Date:	Sunday 4 March 1945
Time:	01:10
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk I
Owner/operator:	12 Squadron RAF
Registration:	ME323
MSN:	PH-P
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Between East Stockwith and Blyton, near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Wickenby, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B Mk. I ME323/PH-P, 12 Squadron, RAF: Crashed and destroyed 01:10hrs on 4 March 1945 between Stockwith and Blyton (two villages 3 miles North West and North East respectively from Gainsborough in Lincolnshire). Along with a number of other Lancasters, this aircraft was shot down by a Junkers Ju88 intruder night fighter over UK territory during 'Operation Gisela"

All seven crew on board were killed - five Australian and two British. The five Australians were buried in the Cambridge City Cemetery and the other two were taken to their home towns.

Crew of Lancaster ME323
Flight Sergeant Alan CRYER (436545) RAAF: Commemorated Cambridge City Cemetery, United Kingdom
Flight Sergeant George Edward DAVIS (437781) RAAF: Commemorated Cambridge City Cemetery, United Kingdom
Flight Sergeant Ronald Leslie HORSTMANN (429960) RAAF: Commemorated Cambridge City Cemetery, United Kingdom
Flight Sergeant Thomas McCAFFRAY (1343393) RAFVR Flight Engineer: Commemorated Vale of Leven (Or Bonhill) Cemetery, United Kingdom
Flight Sergeant Walter Noel PRIDMORE (429832) RAAF: Commemorated Cambridge City Cemetery, United Kingdom
Pilot Officer Arthur Glyndwr THOMAS (56400) RAFVR Pilot: Commemorated Port Talbot (Holy Cross) Churchyard, United Kingdom
Flight Sergeant Alexander Harold WESTON (419718) RAAF: Commemorated Cambridge City Cemetery, United Kingdom

A memorial plaque to the crew of Lancaster ME323 was erected adjacent to the War Memorial at Back Street, East Stockwith, West Lindsey, Lincolnshire DN21 3DL (see photo below)

1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft MA100-MZ999.
2. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database.
3. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain 1985).
4. https://www.bcar.org.uk/new1945-incident-logs#mar
5. 12 Squadron RAF Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 to 31 March 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/169/6 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8408325
6. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/ME295-ME379/mobile/index.html
7. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/March/prt1/2.html
8. https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/124902/
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Gisela
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._12_Squadron_RAF#The_World_Wars
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Wickenby.
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Stockwith

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
10-Feb-2025 15:39	Dr. John Smith	Added
17-Feb-2025 19:33	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]