ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 234429
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| Date: | Wednesday 4 April 1945 |
| Time: | morning |
| Type: |  Avro Lancaster Mk III |
| Owner/operator: | 49 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | ME308 |
| MSN: | EA-F |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Nordhausen area - Thüringen -
 Germany
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Fulbeck, Lincolnshire |
Lancaster ME308 took off from RAF Fulbeck at 06:29 hours on 4 April 1945 to bomb
military barracks at Nordhausen, Thüringen. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take
off and it failed to return to base.
Five crew members are missing in action:
Pilot / F/O. A.E. Fischer AUS429457 RAAF / Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery
Flight Engineer / Sgt. D.G. Parbery 1579368 RAF / Runnymede Memorial; panel 276
Navigator / F/Sgt. H.R. Sproston 1803345 RAF / Runnymede Memorial; panel 273
Bomb Aimer / Sgt. G.H. Simmonds 1584983 RAF / Venray War Cemetery in the Netherlands; grave 7 F 3
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner / Sgt. F.F. Sinclair 1802884 RAF / Runnymede Memorial; panel 276
Air Gunner / F/Sgt. T.B. Moore 1836726 RAF / Runnymede Memorial; panel 272
Air Gunner / Sgt. F. Wright 1897971 RAF / Runnymede Memorial
A report has recently been obtained from WO Dennis Over, Rear Gunner on a 227 Squadron aircraft, flown by S/L Meagher, Flight Commander.
"On a daylight raid to Nordhausen we were several minutes from target with aircraft converging towards the target run up. There were clear conditions, no flak or fighters. I saw a Lancaster suddenly break in half, I believe forward of the mid upper turret. I was looking directly at the aircraft, it was flying straight and level and suddenly snapped in two. It was 500 yards low on my starboard quarter.
The two halves plunged vertically to the ground, no parachutes deployed, no fire or explosion. The forward part descended at an angle, the aft part dropped vertically. The aircraft broke up in a clear space between two clouds, we were both in that clear area for about ten seconds. As we were still two minutes to target, no aircraft were bombing at the time.
We logged the incident and gave details to the Intelligence Officer at de-brief. It was confirmed as being a 49 Squadron, it being the only loss.
A couple of years ago I read an article on the incident. I understand that the official records of the loss read 'believed to have been hit by a friendly bomb from another aircraft whilst in cloud'.
It definitely was not in cloud and no bombs had been released."
Sources:
SGLO database - https://verliesregister.studiegroepluchtoorlog.nl/ahome/lossregister/results?sglo=T5501L
https://www.49squadron.co.uk/personnel_index/detail/Wright_F
Google Maps
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Mar-2020 08:41 | TigerTimon | Added |
| 28-Jun-2022 10:54 | TigerTimon | Updated [Location, Phase, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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