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| Date: | Thursday 23 September 1943 |
| Time: | 23:07 LT |
| Type: |  Avro Lancaster Mk II |
| Owner/operator: | 426 (Thunderbird) Sqn RCAF |
| Registration: | DS714 |
| MSN: | OW-L |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | over Rheinland-Pfalz -
 Germany
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire |
Takeoff at 19:17 hrs (local time) for an operation against Mannheim in Baden-Württemberg.
On leaving the target, coned by searchlights and pounced upon by Oberleutnant Rudolf Hoffmann of the Stab II./JG 300, flying an Fw 190A from Rheine airfield.
Both gunners were wounded, crash-landed RAF Thorney Island (Sussex).
The damage was assessed as category B - beyond repair on site, i.e. repairable at a Maintenance Unit or at a contractor's works.
Crew:-
Pilot : Flight Lieutenant Leslie Neil McCraig RCAF J/14907
Flight Engineer : Sergeant G W Wooding RAF
Navigator : Flight Sergeant Robert James Orr RCAF
Bomb Aimer : Flight Sergeant Thomas James Preece RCAF
Wireless Operator : Sergeant Ronald Duncan Polson RCAF
Mid-Upper Gunner : Sergeant Gerald Ralph Ketcher DFM RAFVR 1890019 (Officer:168963 : Commission Gazetted Tuesday 15 February, 1944) [Injured]
Rear Gunner : Flight Sergeant Ernest Stewart Hawkes RCAF [Injured]
Most the crew were lated killed in Lancaster LL628, 20/21 January 1944.
Sources:
Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1943 part three
http://www.aircrewremembered.com/AlliedLossesIncidents/?q=DS714&qand=&exc1=&exc2=&search_only=&search_type=exact
Google Maps
http://ww2.dk/air/jagd/jg300.htm
Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database http://robdavistelford.co.uk/webspace/raf_bc
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Jun-2021 18:08 | TigerTimon | Added |
| 02-Jun-2025 06:27 | Rob Davis | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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