Date:	Saturday 14 July 1945
Time:	day
Type:	Avro Lancaster B.I
Owner/operator:	460 Squadron, RAAF
Registration:	NG404
MSN:	AR-H
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 6
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	off Gainsthrope Road, Kirton-in-Linsey, Lincolnshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF East Kirby, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:	RAF East Kirby, Lincolnshire

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B.Mk.1 NG404/AR-H 460 Squadron, RAAF: Written off (destroyed) 14 July 1945 when crashed off Gainthrope Road, Kirton-in-Linsey, Lincolnshire. Three of the six crew on board were killed, three survived.

On Saturday 14th July 1945 the bomber and crew had been deployed on a Fighter Affiliation Exercise, dropping a round of six phosphorous marker bombs over designated targets. Unknown to the crew, a seventh armed bomb, which had inadvertently been left in the bomb rack from a previous sortie, exploded as the plane flew over North Lincolnshire during its return to base. The explosion immediately killed W/O Kevin Quinn (bomb aimer) and P/O Carl Johnson (flight engineer), both aged 22.

With the aircraft now ablaze, orders were given to abandon the aircraft as it proceeded to descend over Brigg, Lincolnshire; 55854 Flight Sergeant Roy J, Rogers bailed out. His parachute deployed correctly, but he landed in a water filled brick clay pit known as Graham's pond, adjacent to this site. As he came down, he was seen waving to teenagers swimming in the river. Despite valiant rescue attempts by brothers Tom and Chris Graham, and Mr Briggs a local Brigg bank manager, who were on site at the same time, tragically Flight Sergeant Roy J. Rogers drowned in the pond hampered by his parachute harness and a sodden flying suit.

As the exercise had not been conducted over water, the wearing of 'Mae West' life jackets were not required. The remaining crew members on board were seen to bail out over the Hibaldstow area and survived. Blazing fiercely the Lancaster broke up and crashed close by the cement workings near Manton. Each member of the crew had been on at least 20 operational missions over enemy territory without mishap. Flight Sergeant Roy J Rogers is the only recorded death of a serviceman on active duty in Brigg during WWII. The remains of Rogers, Quinn and Johnson are buried in the Commonwealth War Grave section of Cambridge City Cemetery.

Crew of Lancaster B.1 NG404 (all of 460 Squadron, RAAF)
Flt/Lt Murray Caunter Nottle RAAF (Pilot) - Safe (survived)
Pilot Officer Carl Edwin Johnson RAAF (Service Number: 433171, Flight Engineer aged 22) - Son of Carl Ellis Johnson and Catherine May Johnson of Randwick, New South Wales, Australia. Killed on active service 14 July 1945, buried at Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire.
Flying Officer William James Morrow RAAF (Navigator, aged 23) - Safe (survived)
Warrant Officer Kevin Bernard Quinn RAAF (Service Number: 430318, Air Bomber aged 22) - Son of Thomas James Quinn and Eileen Olivia Quinn of South Yarra, Victoria, Australia. Killed on active service 14 July 1945, buried at Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire.
Flight Sergeant Ronald Keith Sloan RAAF (Wireless Operator aged 22) - Safe (survived)
Flight Sergeant Roy John Rogers RAAF (Service Number: 55854, Air Gunner, aged 23) - Son of Charles John and Selina Rogers of Yarra Junction, Victoria, Australia. Killed on active service 14 July 1945, buried at Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire.

In May 2018, a plaque in memory of Flight Sergeant Rogers was unveiled at the Harrison's Hideaway Cafe at Smithy's Pond by Brigg town mayor Sharon Riggall. The ceremony was attended by Hillary and Walter Graham, who laid a floral posy. Mr Graham is the son of Tom Graham, one of the men who tried to save Flight Sergeant Rogers.

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents:
2. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985 p 108)
3. https://www.northlincsweb.net/RAFElshamWolds/html/14th_july_1945_-_460_sqn-_raf_binbrook_-_lancaster_-_ng404_-_tra.html
4. 460 Squadron RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) Operations Record Book for the period 1 January to 31 October 1945: File AIR 27/1910 at the National Archives at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2504552
5. IWM: https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/110295
6. Scunthorpe Telegraph 21 May 2018: https://www.scunthorpetelegraph.co.uk/news/local-news/airman-who-drowned-brigg-pond-1541808
7. https://gordonstooke.com/460squadron/aircraft_record.htm
8. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2651239/carl-edwin-johnson/
9. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2651478/kevin-bernard-quinn/
10. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2651513/roy-john-rogers/
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._460_Squadron_RAAF#World_War_II
12. https://www.harrisonshideaway.co.uk/
13. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4536087
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manton,_Lincolnshire
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_East_Kirkby

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
14-Jan-2025 18:03	Dr. John Smith	Added