Date:	Sunday 4 March 1945
Time:	01:15
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk III
Owner/operator:	1651 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) RAF
Registration:	ND387
MSN:	BS-K
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 7
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	3 miles North of RAF Woolfox Lodge, Empingham, Leicestershire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Woolfox Lodge, Empingham, Leicestershire
Destination airport:	RAF Woolfox Lodge, Empingham, Leicestershire

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B. MK III ND387/BS-K of 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) RAF Woolfox Lodge, Empingham, Leicestershire. Destroyed in the early hours of 4 March 1945 when shot down by an enemy intruder aircraft three miles north of base. Six of the seven crew on board were killed; one bailed out and was injured in a 'hard' parachutre landing

Although lost on a training flight this aircraft - plus three other Lancasters - have been included in this file of operational losses since they were all shot down by enemy Intruders during Exercise Gisela and thus technically KIA (Killed In Action)

In early 1945 the Luffwaffe had lost air battle over German soil. However, the application of air power can result in local impacts. On the night of 3/4 March 1945 (the 2000th night of the war) approximately 200 Junkers JU88 night fighters were sent to follow the bombers back to England. This offensive action took the British defences by surprise and 20 bombers were shot down, including 5 training aircraft.

The 5 training aircraft had been on a diversion flight consisiting of 95 aircraft on a ‘diversionary’ sweep. This was a mock raid designed to deceive the German air defences and increase the mission success of the main force attack. Wikepedia catalogues the British and German losses (see link in references).

Two of the losses were 1651 Operational Conversion Unit’s (OCU) Lancasters flying from RAF Woolfox Lodge. So whilst still in training to become operational crews, they were shot down by a JU88 nightfighter.

Of the 2 crews of 7 men, there was only one survivor only Sgt J Thompson. Lancaster ND387 was shot down at 01:15hrs and crashed at Stretton and Lancaster JB699 was shot down at 01:35hrs and crashed near Cottesmore. It is clear that the RAF were not expecting the attack as RAF aircraft were flying with navigation lights on, until warnings were received over the radio. Also airfield lights were on and only doused when warning was received.

The conversion unit had 13 Lancasters on strength in March 1945 and to lose 2 crews within sight of the airfield must have been devastating to the unit. It is difficult to imagine the impact. The risk of being shot down on operations must have been known, but to see your fellow crews being shot down as they close the base circuit, must have been tough for those left behind.

In addition to the Woolfox casualties, 1654 OCU flying from RAF Wigsley, (Nottinghamshire) lost 2 Lancasters (losing 8 killed out of 14 crew) and 1664 OCU flying from RAF Dishforth (Yorkshire) lost 1 Lancaster and all 7 crew were killed.

The Woolfox casualties were buried at various cemeteries, 6 in Cambridge City Cemetery, others in Scotland and Bradford. It is not known where the 2 New Zealanders and the Australian from the crews are buried.

Crew of Lancaster ND987
Sergeant Albert William DARLING (1399727) Flight Engineer: Commemorated Barking (Rippleside) Cemetery, Barking, Essex, United Kingdom
Flight Sergeant Augustus HOWARD (1600185) Pilot: Commemorated Marlow Cemetery, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
Flying Officer Kenneth Charles MILLAR (55408) Air Bomber: Commemorated Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Sergeant Walter James PULLAN (1283964) Navigator: Commemorated Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Sergeant Alexander William (Sandy) TAYLOR (2255216) Air Gunner: Commemorated Alyth Cemetery, United Kingdom
Flight Sergeant Robert Bruce WILSON (427358) Wireless Op: Commemorated Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Sergeant J Thompson Air Gunner: Sole survivor - parachuted safely from the Lancaster, but sustained injuries in a 'hard' landing with the ground.

1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft NA100-NZ999.
2. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database.
3. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain 1985).
4. Bomber Command Losses 1945 V6 by W R Chorley.
5. Bomber Command Losses Heavy Conversion Units V8 by W R Chorley.
6. Bomber Command War Diaries by Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt.
7. Wings over Rutland by John Rennison.
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Gisela
9. https://www.bcar.org.uk/new1945-incident-logs#mar
10. http://www.rafnorthluffenhamheritage.me.uk/?p=421
11. https://forum.rafcommands.com/forum/general-category/21897-lancaster-nd387-looking-for-crash-reports#post207535
12. 1651 HCU RAF Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 January 1942 to 31 July 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR29/612/3 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7160901
13. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/ND384-ND441/mobile/index.html
14. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/March/prt1/2.html
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_conversion_units_of_the_Royal_Air_Force
16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Woolfox_Lodge

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
10-Feb-2025 15:01	Dr. John Smith	Added