb Aimer)
Sgt LN Ricks (Navigator)
F/S WH Chapman (WOP/Air)
Sgt A Pratt (MU Gunner)
F/S EA Lane (Rear Gunner)
Sgt JR Koenen (Flight Engineer)

21-Jan-44 LL627 JI-U      Magdeburg    F/S Richard Bennett       Crashed in the Ijsselmeer. Lost in the same area as DS824, with the loss of the entire crew, possibly shot down by Ofw. Heinz Vinke at 0044 hrs or 0117 hrs. F/S Upton and Sgt Brettell are buried in Harlingen General Cemetery; the others are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

F/S RAJ Bennett RCAF (Pilot) KIA
Sgt WL Baker RCAF (Bomb Aimer) KIA
F/S TW Dodd RCAF (Navigator) KIA
F/S PW Upton (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt A Brettell (MU Gunner) KIA
W/O DJ Hughes (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt KA Lowery (Flight Engineer) KIA

21-Jan-44 LL672 A2-C     Magdeburg   F/L Bourke         At 2245 hrs, some 25 minutes before they were due over the target, F/L Joe Bourke, an RCAF pilot, and his crew aboard LL672, A2-C, were at 21000 feet above Perleberg when they had the misfortune to encounter a night fighter, believed to have been that of Hptm. Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (though other sources suggest that Ofw. Heinz Vinke might actually have been responsible). They were brought down with five of the crew managing to escape. Rear Gunner Sgt Albert Williston RCAF and Flight Engineer Sgt Peter McQueeney were less fortunate and lost their lives. The aristocratic pilot claimed five victims on this night but it ended as tragically for him as for his victims. Shot down, most likely in a final exchange of fire with Albert Williston and Sgt Les Brewer, his crew bailed out but the prince habitually declined to wear a parachute so was killed.

F/L JMJ Bourke RCAF (Pilot) POW
F/O ES Clare RCAF (Bomb Aimer) POW
Sgt SE Cuttler (Navigator) POW
Sgt RI Smith (WOP/Air) POW
Sgt J Brewer (MU Gunner) POW
Sgt A Williston RCAF (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt P McQueeney (Flight Engineer) KIA

21-Jan-44 LL680 A2-H     Magdeburg   P/O Vizer            Outbound at 21,000 feet LL680, A2-H was intercepted and shot down by an unidentified night fighter. As his aircraft disintegrated, P/O Victor Vizer, on his fifth operation, was thrown clear through the Perspex canopy and survived though badly injured. Once again it is likely that he was saved by wearing his parachute. There were no other survivors from the crew. Neither the location nor the time were recorded and there were numerous claims from night-fighter pilots for downed bombers on the outbound leg, so it has not been possible so far to identify which pilot may have been responsible.

P/O VHJ Vizer (Pilot) POW
Sgt ES Lowe (Navigator) KIA
Sgt. CJ McLaughlin (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt EJ Pitman (WOP/AG) KIA
Sgt JD Barker (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt LT Gardiner (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt K Foyle (Flight Engineer) KIA


27-Jan-44 LL674 A2-D     Berlin         F/S H Symmons  / F/S N Hall      The RAF Waterbeach ORB notes that F/S Symmonds was sick, and the aircraft was flown home by F/S Norman Hall who, fortuitously, was flying as ‘second dickie’. On landing LL672 overran the runway, coming to rest in a ditch with the wing obstructing the Ely road, fortunately without injury to the crew or passing motorists.

30-Jan-44 DS706 JI-G      Berlin         F/L Boyd          F/L George Boyd, 25 years old, had been awarded the DFC in 1942, whilst at 1651 CU which had been stationed at Waterbeach since January of that year. Whilst he was on only his third operation with 514 Sqn, his age, rank and the earlier award of the DFC suggests that he was on at least his second tour of operations. Had he survived it is likely that he would have become a flight commander when a vacancy arose. His aircraft, DS706, JI-G was lost without trace, probably one of three Lancasters shot down over the North Sea. One was shot down at 1910hrs approaching the Danish coast by Lt. Bruno Heilig, and two on the homeward leg by Lt. Guido Krupinski and Ofw. Heinz Vinke, both of 11./NJG1. The location of recovered aircrew casualties from all other aircraft indicates that DS706 is definitely one of those lost over the sea. There were no survivors amongst F/L Boyd’s crew.

F/L GK Boyd DFC (Pilot) KIA
Sgt LSJ Adkin (Navigator) KIA
F/S PD Martindale (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt J Downing (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt RAD Mirams (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt A Nicholson (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt PW Webb (Flight Engineer) KIA

30-Jan-44 DS735 JI-A       Berlin        F/L Chequer       F/L George Chequer who had been with the unit since its formation and who had got 514 Sqn airborne when he piloted DS735, JI-A on a test flight as described previously. He was flying the same aircraft when he and his crew were shot down at approximately 2030hrs approaching Berlin. The aircraft crashed in flames and the crew baled out. F/S Alex Robertson, the Rear Gunner, walked SW for five nights before being captured near Magdeburg. He stated that the aircraft had been hit by flak. However, the ‘second dickie’ pilot, A/F/S Gulliford, later stated that the aircraft was hit by upwardly-fired cannon shells which immediately ignited the petrol tank. He presumed, albeit after the event, that this was ‘shrage musik’, especially as he heard a shout from the rear gunner to corkscrew immediately beforehand. It has been suggested by unverified sources that DS735 was shot down by Obstlt. Gunther Radusch of Stab NJG5, who destroyed three Lancasters in the area between 2024hrs and 2030hrs.  F/L George Chequer, 22 years old and Sgt John O’Brien, MU gunner, 23 years old, baled out too low for their parachutes to deploy whilst Sgt Robert Montgomery, the WOP/AG also lost his life after landing in a lake and apparently drowning. They are now buried in Berlin War Cemetery. F/S Ken Mortimer, Navigator, was subsequently killed on 19/4/45 when Typhoons shot up a POW column near Boizenburg. F/S Robertson survived the war and was discharged from the RAAF as a Warrant Officer.

F/L GJ Chequer RCAF (Pilot) KIA
F/S K Mortimer (Navigator) POW
F/S EJ Wallington (Bomb Aimer) POW
Sgt R Montgomery (WOP/Air) KIA
F/S JL O'Brien RAAF (MU Gunner) KIA
F/S AJ Robertson RAAF (Rear Gunner) POW
Sgt J Carey (Flight Engineer) POW
F/S RL Gulliford (Second pilot) POW

19-Feb-44 DS736 A2-D      Leipzig      F/S Hall            Lost without trace.  All crew KIA and commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.  Probably a victim of unidentified night fighter.

F/S N Hall (Pilot) KIA
Sgt KL Cragg (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt JR Williams (Navigator) KIA
Sgt FR Lewis (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt WK Watkins (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt TS Woodford (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt AR Hodson (Flight Engineer) KIA

19-Feb-44 DS823 JI-M      Leipzig       F/S Walter Henry RCAF        DS823, JI-M along with the crew of F/S Walter Henry RCAF, was shot down at 0230 hrs en-route to the target, crashing on the SW edge of Grosses Moor, 11km north-west of Rahden. This was some distance south of the planned route and it is not known if the aircraft was off track when attacked or its combat and subsequent struggles took it away from the stream The only verified claim anywhere near where the Lancaster crashed was for an unidentified 4-engined aircraft by Lt. Hans Raum, the details given as ‘50 km SW of Hannover at 0241 hrs’. It is therefore considered that this is a possible cause of the loss of DS823. ‘Nachtjagdt War Diaries’ notes that Hptm. Erhard Peters claimed five Lancasters this evening, including one shot down at 0233 hrs but these were not verified as, the same night, Peters was killed when he was shot down in error by another night fighter. DS823’s crew members are buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery.

F/S W Henry RCAF (Pilot) KIA
F/S WS Ball (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt SW Ricketts (Navigator) KIA
Sgt FH Vallance (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt D Kenny (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt W Lannigan (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt AE Bennett (Flight Engineer) KIA


19-Feb-44 LL681 JI-J       Leipzig       F/L Kingwell      Lost without trace.  All crew KIA and commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Probably a victim of unidentified night fighter.

F/L LJ Kingwell (Pilot) KIA
Sgt WA Bates (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt GE Knight (Navigator) KIA
Sgt HM Whichelow (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt H Taylor (MU Gunner) KIA
W/O HS Fidge RAAF (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt DW Newbury (Flight Engineer) KIA
W/O JD Dodding (2nd Pilot) KIA

24-Feb-44 DS785 JI-D      Schweinfurt F/S Kay            DS785, JI-D which was part of the second wave crashed at 0114 hours at Heidingsfeld, near Würzburg. The cause remains unknown, but the aircraft was possibly another victim of Lt. Hans Raum, 9./NJG3, who claimed a 4-engined aircraft west of Würzburg. It is also possible that the aircraft was a victim of flak. There were no survivors from the crew of Sgt Alfred Kay, on their second sortie, who are buried in Dürnbach War Cemetery.

Crashed 0114 hrs at Heidingsfeld, near Würzburg. Cause of crash unknown, but possibly a victim of Lt. Hans Raum, 9./NJG3, who claimed a 4-engined aircraft West of Wurzburg; however it is equally possible that the aircraft was a victim of flak. All crew KIA and are buried in Dürnbach War Cemetery. This is believed to have been Sgt Kay's second sortie. 


F/S A Kay (Pilot) KIA
Sgt JHD Fenwick (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt JJ McKeown (Navigator) KIA
Sgt JP McCormick RCAF (WOP/Air) KIA
F/S BW Bargquist (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt R Harrison (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt EC Marchant (Flight Engineer) KIA

15-Mar-44 LL653 JI-E       Stuttgart    F/O Penkuri       F/O Kaiho ‘Tommy’ Penkuri RCAF and his crew were flying LL653, JI-E when they were shot down, probably by a night fighter flown by Hptm. Eckart-Wilhelm von Bonin, Stab II./NJG1. The aircraft exploded and crashed between Blondefontaine and Villars-le-Pautel with no survivors from the crew, who are buried in Villars-le-Pautel Communal Cemetery. The occupants of the aircraft included F/S Ken Drummond RNZAF who was on his first outing with the squadron, flying his ‘second dickie’ trip.

F/O K Penkuri RCAF (Pilot) KIA
F/S K Drummond RNZAF (2nd Pilot) KIA
W/O LA Wry RCAF (Navigator) KIA
Sgt DJ Kilner (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt TY Owen (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt KE Peake (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt WF Sutherland RCAF (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt G Cosgrove (Flight Engineer) KIA


22-Mar-44 DS815 JI-N      Frankfurt    F/L Cyril Nichol        On the return leg, F/L Cyril Nichol’s DS815, JI-N was intercepted at 0015 hours by a Bf110 night-fighter flown by Hptm. Ludwig ‘Luk’ Meister of 1./NJG4. Hptm. Meister opened fire, killing Wireless Operator F/S Arthur Elliott and injuring Bomb Aimer F/O Keith Deans. On fire and with port engines faltering, F/L Nichol skilfully landed the aircraft 400 metres west of la Californie (Pas de Calais). DS815 was the last aircraft lost by the Bomber Command force that night. Hptm. Meister, who was at that time one of the Luftwaffe’s leading aces, landed away from base and was flying his Bf110 back to his base the following day when he was shot down himself by an American fighter. He sustained significant injuries requiring lengthy recuperation, adding only one further victim to his tally before the war ended. 

F/L CW Nichol (Pilot) POW
Sgt PS Hoare (Navigator) POW
F/O KD Deans (Bomb Aimer) POW
F/S AJ Elliott (WOP/Air) KIA
F/S AV Jackson (MU Gunner) Evaded
Sgt GC Fearman (Rear Gunner) Evaded
Sgt F Townshend (Flight Engineer) POW

22-Mar-44 LL684 A2-B      Frankfurt    F/S Underwood At 2130 hrs, about 5 miles SE of Emmen in Holland, F/S John Underwood and his crew, on their fourth op, were shot down by Oblt. Heinz Rökker of 2./NJG2. The only survivors were the crew’s two Canadians, F/O WD McPhee, Bomb Aimer, and Sgt RC Sime, the mid-upper gunner, both of whom were captured.

F/S T JB Underwood (Pilot) KIA
F/O IJF Rich (Navigator) KIA
F/O WD McPhee RCAF (Bomb Aimer) POW
Sgt RJ Day (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt RC Sime RCAF (MU Gunner) POW
Sgt H John (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt AW Johnson (Flight Engineer) KIA

24-Mar-44 LL625 JI-C       Berlin         F/O John Laing          The experienced crew of F/O John Laing, were on their fifteenth op.  Their Lancaster LL625, JI-C crashed on homeward leg at Wörlitz, 12 km ENE of Dessau. There was intense fighter activity on the return leg with 57 losses as the bombers returned to base. There is no specific information about the loss of LL625 and many RAF aircraft were shot down by flak as well as the night fighter force. However, the Laing crew were lost away from the heaviest flak concentrations, and at a time when night fighter interceptions were at their height. Most 514 Sqn aircraft bombed at between 2230hrs and 2245hrs. There are claims for unidentified ‘4 motor’ aircraft shot down in the rough area of Dessau at around 2250hrs, which is a feasible time for the returning LL625 to have been in the vicinity. It is therefore quite possible that F/O John Laing’s crew was one of these. The most likely claim is that of Hptm. Heinz-Horst Hissbach of 5./NJG2 at 2250hrs, 20-50 km west of Berlin. The only survivor from the crew was F/S Ron McAllister RCAF, the mid upper gunner, who was taken prisoner.

F/O JR Laing (Pilot) KIA
Sgt A Vickers (Navigator) KIA
F/S J Knights (Bomb Aimer) KIA
F/S GE Scott (WOP/Air) KIA
F/S RB McAllister RCAF (MU Gunner) POW
Sgt CA Salt (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt PCK Bennett (Flight Engineer) KIA

30-Mar-44 LL738 JI-D       Nuremburg    P/O Garth Hughes     LL738, JI-D and the crew of P/O Garth Hughes RAAF were intercepted whilst holding course at 21000 feet near Sinzig, south of Cologne at about 0020hrs, possibly by Lt. Hans Raum. Their aircraft crashed at nearby Westum, with the loss of all on board other than the Bomb Aimer, W/O AD Hall RNZAF.

P/O GS Hughes RAAF (Pilot) KIA
W/O AD Hall RNZAF (Bomb Aimer) POW
F/S LS Smith RNZAF (Navigator) KIA
W/O CJ Goddard RAAF (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt GH Thornton (Rear Gunner) KIA
F/S LJH Whitbread (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt H West (Flight Engineer) KIA

30-Mar-44 LL698 A2-J       Nuremburg   F/S Gregory      LL698, A2-J flown by F/S Fred Gregory was lost on the outbound leg. The aircraft was brought down a by night-fighter, possibly that flown by Uffz. Lorenz Gerstmayr of 4./NJG3 at 0038 hours, near Oberpleis, 12 km ESE of Bonn. There was a single survivor from the crew, the navigator F/S CG MacDonald RCAF managing to escape the crashing aircraft but being captured on the ground.

F/S F Gregory (Pilot) KIA
F/S CG MacDonald RCAF (Navigator) POW
F/S JD McCreary RCAF (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt ER Pond (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt R Blyth (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt A Cook (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt R Frith (Flight Engineer) KIA


30-Mar-44 DS836 JI-L       Nuremburg  P/O Don Crombie     The crew had seen many of their colleagues in other aircraft falling victim to the rampaging night fighters, sometimes three or four being visible simultaneously. Whilst approaching the turning point on to final leg at 22,000 feet, the gunners, Sgt Claude Payne in the mid upper turret, and rear gunner Sgt Roy Hill, saw what they believed to be a Ju88 flying parallel to their own aircraft with its navigation lights on. They alerted P/O Crombie and aimed a short burst at the German aircraft, which turned its lights off. For the next half minute, calm was restored but suddenly there was a succession of loud bangs and the starboard inner engine caught fire. Despite Sgt Jim McGahey, the new Flight Engineer replacing Sgt Ben Le Neve Foster, trying to extinguish the flames, the fire could not be contained and indeed it was soon spreading towards the fuel tanks. P/O Crombie ordered the crew to bale out; F/O Harry Darby, the bomb aimer, heard Sgt Hill say he couldn’t free himself from the rear turret, but was unable to make his way the whole length of the Lancaster to try and help his comrade. As F/O Darby was right on top of the escape hatch in the nose, P/O Crombie ordered him to get out to allow access to freedom. F/O Darby and F/S Andy McPhee, the navigator, managed to get out of the aircraft but none of their five mates were able to join them. The Lanc was probably intercepted by the fighter flown by Lt. Wilhelm Seuss of 11./NJG5 at 0056 hours, coming down at Eichenhausen, in the Bad Neustadt district. The crew members who lost their lives are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. F/O Darby had, whilst at Waterbeach, submitted a design for a squadron crest in a competition held by the squadron commander. Whilst W/Cdr Samson, born in Newfoundland, had wanted the squadron emblem to be a caribou, he had magnanimously invited suggestions from the members of 514 Sqn. F/O Darby’s submission, a cloud pierced by a sword, symbolised the use of GH to allow the squadron to strike through clouds and this design was judged the winner. By the time this became known, however, F/O Darby was in captivity.

P/O DCC Crombie RAAF (Pilot) KIA
F/O HG Darby (Air Bomber) POW
F/S A McPhee (Navigator) POW
Sgt MJ Tyler (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt HR Hill (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt GC Payne (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt J McGahey (Flight Engineer) KIA

30-Mar-44 LL696 JI-A       Nuremburg   F/O Peter Hood        F/O Peter Hood was flying LL696, JI-A, the aircraft being shot down while on final leg to target. ‘Bomber Command Losses 1944’ (WR Chorley) states it is believed that this was by the Ju88 of Fw Emil Nonnenmacher, III./NJG2, crashing near Memmelsdorf’, which is 6.5 km NE of Bamberg. However, according to The Nachtjagd War Diaries (Dr. Theo Boiten) Fw. Nonnenmacher, who was actually with 9./NJG2, made no verified claim in that area. Lt. Achim Woeste, Stab III./NJG3 was credited with an unidentified 4-engined bomber in the Schesslitz area, 10 km NE of Bamberg at a time consistent with 514 Sqn. aircraft being in that area. It therefore more likely that LL696 was shot down by Lt. Woeste. Mid upper gunner Sgt Fraser MacKenzie was the sole casualty, the remainder of the crew being taken prisoner. The rear gunner, T/Sgt MG Lanthier, on attachment from the USAAF was apparently injured in the incident and was detained in hospital rather than a POW camp.

F/O PJK Hood (Pilot) POW
F/S HJ Cosgrove (Navigator) POW
F/O RJ Wilton (Air Bomber) POW
F/S VJ Rollings (WOP/Air) POW
Sgt CDF MacKenzie (MU Gunner) KIA
T/S M Lanthier USAAF (Rear Gunner) POW
Sgt HH Wickson (Flight Engineer) POW

30-Mar-44 LL645 JI-R       Nuremburg  P/O Chitty         LL645, JI-R was flown by P/O Walter Chitty and had dropped an 8000lb ‘blockbuster’ plus a few incendiaries for good measure. On return to base, they were baulked on finals by another Squadron aircraft and crash-landed two miles south west of Waterbeach while attempting a go around. The impact was severe and the main undercarriage was ripped away, with serious injuries to the crew along with two fatalities. The bomb aimer, Sgt Allen Pattison RCAF is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery whilst mid upper gunner Sgt Joseph Shepherd lies in Heywood Cemetery, Lancashire.

30-Mar-44 LL683 JI-P       Nuremburg  W/O McGown     W/O Bill McGown had brought his aircraft LL683, JI-P back to England but was instructed to divert to RAF Stradishall, but this airfield was fog bound. Subsequently, and after three crew members had baled out, a forced-landing was made in a field near Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire. W/O McGown’s report notes one injury, but no further details were given.

11-Apr-44 LL639 JI-R        Aachen        P/O Thackray  Shot down, probably at 2315 hours 10km West of Roermond, by a Bf110 flown by Uffz. Hans Fischer of 12/NJG1. Crew who were killed are buried at Heverlee War Cemetery.

P/O NW Thackray RAAF (Pilot) KIA
Sgt EL Humes (Navigator) POW
F/S JR Moulsdale RAAF (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt P Hughes (WOP/Air) KIA
F/S CH Henn RAAF (MU Gunner) KIA
F/S RE Bromley RAAF (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt CW Banfield (Flight Engineer) KIA

22-Apr-44 DS669 JI-C        Dusseldorf    F/S Harrison    Believed hit by flak or collided with DS828, crashing in target area at Ecke Rethel / Schubertstrasse. Crew buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, with the exception of Sgt Nash, who is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

F/S JD Harrison (Pilot) KIA
F/S E Wilde (Navigator) KIA
F/S PN Kirkpatrick RCAF (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt FD Nash (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt AG Buttling (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt W Wilson (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt RWD Norris (Flight Engineer) KIA

22-Apr-44 DS682 JI-N        Dusseldorf    F/O Morgan-Owen  

Crashed in the sea.  Circumstances not stated. An SOS message was received at 0256hrs giving position 5236N 0351E.  No night fighter claim is recorded so it is likely that the aircraft sustained damage earlier in the raid and failed to make it home.   Sgts Sadler and Tetley are buried in Sage War Cemetery, the rest of the crew are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

F/O J Morgan-Owen (Pilot) KIA
F/S AW Green (Navigator) KIA
F/O P Jacobson (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt E Gledhill (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt DA Tetley (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt S Hayward (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt P Sadler (Flight Engineer) KIA


22-Apr-44 DS828 JI-D        Dusseldorf    F/S Hudson     Believed to have been hit by flak, or possibly collided with DS669, crashing in the target area. Crew are buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, except F/S Hudson and W/O Rolph, who are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

F/S JG Hudson RNZAF (Pilot) KIA
F/S PM Constable (Navigator) KIA
Sgt G Goddard (Bomb Aimer) KIA
W/O HT Rolph (WOP/Air) KIA
F/S CA Campbell RCAF (MU Gunner) KIA
F/S WL Granbois RCAF (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt GR Jones (Flight Engineer) KIA

01-May-44 LL691 A2-D    Training        F/S Turner          Whilst on a training flight, crashed at 0015 hours in the English Channel off Dover. Crew commemorated on Runnymede Memorial.

F/S N Turner (Pilot) KIA
Sgt PF Whale (Navigator) KIA
Sgt A Whitehead (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt W Winkley (WOP/Air) KIA
W/O2 RF Easen RCAF (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt VG Childs (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt WH Lamond (Flight Engineer) KIA
AC1 G Robinson (Supernumerary crew) KIA

01-May-44 LL732 A2-H       Chambly      F/L Curtis    Shot down NW of Paris on the home leg by a night-fighter flown by Oblt. Jakob Schauss of 4./NJG4.   No survivors from crew.  The pilot had previously flown a tour on Hampdens with 144 Sqdn and was on the 17th trip of his second tour.  

F/L RJ Curtis DFM (Pilot) KIA
Sgt. SF Martin (Flight Engineer) KIA
F/O WLW Jones (Navigator) KIA
F/S BG Green (Bomb Aimer) KIA
F/S RS Cole (WOP/Air) KIA
F/O HC Bryant DFC (MU Gunner) KIA
W/O RFJC Hall (Rear Gunner) KIA

11-May-44 LL739 JI-M       Louvain         P/O Cunningham   Aircraft attacked by a FW 190, possibly flown by Ofw. Vinzenz Glessuebel while leaving the target area. LL739 crashed in Brussels area. Starboard inner engine caught fire which spread to entire wing. P/O Winterford was shot in the leg by German patrol who initially thought he was a saboteur. F/O Ramsey and Sgt Brown evaded for a while but were captured by the Gestapo. All crew members survived.

P/O AH Cunningham RNZAF (Pilot) POW
F/O RJ Ramsey (Navigator) POW
F/O R Brailsford (Bomb Aimer) Evaded
Sgt J Stone (WOP/Air) Evaded
Sgt S Brown (MU Gunner) POW
Sgt S Roberts (Rear Gunner) Evaded
P/O DA Winterford (Flight Engineer) POW

19-May-44 LL641 JI-K        Le Mans        F/S Shearing   Bomb load 4 x 1000 USA, 5 x 1000 MC, 1 x 1000 GP, 4 x 500 GP. Primary target: LE MANS. Bombed markers at 0030 hours from 7500 feet. 1 x 1000 MC hung up and was jettisoned safe in the English Channel near French Coast.   Aircraft crashed on return near Newmarket, cause unknown.  Bomb Aimer bailed out successfully and Rear Gunner was thrown clear, but sustained injuries. All remaining members of the crew were killed.


F/S EHJ Shearing (Pilot) KIA
F/S VH Tayton (Navigator) KIA
F/O J Peake RCAF (Bomb Aimer)
Sgt E Marshall (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt JL Masson RCAF (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt MH Smart RCAF (Rear Gunner) Inj.
Sgt AT Blunden (Flight Engineer) KIA


21-May-44 DS633 JI-B        Duisburg      F/S Gibson      Circumstances unclear but Squadron ORB states aircraft is believed to have crashed in The Wash. A fix was obtained at RAF Waterbeach at 0303 hours and the crew was ordered to jettison its bombs. Possibly shot down by the Me410 of Fw. Johann Trenke, who claimed three aircraft over Northern Norfolk between 0305 and 0322 hours. All crew KIA and recovered.

F/S TL Gibson (Pilot) KIA
Sgt AH Freeburn (Navigator) KIA
Sgt JL Dunbar (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt L Buxton (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt GH Kemp (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt J Gallagher (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt J Fraser (Flight Engineer) KIA

21-May-44 DS781 JI-R        Duisburg       Windsor Crashed in the North Sea all crew KIA. There are several claims by night-fighter crews for Lancasters shot down as they left the Dutch coast and it is most likely that DS781 fell victim to one of these.

P/O BW Windsor DFM RNZAF (Pilot) KIA
Sgt GK Woodward (Navigator) KIA
F/S WE Brown RCAF (Bomb Aimer) KIA
F/S RD Langford (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt EW Haigh (MU Gunner) (buried in Kiel) KIA
Sgt J Birch (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt FL Dolamore DFM (Flight Engineer) KIA

21-May-44 LL695 JI-A        Duisburg       F/S Medland  Shot down at 0138 hours by the night fighter (either Bf100 or Ju88G) of Hptm. Martin Drewes, Stab III./NJGI near Eindhoven.

F/S CJ Medland DFM (Pilot) POW
F/O D Walker (Navigator) evaded
F/S LJ Venus (Bomb Aimer) POW
Sgt L Shimmons (WOP/Air) evaded
Sgt CE Rose RCAF (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt BR Williams (Rear Gunner) KIA.
Sgt AR Sealtiel (Flight Engineer) KIA

27-May-44 LL652 JI-C        Aachen     F/L Taylor    Shot down by a night fighter and crashed at Schendelbeke, which is 21 miles south west of Brussels. The aircraft possibly fell victim at 0256 hours to Hptm. Hans-Karl Kamp of Stab.III/NJG4.

F/L LCA Taylor RAAF (Pilot) KIA
Sgt V Vincent (Navigator) KIA
F/S CK Thomas RAAF (Bomb Aimer) KIA
F/S SW Newman RAAF (WOP/Air) KIA
F/O FB Hill (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt R Gill (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt A Roderick (Flight Engineer) KIA


07-Jun-44 DS822 JI-T    Massy Palaiseau P/O McGown     Crashed at La Celle-les-Bordes, probably on their approach to the target.  The aircraft had bombed the target at 6000 feet and was climbing away when it was coned by searchlights and hit by flak.  The aircraft managed to leave the target area but was then attacked and shot down by a Bf110 night fight flown by the high-scoring Major Walter Borchers.  Maj. Borchers claimed 6 four-engined victims that night and was credited with three .  P/O McGown was shot at by German troops on the ground as he parachuted from the aircraft.  Sgt Clarke was betrayed by a Gestapo informer and held as a POW at Buchenwald Concentration Camp.  Along with another airman he was due to be executed by the SS, but his plight was referred to a Luftwaffe officer by a Wing Commander in the camp.  Sgt Clarke was claimed as a 'Luftwaffe prisoner' and  transferred to a Stalag Luft  camp.


P/O WL McGown (Pilot) Evaded
W/O AN Durham RAAF (Navigator) Evaded
P/O LWC Lewis (Bomb Aimer) POW
W/O KE Bryan RAAF (WOP/Air) KIA
F/S JGS Boanson (MU Gunner) KIA
F/S RC Guy (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt J Clarke (Flight Engineer) POW




The tail of DS822 lies in a French forest on 8th June 1944.  The crew members' bodies were located and buried by local people.  This was respected by the Germans.  The young boy is Francois Ydier, son of the Town Clerk.

07-Jun-44 LL727 A2-C   Massy Palaiseau Greenburgh Set on fire by a night fighter over the target area, the crew escaped from their attacker, received further flak damage before finally being shot down by the JU88 of Hptm. Herbert Lorenz of 1/NJG2 at 0255 hours. Crashed at St-Eusoye, 20 km NE of Beauvais.


F/O L Greenburgh (Pilot) Evaded
W/O LJW Sutton (2nd Pilot) Evaded
F/S R Fox (Navigator) Evaded
F/S EJ Rippingale (Air Bomber) Evaded
F/S J Stromberg (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt PJ Carey (MU Gunner) POW
Sgt RS Woosnam (Rear Gunner) POW
Sgt F Collingwood (Flight Engineer) POW

12-Jun-44 DS818 JI-Q      Gelsenkirchen P/O Duncliffe   Crashed at Nunspeet, Gelderland. Cause not stated. Possibly shot down by Hptm. Joachim Boehner, 2./NJG6 who claimed an unidentified 4-engine aircraft 20 km S of Deelen. Nunspeet is approx.. 50 km North of that location. Those who died are buried at Ermelo (Nunspeet) New General Cemetery.


P/O DA Duncliffe (Pilot) Evaded
F/S G Lewis (Navigator) KIA
Sgt GK Brown (WOP/Air) KIA
F/S HJ Bourne (Bomb Aimer) POW
Sgt KR Baker (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt WE Steger (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt PG Cooper (Flight Engineer) POW

12-Jun-44 LL678 A2-L      Gelsenkirchen P/O Delacour   According to www.lostaircraft.com, shot down by night-fighter of Oblt. Dietrich Schmidt, II/NJG1, crashing at 0124 hours at Zuid Loo, 3km SE of Bathmen, where those who died are buried in the general cemetery. However, Nachtjagd War Diaries credits Hptm Gerhard Friedrich, 1/NJG6, with shooting down LL678.


P/O HS Delacour RAAF (Pilot) KIA
F/O SA Phillips RCAF (2nd Pilot) KIA
F/O RG Picton (Navigator) KIA
F/S G Palamountain (Bomb Aimer) Evaded
Sgt AC Bentham (WOP/Air) KIA
F/S GD Savage (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt SF Williams RCAF (MU Gunner) Evaded

15-Jun-44 DS816 JI-O      Valenciennes   F/S Prowles    Shot down, probably at 0051 hours by Bf110 flown by Hptm Hubert Rauh of Stab II/|NJG4. Crashed at Croisilles (Pas de Calais) where those who died are buried in the British Cemetery.


F/S CF Prowles (Pilot) KIA
P/O AH Morrison RAAF (Navigator) Evaded
Sgt R Surtees (WOP/Air) KIA
F/S RB Spencer RAAF (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt AA Holmes (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt J Porrelli (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt HA Osborn (Flight Engineer) KIA

15-Jun-44 LL690 JI-J       Valenciennes   P/O Kingham    Shot down, probably at 0052 hours by a Bf 110 flown by Oblt. Peter Ehrhardt of 9/NJG5. The aircraft came down between Iwuy (Nord) and Rieux-en-Cambresis, 9 km from Cambrai.


P/O EA Kingham (Pilot) KIA
F/S RH Hutt (Navigator) KIA
F/S FR Spencer (Bomb Aimer) KIA
F/S B Bloom (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt FN Ansell (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt DG Davis RCAF (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt J Black (Flight Engineer) KIA

30-Jun-44 LL620 JI-T       Villers Bocage  P/O Woods     Seen to be hit by flak over target, which broke tail off. Aircraft seen to crash without survivors.


P/O DA Woods RAAF (Pilot) KIA
F/O P Longson (Navigator) KIA
F/S ET Shanks (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt KR Heron (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt WT Udell (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt HL Doherty (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt EC Coles (Flight Engineer) KIA

30-Jun-44 PB178 JI-P      Villers Bocage   F/S Hannesson  Collided with a Lancaster of 15 Sqn. and crashed at Pittsham Farm, near Midhurst, Sussex. The other aircraft apparently landed safely.


F/S JEK Hannesson RCAF (Pilot) Killed
F/S BG Lee RAAF (Navigator) Killed
Sgt TS Colbeck (Bomb Aimer) Survived
Sgt BA Brown (WOP/Air) Survived
Sgt AL George (MU Gunner) Killed
Sgt HJ Morgan (Rear Gunner) KIlled
Sgt KEA Fox (Flight Engineer) Killed

20-Jul-44 HK570 JI-P       Homberg        W/O Lassam        Shot down, possibly by either Hptm. Heinz-Martin Hadeball, 3./NGr.10 , or Hptm. Ernst-Wilhelm Modrow, 1./NJG1. HK570 crashed at 0159 in the sea off the Dutch coast (presumably on return leg as the squadron aircraft bombed between 0119hrs and 0125hrs).

W/O JL Lassam (Pilot) KIA
Sgt WC Taylor (Navigator) KIA
Sgt WJ Anthony (Bomb Aimer) KIA
F/S AR Hope (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt BH Cooper RCAF (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt DP Manchul RCAF (Rear Gunner) KIA
F/S EJ Hack (Flight Engineer) KIA

20-Jul-44 LM181 JI-E       Homberg        F/O McLean       Probably shot down by Fw. Klaus Moller, 12./NJG3, or Ofw. Heinrich Schmidt, 2./NJG6. LM181 crashed at 0122 in the target area. No further details.

F/O LW McLean RNZAF (Pilot) KIA
F/S AT Stone RNZAF (Navigator) KIA
F/S WS McIraith RNZAF (Bomb Aimer) KIA
F/S TK Durie RNZAF (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt M Duncan (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt RE Digby (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt GW Bumstead (Flight Engineer) KIA


20-Jul-44 ME858 JI-J       Homberg         F/O Millar          Shot down at 0114 hours by Uffz. Gustav Sarzio, 6./NJG1. The aircraft crashed at 0116hrs at Limburg (approaching the target).

F/O D Millar (Pilot) KIA
F/O DO Brown RCAF (Navigator) KIA
Sgt HM Glansford (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt GH Holt (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt WE Blore (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt HE Long (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt N Derham (Flight Engineer) KIA


20-Jul-44 HK571 JI-L       Homberg         P/O Anderson     Probably shot down by Hptm. Hermann Greiner, 11./NJG1, crashing at 0124 at Daubenspeckhof 1 km W of Moers (in target area).

P/O SM Anderson (Pilot) KIA
WO2 WOD Larmouth RCAF (Navigator) KIA
Sgt KE Rhodes RCAF (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt RP Whitehall (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt KA Jeffrey RCAF (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt CN Samson RCAF (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt A Wilson (Flight Engineer) KIA

24-Jul-44 PB185 A2-F      Stuttgart         F/O Middleton    Probably shot down at 0233 hours by Hptm. Paul Zorner of Stab III./NJG5 in the vicinity of Trier, returning from the target. All crew lost. Despite Sgt. Stafford being identified at the time he, along with the rest of the crew, are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, for aircrew with no known resting place.

F/O TJ Middleton (Pilot) KIA
F/O FK Beers RCAF (Navigator) KIA
F/O AG Burgess (Bomb Aimer) KIA
F/S TD Jones (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt ABE Booth (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt C Brown (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt RW Stafford (Flight Engineer) KIA

28-Jul-44 DS813 JI-N       Stuttgart         F/L Fowke        Crashed at Deinvillers, near St. Die, circumstances not known. Possibly shot down by Ofhr. Walter Swoboda, 2./NJG6, who claimed a Lancaster in the St. Die area at 0130 hours. F/L Chapman was Gunnery Leader.

F/L AF Fowke RCAF (Pilot) KIA
F/O JT Daly (Navigator) KIA
F/O RJ Bennett RCAF (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt SA Picton (WOP/Air) KIA
F/L HCA Chapman (MU Gunner) KIA
F/O GR Murphy (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt HG Carter (Flight Engineer) KIA

28-Jul-44 LL692 A2-C      Stuttgart         F/L Campbell      The first aircraft to be shot down that night, LL692 was brought down at 0001 hours by the JU88 G1 4R+AK flown by Lt. Johannes Strassner of 2./NJG2. The location was 4 km. East of Chateaudun. F/L Campbell and most of his crew fortunately survived and their tale is told in a short film produced by his son.

F/L EA Campbell RCAF (Pilot) evaded
F/S EF Garland RCAF (Navigator) evaded
F/O JE Chapman RCAF (Bomb Aimer) evaded
Sgt AR Lyons (WOP/Air) evaded
F/S ER Jones (MU Gunner) evaded
F/S SA Harvey (Rear Gunner) evaded
Sgt WA Donaldson (Flight Engineer) evaded

28-Jul-44 LM206 JI-C      Stuttgart         F/O Jones       Shot down by a JU88 flown by Oblt. Heinz Roekker of 2./NJG2 at 0117 hours, 7 km NW of Neufchateau, en route to target.

F/O R Jones (Pilot) KIA
Sgt GF Robinson (Navigator) POW
F/O KH Loder (Bomb Aimer) KIA
F/S FS Jones(WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt R Lane (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt AR Braine (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt TH Harvell (Flight Engineer) evaded

30-Jul-44 LL733 JI-S       Caen               F/L Chitty          Lost without trace with all crew. A 75 Sqn. Lancaster, HK558, AA-D, was seen to crash in the sea after colliding with another Lancaster. It is possible that LL733 was the other aircraft, its own loss being unobserved.

F/L WE Chitty RAAF (Pilot) KIA
W/O LA Ding (Navigator) KIA
F/O WS Bonell RCAF (Bomb Aimer) KIA
F/S JE Richardson (WOP/AG) KIA
F/S EW Jenner (MU Gunner) KIA
F/S GC Wells (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt CM Guy Flight Engineer) KIA

Note: F/L Chitty and Sgt Guy had survived an earlier crash returning from Nuremburg on 30/31st March 1944. Sgt. Charles M. Guy was the twin brother of Sgt. Robert C. Guy, killed in action June 8th, 1944 when DS 822 of 514 Squadron was shot down over France.

03-Aug-44 LL716 A2-G    Bois de Cassan  F/O Topham        This was the only aircraft lost on the Bois de-Casson raid. It had just bombed the target when it was hit by at least one bomb, which passed through the aircraft’s wing. The pilot, F/O John Topham, managed to crash-land successfully, the aircraft coming down at about 1410 hours, some 10km South of Beaumont (Oise). F/S Dennehy was flying as mid-under gunner, a role unique to the Mk.II Lancs.

F/O JB Topham (Pilot) evaded.
F/O S Baxter (Navigator) POW
F/S JR McClenaghan (Air Bomber) POW
F/S H Gilmore (WOP/Air) POW
F/S FW Dennehy (Air Gunner) evaded
Sgt J Scully (MU Gunner) POW
WO2 WE Egri RCAF (Rear Gunner) POW.
Sgt JD Reid (Flight Engineer) POW

12-Aug-44 LM180 JI-G    Russelsheim     F/S Lawrie          Shot down at 0130hrs by night-fighter, probably flown by Uffz. Hermann Moeckel of 2./NJG4. This was Moeckel’s only victim in his career as a night fighter pilot. He was himself shot down by an Allied night fighter on 29-30/12 1944, surviving as a POW F/S John Lawrie sacrificed his life by remaining at the controls in order to allow his crew escape.

F/S J Lawrie RNZAF (Pilot) KIA
F/S DR Orth RAAF (Navigator) Evaded
Sgt MJ Carter (Bomb Aimer) Evaded
Sgt EG Durland (WOP/Air) Evaded
F/S LR Burford RAAF (MU Gunner) Evaded
F/S RC Chester-Masters RAAF (Rear Gunner) Evaded
Sgt TD Young (Flight Engineer) Evaded

12-Aug-44 LM265 JI-E     Russelsheim      F/S Richardson   Cause not stated. The aircraft crashed at 0030 hours on the 13th August, in the village of Engegstadt, about 10 miles south west of Mainz, Germany. Possibly shot down by Lt. Otto Teschner, 11./NJG1, who claimed a 4-engine aircraft at 0030 hours in the Bad Kreuznach area, which is the appropriate vicinity.

F/S E Richardson (Pilot) KIA
P/O HF Roome RAAF (2nd Pilot) KIA
F/S WJ McIntosh (Navigator) KIA
Sgt GH Trigwell (Bomb Aimer) KIA
F/S CB Robertshaw (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt LD Vince (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt PR Smith (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt GM Holt (Flight Engineer) POW

26-Aug-44 LL728 A2-L     Kiel                 F/O Hebditch      Shot down by night-fighter of Fw. Gottfried Schneider, 1./NJG3, crashing near Kleve at 2345hrs, 10 km SSE of Friedrichstadt. LL728, one of three successes for Fw. Schneider that night, was lost on its return from the target area.

F/O FF Hebditch (Pilot) KIA
Sgt CG Washington (Navigator) KIA
F/O KS Robinson (Bomb Aimer) POW
W/O JP Edwards (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt CA Clarke (MU Gunner) KIA
F/O SE Jones (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt JR Plant (Flight Engineer) KIA


29-Aug-44 PB143 JI-B     Stettin            Charlton       Shot down at 0012 hours en route to the target, by Oblt. Fritz Brandt of Stab II./NJG3. PB143 crashed into the sea off the village of Estruplund, Denmark. There were no survivors amongst the crew.

F/S TT Charlton (Pilot) KIA
Sgt N Stevens (Navigator) KIA
Sgt KM Goodman (Bomb Aimer) KIA
F/O RF Dell RCAF (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt PT Delvin (MU Gunner) KIA
F/O WE Gibbs (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt RW Pomroy (Flight Engineer) KIA

08-Sep-44 LL677 A2-E     Le Havre         F/O Don Beaton          Severely damaged by flak. Crash-landed at Tangmere.

11-Sep-44 DS787 A2-G    Kamen            W/O Thornton       Crashed at 1842 hours onto a road at Lerche, 5 km from the centre of Kamen. This was the only aircraft lost on the Kamen raid and it is believed to have been hit by a bomb from another aircraft.

W/O RJ Thornton RNZAF (Pilot) KIA
F/O PB Bailey (Navigator) KIA
Sgt GA Hubbard (Air Bomber) KIA
W/O JW Hall (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt CL Robison RCAF (MU Gunner) POW
F/S DR Burns (Rear Gunner) POW
Sgt GF Good (Flight Engineer) POW

12-Sep-44 LL731 JI-U     Frankfurt         F/O Brickwood     Shot down by Lt. Fred Hromadnik of 9./NJG4, LL731 crashed at 2330 hours at Kordel 8km NW of Trier.

F/O WD Brickwood (Pilot) KIA
F/S KV Stafford RNZAF(Navigator) KIA
F/S RJ Rigden (Air Bomber) POW
F/S RS Collender RNZAF(WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt WP Blake (MU Gunner) KIA
P/O JS Lupton RAAF (Rear Gunner) KIA
P/O CO Turner (Flight Engineer) POW

20-Sep-44 LM277 JI-F    Calais               F/O Arkless          JI-F was the only aircraft lost on the Calais raid, which involved 646 aircraft in total. It is clear that this was the aircraft reported to have crashed into the sea off Calais. It is not clear from the description in the ORB (above) whether JI-F was in fact hit by flak or bombs from another aircraft. Sadly there were no survivors from the crew.

F/O LN Arkless (Pilot) KIA
F/O L Partington (Navigator) KIA
F/O AJD Teece (Air Bomber) KIA
Sgt TE Jones (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt J Harman (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt RDD Shields (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt AH White (Flight Engineer) KIA

07-Oct-44 LM735 A2-G   Emmerich        F/S Gilchrist         No crash site is given but the bodies of six of the crew were recovered and lie in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, suggesting that the aircraft came down in the vicinity of the target. Three other Lancasters were also lost in the target area, at least one to flak and another to incendiaries from another aircraft. It is considered most likely that LM735 was hit either by flak or by ‘friendly’ bombs. There is no record of hostile fighter activity on this daylight operation. Sgt. Sheehy who has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

F/S T Gilchrist (Pilot) KIA
W/O GJ Manlow (Navigator) KIA
Sgt T Fenwick (Air Bomber) KIA
F/S S McLean RAAF (WOP/AG) KIA
Sgt PJ Sheehy (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt BL Roberts (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt HR Knight (Flight Engineer) KIA

20-Nov-44 LM286 A2-F    Homberg         F/O Harland          Aircraft crashed in the target area, possibly as a result of being struck by bombs. There is an uncorroborated suggestion that the aircraft exploded over the target (probably as mentioned by F/L Currie) The crew were all KIA.

F/O JHG Harland (Pilot) KIA
F/Sgt RI Gray (Navigator) KIA
F/O TGH Adams RNZAF (Bomb Aimer) KIA
W/O MG George (WOP/AG) KIA
Sgt SD Lucas (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt G Slocombe -(Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt R McK Paterson (Flight Engineer) KIA

21-Nov-44 LM684 JI-C     Homberg         F/O Limbert          Aircraft seen to explode as the aircraft approached the target. It is most likely that it was hit by Flak, for which Homberg was notorious. There were no survivors from the crew.  Witnessed by F/L Harry Yates in 'Luck and a Lancaster'.

F/O RF Limbert (Pilot) KIA
F/O HL Hallam (Navigator) KIA
F/O ARL Lundie (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt. D Bolton (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt. AI Prescott (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt. C Stepney (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt. R Scott (Flight Engineer) KIA

21-Nov-44 NG121 JI-H     Homberg        F/O Tolley        Hit by flak on aproach to target. Crash landed near Antwerpen. Rear gunner bailed out and became POW, rest of crew returned to base.  Witnessed by F/L Harry Yates in 'Luck and a Lancaster'.

21-Nov-44 PD265 JI-G      Homberg         F/O France      Approaching the target the aircraft was hit by Flak, probably in the tail as the aircraft became uncontrollable. It also started a fire in at least one engine and causing injury to most of the crew. F/O France was subsequently unclear about how he escaped, and could only conclude that he was thrown clear when the aircraft broke up. He remembered bracing his feet on the instrument panel whilst attempting to pull the aircraft out of its dive. Fortunately he was wearing his parachute, though he sustained an injury which necessitated the amputation of his leg. He spent the rest of the war as a POW, left the RAF and was ordained as a clergyman. Navigator F/O Frederick Eisberg also managed to escape from the aircraft and became a POW as well. After his release he wrote to the family of Sgt. Peter Gosnold, the Flight Engineer, explaining what had happened and apologising for not having been able to save the other crew members, but everything had happened very quickly. PD265 crashed into the waterway that surrounds the Guildhall at Moers, on the run in to the target. Those of the crew who lost their lives are buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, in a communal grave with members of the crew of JI-C, shot down at the same time.  Witnessed by F/L Harry Yates in 'Luck and a Lancaster'.

F/O GC France (Pilot) POW
F/O FJ Eisberg (Navigator) POW
F/O KH Barker RCAF (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt. RWI Harding (WOP/Air) KIA
F/O P Slater (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt. RP Coles (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt. PA Gosnold (Flight Engineer) KIA

11-Dec-44 NG350 JI-C     Osterfeld        F/O Hill       Hit by Flak and fell into a built up area of Sterkrade, destroying several houses. Sadly none of the crew survived. Sgts Balman and Bowen were 19 years old.

F/O E Hill (Pilot) KIA
F/O E Cowells (Navigator) KIA
F/S F Guest (Bomb Aimer) KIA
Sgt C Atter (WOP/AG) KIA
Sgt JH Balman (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt AG Bowen (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt TA Readman (Flight Engineer) KIA

16-Jan-45 PB906 JI-B      Wanne-Eickel   F/O Orr          Lost without trace. All crew commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.


F/O GD Orr (Pilot) KIA
F/S J Bryson (Navigator) KIA
F/S TF Wilcox (Air Bomber) KIA
Sgt A McGlone (WOP/Air) KIA
F/S HE Bishop (MU Gunner) KIA
F/S G Spencer (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt R Werrill (Flight Engineer) KIA
F/O ML Matkin RCAF (Second pilot) KIA

02-Feb-45 NN772 A2-C    Wiesbaden     F/O McLean      The aircraft was hit by flak, just after releasing its bomb load. The aircraft came down at Springen, 6km W of Bad Schwalbach. Casualties are now buried at Durnbach War Cemetery.  This was the third op for the crew.   Sgt Arthur Blackshaw, the Wireless Operator, parachuted from the aircraft but was captured and murdered by Heinriche Hanke who was himself convicted of the war crime and hanged.  A detailed account of the last minutes of NN772 was recorded by Squadron Commander, W/C PLB Morgan as follows:

‘On the night of the 2nd/3rd February 1945, the above named officer was detailed as pilot and captain of a four engined heavy bomber to attack Wiesbaden.

The target was a heavily defended one, and just after the bombs had been released there was a loud explosion in the aircraft. Flying Officer McLean was then heard to ask the Flight Engineer if the starboard inner engine had been hit. He got no reply but almost immediately he himself confirmed that it was the starboard inner engine and that it was now out of action. At this moment the Mid-Upper Gunner saw that the starboard inner engine was on fire.

The air bomber, who was down in the bomb aimer's position when the explosion occurred, then came up to see if he could give any assistance. At this moment, a large piece of white-hot metal came into the aircraft and lodged between the pilot's feet just aft of the rudder bar. The Air Bomber attempted to remove this with the aid of a flying jacket, but was unable to do so. Seeing this, Flying Officer McLean ordered the crew to carry out the emergency procedure for abandoning the aircraft.

Flying Officer McLean continued to control the aircraft in spite of the white hot metal, which by now was quickly setting fire to everything in its vicinity, including Flying Officer McLean's boots and clothing.

Just prior to leaving his turret, the Mid-Upper Gunner saw that the whole of the front part of the aircraft was on fire but the aircraft was still being kept steady which enabled him to reach the emergency exit and abandon the aircraft.

The Air Bomber, on his way to the emergency exit, noticed the Flight Engineer lying on the floor, apparently wounded or killed, so he called for a parachute pack, which he fastened to the Flight Engineer's harness. The pilot then told them to get out quickly. The Air Bomber then noticed that Flying Officer McLean was enveloped from head to foot in flames and that the whole cockpit was on fire. He then received a blow to the stomach and fell out of the aircraft.

The Air Bomber and the Mid-Upper Gunner were the only two survivors of the crew but they undoubtedly owe their lives to the outstanding bravery of the captain, Flying Officer McLean, who remained at the controls in order to steady the aircraft sufficiently to let his crew abandon it, completely disregarding his own safety and enduring what must have been extreme agony. Had he chosen, Flying Officer McLean was in a position to save himself but, crippled as the aircraft was, it is unlikely that any other members of the crew would have survived.

By his action, Flying Officer McLean set the highest example for outstanding bravery and courage, sacrificing his own life in attempting to save the lives of his crew and comrades.

It is very strongly recommended that this outstanding example of heroism be recognized by the posthumous award of the Victoria Cross to Flying Officer W.E. McLean.’
F/O McLean RCAF received a Mention in Despatches.

F/O WE McLean RCAF (Pilot) KIA
Sgt NM Nightingale (Navigator) KIA
Sgt SW Moore (Air Bomber) POW
Sgt AT Blackshaw (WOP/AG) Murdered
Sgt GHS Berridge (MU Gunner) POW
Sgt W Harvey (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt FG Maunder (Flight Engineer) KIA

03-Feb-45 LM685 A2-B    Dortmund       F/O Fisher      Nachtjagd War Diaries states ‘Two Lancasters, HK688 (AP-W of 186 Sqn.) and LM685, were lost during the run up to the target, probably to the Flak, in combination with the searchlights’ though the same source notes that the aircraft was possibly shot down by Maj. Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer of Stab NJG4. There were no survivors from the crew, who are buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

F/O WJK Fisher RCAF (Pilot) KIA
F/O AQ Downward RCAF (Navigator KIA
F/O DE Stephens RCAF (Air Bomber) KIA
F/S R Hardy RAAF (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt AR McWhinney RCAF (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt AH Morrison RCAF (Rear Gunner) KIA
F/S WB Warr (Flight Engineer) KIA

05-Mar-45 NN775 A2-F Gelsenkirchen    F/O Kerr           No survivors from crew when aircraft crashed at Bunsbeek, province of Brabant, Belgium. Circumstances of loss not stated but most likely due to flak damage as no fighter activity was noted on this daylight raid. Crew members are buried at Heverlee War Cemetery, 30 km from Brussels.

F/O HGS Kerr (Pilot) KIA
F/S S Smith (Navigator) KIA
F/O F Clarke (Air Bomber) KIA
F/S A Olsen RAAF (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt CG Hogg (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt HP Thomas (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt W Marsden (Flight Engineer) KIA

06-Mar-45 ME365 JI-T     Salzbergen      F/O Flack       Seen to explode over target at 1204 hours. No survivors from the crew who are buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

F/O L Flack RCAF (Pilot) KIA
F/O RA Young RCAF (Navigator) KIA
F/S RA Wall (Air Bomber) KIA
F/S PF O’Donohue RAAF (WOP/Air) KIA
Sgt A Reilly (MU Gunner) KIA
Sgt D Heeley (Rear Gunner) KIA
Sgt JW Watson (Flight Engineer) KIA

22-Apr-45 LM285 JI-A      Bremen          F/O Abel            Bombed Primary Target. BREMEN. Bomb load 1 x 4000 HC and 2 x 500 MC, 14 x 500 ANM 64. Bombed on leading aircraft ‘M’ 514 at 1842 from 19,000. Structural damage at Wilhelmshaven. Rear turret damaged. Port wing petrol tank holed. Hole in fuselage. Starboard wing damaged. A/C Cat: A1. Sustained damage at Wilhelmshaven on outward journey and further damage on the run up to the target. Port inner engine feathered. A/c finally crash landed near Venlo, due to loss of control about 1930 hours on 22.4.45. Crew returned Waterbeach evening 25th April 1945. (Aircraft was escorted by JI-D and JI-N).


09-May-45 RF230            Juvincourt      F/L Beaton         Took off from Juvincourt with 24 POWs and six crew. Soon after becoming airborne the pilot reported he was experiencing trouble with the controls and was returning to Juvincourt. RF230 crashed at 1230 hours one mile ESE of Roye Amy, killing all on board. All buried in Clichy New Communal Cemetery.  This was possibly the highest loss of life in any Lancaster crash.

F/L D Beaton DSO (Pilot) Killed
F/O RB Hilchey RCAF (Navigator) Killed
F/S JG Brittain (W. Operator) Killed
F/S RH Toms RCAF (MU Gunner) Killed
F/S OC Evers RCAF (Rear Gunner) Killed
F/S A McMurrugh (Flight Engineer) Killed
Capt RW Wheeler Killed
Lt PATWB Campbell Killed
Lt ETT Snowdon Killed
Sgt RA Adams Killed
Cpl EL Belshaw Killed
Cpl AG Thompson Killed
LCpl GW Franks Killed
Fus H Cummings Killed
Fus O Parkin Killed
Gdsmn JA Roe Killed
Gnr AJS Crowe Killed
Gnr AN Labotske SAA Killed
Pnr WL Lindheimer PAL Killed
Pnr M Maschit PAL Killed
Pte T Anderson Killed
Pte WL Ball Killed
Pte SJ Bayston Killed
Pte RA Betton Killed
Pte RE Clark Killed
Pte W Croston Killed
Pte R Danson Killed
Pte R Turnbull Killed
Pte P Yates Killed
Rfn TJ Edwards Killed