Date:	Thursday 22 February 1945
Time:	overnight
Type:	Avro Lancaster Mk I
Owner/operator:	207 Sqn RAF
Registration:	PB814
MSN:	EM-T
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 7
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Missing In Action/Failed to Return: Target - Gravenhorst -   Germany
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Spilsby, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:	Mittelland Kanal at Gravenhorst, Germany

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B Mk. I PB814/EM-T, 207 Squadron, RAF: Missing in Action/Failed to Return from an operational combat sortie. Took off from RAF Spilsby, Lincolnshire at 16:53 hrs to attack the Mittelland Kanal at Gravenhorst. According to some sources, Lancaster PB814 exploded over the target area after taking a direct hit from flak/AAA

Six of the seven crew on board were posted as "missing" (killed in action). Those who died are buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

Crew:
Pilot: Flying Officer Terence Benedict Phelan RCAF J/17869 [Killed]
Flight Engineer: Sergeant Hector Winning RAFVR 1821317 [Killed]
Navigator: Pilot Officer Eric Grundy RAFVR 195679 [Killed] (NCO:1582223 Commission Gazetted: Tuesday 01 May, 1945)
Bomb Aimer: Pilot Officer Albert Alfred Oak RAFVR 191818 [Killed] (NCO:1399606 Commission Gazetted: Tuesday 03 April, 1945)
Wireless Operator : Sergeant Francis Crohane O'Shea RAFVR 1217980 [Killed]
Mid-Upper Gunner : Flight Sergeant Jim Boyce Davey RCAF R/224874 [Killed]
Rear Gunner: Sergeant J A Holmes RAF [Sole survivor - captured and became PoW]

Eric Grundy is remembered on a family grave. See 14.

1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
2. Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War 1945 Page 88.
3. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
4. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain 1985)
5. 207 Squadron Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 to 28 February 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/1236/11 at: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8393169
6. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/February/1.html
7. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/.
8. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=PB814
9. https://www.militaryhistories.co.uk/canal_raids/loss_details/loss_pb814
10. http://www.207squadron.rafinfo.org.uk/lancasters/207lancs_serial.htm
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._207_Squadron_RAF#Second_World_War
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Spilsby#Later_in_the_war
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mittelland_Canal
14. https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/92199

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
29-Aug-2013 02:21	JINX	Added
28-May-2016 16:49	Red Dragon	Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Country, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ]
01-Nov-2018 08:37	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Location, Operator, ]
26-Jan-2025 20:36	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ]
31-Jan-2025 14:54	Richard	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]