Date:	Tuesday 2 January 1945
Time:	10:03 LT
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk I
Owner/operator:	100 Squadron, RAF
Registration:	LL898
MSN:	HW-L
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	The Wash, off Holbeach Bombing Range, Gedney on The Wash, Lincolnshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Grimsby, Grimsby, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:	RAF Grimsby, Grimsby, Lincolnshire

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B. Mk. I LL898/HW-L, 100 Squadron RAF: Written off (destroyed) 2 January 1945. Aircraft Dived into the sea at 10:03hrs from 5,500 feet while carrying out bombing practice over The Wash. (Probably near the Holbeach Bombing Range, Gedney on The Wash, Lincolnshire). All six crew on board were killed.

Crew:-
Flying Officer Walter Stanley CAMERON (153621): killed on active service (NCO:1520936 Commission Gazetted : Tuesday 30 November, 1943)
Sergeant John DUBOIS (570597): killed on active service
Sergeant Peter SHARE (1867637): killed on active service
Sergeant George Horace THIRKETTLE (1160188): killed on active service
Flying Officer Reginald WARWICK (154741): killed on active service (NCO:1604668 Commission Gazetted : Tuesday 14 March, 1944)
Flight Lieutenant Verrell WEATHERLEY RNZAF (415804): killed on active service

All lie at the Runnymede Memorial, United Kingdom (51.437693 / -0.564745)

Brief History of Lancaster LL898:
Built by Armstrong-Whitworth at Baginton, Coventry to Contract Acft./239
30-03-1944: Delivered to 100 Squadron, RAF Grimsby as "HW-L"
27-04-1944: Sustained Cat. A(c) damage in operational service. ROS (Repaired on Site) by CWP (Contractors Working Party from A V Roe & Co Ltd., Lincoln
03-06-1944: Repairs completed, returned to 100 Squadron, RAF Grimsby as "HW-L"
02-01-1945: Cat. E(FA) destroyed in flying accident over The Wash as per the above
10-01-1945: Struck off charge as Cat. E(FA)

1. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985).
2. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database http://robdavistelford.co.uk/webspace/raf_bc
3. The Hornet's Nest: A History of 100 Squadron Royal Air Force: 1917-1994 by Arthur White.
4. https://www.bcar.org.uk/new1945-incident-logs#feb
5. 100 Squadron Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 January to 31 December 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/798/2 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8385097
6. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/LL866-LL921/mobile/index.html
7. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/January/prt1/1.html
8. https://www.100squadronassociation.org.uk/contact-us/
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._100_Squadron_RAF#Second_World_War
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holbeach_Air_Weapons_Range
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wash
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Grimsby

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Jan-2025 21:06	Dr. John Smith	Added
28-Jan-2025 21:14	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]
29-Jan-2025 21:29	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Source, Narrative, ]
05-Sep-2025 08:00	Rob Davis	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]