Date:	Friday 9 February 1945
Time:	12:25 LT
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk III
Owner/operator:	83 Squadron, RAF
Registration:	NG453
MSN:	OL-M
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Other fatalities:	2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Standing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B. Mk. III NG453/OL-M, 83 Squadron RAF: Destroyed by fire at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire at 12:25 hrs on 9 February 1945 after a bomb fell from the bomb trolley of Lancaster NG453 OL-M and ignited. Three Lancasters were destroyed as a result of this incident: NG453/OL-M, PB470/OL-F and PB478/OL-E, all of 83 Squadron

As posted on the official RAF Coningsby website, in reference to the incident (see link #6):

"The following day, 9th February, death and destruction came to Coningsby. During the loading of bombs onto the Lancasters for the night’s operations, a bomb fell from its trolley and detonated under one of the aircraft. The explosion and ensuing fuel fire destroyed two Lancasters of 83 Squadron and badly damaged a third. Tragically, two of the station’s groundcrew, LAC Thomas Graves and AC2 Ronald Mures, who were close to the explosion, were both killed. They are buried in Coningsby cemetery. The Station Fire Party were subsequently commended for their actions in controlling and eventually quelling the fuel fire, in extremely dangerous circumstances with bombs all around".

The two lives lost as a result of this incident were Ground crew:

Casualties:
Ground Crew: Leading Aircraftman Thomas Brian Graves MiD RAFVR 1431510 [Killed]
Ground Crew: Aircraftman 2nd Class Ronald Albert Mures RAFVR 3045067 [Killed]

Both casualties lie in Coningsby Cemetery (53.099030 / -0.175973)

As far as is known, no aircrew were on board any of the three Lancasters destroyed at the time, so there were no aircrew fatalities.

1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft NA100-NZ999
2. Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War 1945 Page 74.
3. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
4. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain 1985)
5. https://www.bcar.org.uk/new1945-incident-logs#feb
6. https://www.memorialflightclub.com/blog/raf-coningsby-february-1945/
7. 83 Squadron Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 to 28 February 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/690/3 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8454753
8. RAF Coningsby Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 January 1944 to 31 October 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR29/854/1 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7161789
9. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.80): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/PB474-PB560/mobile/index.html
10. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/NG392-NG503/mobile/index.html
11. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2417213/thomas-brian-graves/
12. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2417224/ronald-albert-mures/
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._83_Squadron_RAF#Reinstatement_and_Second_World_War
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Coningsby#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-Feb-2025 23:32	Dr. John Smith	Added