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| Date: | Tuesday 21 November 1944 |
| Time: | 21:00 |
| Type: |  Avro Lancaster Mk III |
| Owner/operator: | 49 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | PB354 |
| MSN: | EA-G |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | wooded area at Hörstel, Nordrhein-Westfalen -
 Germany
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Fulbeck, Lincolnshire |
21 November, 1944; GRAVENHORST (MITTELLAND CANAL): Whilst a 5 Group force of 123 Lancasters attacked the Dortmund-Ems Canal, 10 aircraft from 49 Squadron joined 128 other 5 Group Lancasters in bombing the Mittelland Canal at Gravenhorst.
The Main Force, led by 6 Mosquitoes arrived in the target area shortly before 21.00hrs. Orbiting the target, the Controller originally ordered the forces to stay at pre-briefed bombing heights, but at 20.58 hours, he then ordered the Main Force to attack from below the cloud base which was given as 4,000 feet. These instructions were subjected to severe jamming of W/T which caused much confusion. The controller next ordered the crews to bomb the southern red T.I's as planned. Consequently some crews bombed through cloud and others from below, with the markers being visible through the cloud layers. In the light of photo flashes, some 49 crews did obtain visual identification and despite the communication problems, the canal was successfully breached.
49 Squadron de-briefs show that the crew's of F/Lt Len Mellor (PB373), F/O Jock Galloway and F/O Carlyle (PB484) bombed below the clouds, whilst five other crews bombed red T.I's from above. This just left the two aircraft being flown by F/O Maul (PB354) and Grp/Cpt Weir (PB300).
Both Lancasters were engaged by light Flak of the 8./schwere Flak-Abteilung 301 and the 5./leichte Flak-Abteilung 747 at a height of 800 metres.
Lancaster PB354 (EA-G)
F/O E.C. Maul Pilot (Killed)
Sgt W. Cooper F/E (Killed)
Sgt S.D. Bolton NAV (Killed)
P/O I.G. Williams W/AG (Killed)
Sgt E. Battye A/G (Killed)
F/S A.L. Jackson B/A (Killed)
Sgt J. Houghton A/G (Killed)
Crew on their 12th operation. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary (22 November 2014) a memorial service was held in Gravenhorst to remember all those who died. See source 5.
Sources:
1. Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1944 part five
2. http://www.49squadron.co.uk/personnel_index/detail/Maul_EC
3. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
4. Google Maps
5. https://www.49squadron.co.uk/extras/gravenhorst
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 26-Aug-2013 16:59 | JINX | Added |
| 31-Dec-2014 00:57 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 06-Jun-2015 10:12 | Don Diego | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, ] |
| 09-Sep-2021 08:56 | TigerTimon | Updated [Date, Cn, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 09-Jun-2023 16:14 | Richard | Updated |
| 11-Jun-2023 09:16 | Richard | Updated |
| 15-Jun-2023 10:38 | Richard | Updated |
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