Date:	Sunday 4 March 1945
Time:	00:29 LT
Type:	Avro Lancaster Mk III
Owner/operator:	12 Sqn RAF
Registration:	PB476
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Ulceby Cross, Near Alford, Lincolnshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Wickenby, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Lancaster B.Mk.III PB476 "PH-Y" of 12 Sqn., RAF. Shot down by intruder (believed to be Fw Heinz Koppe III./NJG2) during Operation "Gisela", a Luftwaffe night-fighter intruder mission, whilst on a training flight near Alford, Lincolnshire. All 7 crerw were KIA:

F/O N.A. Ansdell (pilot)
F/O A. Hunter (navigator)
F/O A.G. Heath (bomb aimer)
Sgt R.F.D. Schafer (Flight Engineer)
Sgt. R.O Parry (W/Op)
Sgt. A.R. Walker (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sgt. W. Mellor (Rear Gunner)

A memorial stone was placed at the crash site at Ulceby Cross on 4 March 1995, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the crash. See source 7 for details.

Ronald Frederick Douglas Shafer is buried in St. Paul’s Churchyard, Wokinham, Berkshire. See source 8. This source states that a second aircraft was also shot down while on a training flight on 4 March 1945.

1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
2. https://clickpress.com/releases/Detailed/266005cp.shtml
3. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/community/showthread.php?11572-ULCEBY-CROSS-Lancaster-%28PB476%29-Crash-Memorial]
4. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=8221&page=2
5. https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/18924/Memorial-Lancaster-Bomber-Ulceby-Cross.htm
6. http://www.626-squadron.co.uk/crews11.html
7. https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/20271
8. Undated booklet produced by St. Paul’s church, Wokingham giving information on those from the parish who lost their lives during the Second World War.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
27-Aug-2013 13:51	JINX	Added
28-Dec-2014 07:50	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
28-Dec-2014 07:50	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
19-Oct-2018 14:05	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]
03-Jun-2023 16:58	Richard	Updated [[Operator, Operator]]