Date:	Friday 15 June 1945
Time:	day
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk III
Owner/operator:	630 Squadron, RAF
Registration:	PB344
MSN:	LE-R
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	North Sea, 120 miles ENE of Flamborough Head, North Yorkshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF East Kirby, Spilsby, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B Mk III PB344/LE-R, 630 Squadron RAF: Missing 15 June 1945 while disposing of incendiary bombs, believed ditched in the North Sea, 120 miles East North-East of Flamborough Head, North Yorkshire, England. Aircraft took off from RAF East Kirby, Spilsby, Lincolnshire, and did not return. All six crew members on board posted as missing, believed killed

Crew:
Pilot: F/O George Hamilton Cowan RAFVR 195174 [Killed]
Flight Sergeant David Porter Currie RAF 630648 [Killed]
Flight Sergeant James Porter RAFVR 1824774 [Killed]
Flight Sergeant Frederick Reynolds RAFVR 1211144 [Killed]
Flight Sergeant Jonah Rhodes RAFVR 1623206 [Killed]
Flight Sergeant Wilfred Ernest Smith RAFVR 1576922 [Killed]

All six crew members lost were commemorated at the Runnymede Memorial, United Kingdom

Brief history of Lancaster PB344
14-07-1944: Delivered to 630 Sqaudron, RAF East Kirby, Spilsby, Lincolnshire and became LE-R
16-02-1945; Repaired on site by CWP (Contractors Working Party) from A.V. Roe
28-02-1945: Returned to service with 630 Squadron, RAF East Kirby, Lincolnshire as LE-R
15-06-1945: Went missing over the North Sea on a sortie from RAF East Kirby, as per the above.
16-06-1945: Posted as FACE(m) - Flying Accident Cat. E (Missing)
12-07-1945: Formally Struck off charge

1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
2. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
3. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985)
4. 630 Squadron RAF Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 May to 31 July 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/2152/37 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8417559
5. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/PB306-PB406/mobile/index.html
6. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/June/1.html
7. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1085089/george-hamilton-cowan/
8. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/231675/david-porter-currie/
9. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1804534/james-porter/
10. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2940111/frederick-reynolds/
11. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2940129/jonah-rhodes/
12. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1807591/wilfred-ernest-smith/
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._630_Squadron_RAF
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_East_Kirkby

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
26-Aug-2013 16:59	JINX	Added
09-Oct-2018 04:54	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator, ]
19-Apr-2021 18:41	Currie David	Updated [Total occupants, ]
15-Jun-2022 06:47	Rob Davis	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]
29-May-2023 10:22	Nepa	Updated
19-Jan-2025 19:50	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ]
19-Jan-2025 19:58	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative, ]