Date:	Friday 17 August 1945
Time:	day
Type:	Avro Lancaster Mk I
Owner/operator:	35 (Madras Presidency) Sqn RAF
Registration:	PB754
MSN:	TL-C
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Bari, Bari, Apulia -   Italy
Phase:	Standing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Bari, Bari, Apulia, Italy
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B Mk. I PB754/TL-C of 35 (Madras Presidency) Sqn RAF was being utilised on an "Operation Dodge" sortie to RAF Bari, Bari, Apulia, Italy commencing on 15th August 1945. "Operation Dodge" was the large-scale repatriation of British and Allied PoWs from Italy and the Middle East to the UK.

The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Shortly after it was due to take off from Bari on 17th August 1945, aircraft PB754, which had flown there on 15th August 1945, was badly damaged whilst picketed, by another aircraft which swung badly on take-off. The aircraft, which fortunately was unoccupied at the time, was severed midway along the fuselage”

The AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) shows “Aircraft parked near runway with engine stopped and no crew aboard was collided with and severely damaged by Lancaster HK798 (of 115 Squadron, RAF) which swung off runway on take-off”. Some sources state that Lancaster ME834 (also of 115 Squadron, RAF_ was also involved in this incident

The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows that the aircraft was struck off charge when with 35 Squadron on the same day as the incident.

Brief History of Lancaster PB754
10/11/1944: Issued to 467 Squadron, RAAF as PO-N
29/06/1945: 635 Squadron RAF Downham Market, Norfolk as F2-N
30/06/1945 Transferred to 35 (Madras Presidency) Squadron, RAF Graveley, Huntingdon, as TL-C
16/08/1945 Damage in training incident as per the above
17/08/1945 Struck Off Charge to Repair (Not Repaired); classified as GACE (Ground Accident Cat. E)

1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
2. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985)
3. 35 Squadron RAF Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 January to 31 December 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/382 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2503017
4. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.80): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/PB737-PB837/mobile/index.html
5. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/August/1.html
6. https://35squadron.wordpress.com/2017/09/30/lancaster-pb754-17081945/
7. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=PB754
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._35_Squadron_RAF#World_War_II
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bari_Karol_Wojty%C5%82a_Airport#History
.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Aug-2013 20:32	JINX	Added
04-Jun-2015 17:42	Angel dick one	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Departure airport, ]
20-Jan-2025 15:21	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ]
20-Jan-2025 15:23	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative, ]
20-Jan-2025 15:28	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative, ]
20-Jan-2025 17:54	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, ]