Date:	Wednesday 11 April 1945
Time:	03:20
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk I
Owner/operator:	103 Squadron, RAF
Registration:	PA217
MSN:	PM-Z
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 7
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Sandtoft, North Lincolnshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Standing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Sandtoft, North Lincolnshire
Destination airport:	RAF Sandtoft, North Lincolnshire

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B Mk I PA217/PM-Z, 103 Squadron RAF Sandtoft, North Lincolnshire. Written off (destroyed) 11 April 1945 when returning from 'ops'. PA217 PM-Z took off from base (RAF Sandtoft) at 18:28 on 10 April 1945. Target: Railway Marshalling Yards at Plauen, Germany. Landed back at RAF Sandtoft at 03:11 local time.

The Lancaster was damaged at 03:20hrs local time (nine minutres later) at RAF Sandtoft after the aircraft had stopped on the runway. The Lancaster was halted at a point indicated by the ground traffic marshal, with the engines shut down, and several of the crew having already vacated the aircraft.

The pilot was just about to switch off the aircraft lights when Lancaster PA217 (PM-Z of 103 Sqaudron) was struck by taxying Lancaster RF193 (PM-G, also of 103 Squadron). As recorded in the 103 Squadron Operational Record Book for the period (see link #2): "...unfortunately while taxying Z/103, P/O CHANDLER and G/103 F/S BOKLASCHUK collided with the result that the rear gunner of Z/103, F/O MAYERS was killed"

As described, the pilot. PIlot Officer E D Chandler, and five of the crew were unhurt. However, the rear of Lancaster PA217 took the full force of the impact, and the Rear Gunner, Flying Officer Bernard Mayers sustained fatal injuries.

Crew of Lancaster PA217:
Pilot Flying Officer E D CHANDLER (172781) RAFVR
Navigator: Flight Lieutenant L. G. M. SELF RAFVR
Air Bomber Flying Officer W J GILLANDERS (J/39932) RCAF
Flight Engineer: Flight Sergeant R YARR RAFVR
W/Op: Sergeant S.J.J. ADAMS RAFVR
Air Gunner: Flight Sergeant F. F. DEGUGLIEMLO (R/202522) RCAF.
Air Gunner; Flying Officer Bernard MAYERS (175561) RAFVR. Killed - sole fatality. Buried in Grange-over-Sands Cemetery, Cumbria.

1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999.
2. Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War 1945 Page 139.
3. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
4. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985).
5. 103 Squadron Operational Record Book (Summary of Events for the period 1-31 April 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/817/8 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8385486
6. https://www.bcar.org.uk/new1945-incident-logs#apr
7. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=pa217
8. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/173773256/bernard-mayers
9. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2698813/bernard-mayers/
10. https://forum.rafcommands.com/forum/general-category/13781-103-squadron-taxying-collision-11-april-1945#post142904
11. https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/218295
12. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/
13. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/April/prt3/3.html
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._103_Squadron_RAF#World_War_II
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Sandtoft

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-Feb-2025 00:10	Dr. John Smith	Added
18-Feb-2025 01:32	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ]