Date:	Monday 21 May 1945
Time:	day
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk I
Owner/operator:	100 Squadron, RAF
Registration:	LL952
MSN:	HW-W2
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	5 miles East of Donna Nook Bombing Range, The Wash -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Elsham Wolds, Elsham, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B Mk. I LL952/HW-W2, 100 Squadron: Written off (destroyed) 21 May 1945 when crashed into The Wash, 5 miles East of the Donna Nook Bombing Range at approximate coordinates 53.47472°N, 0.22394°E.

The Lancaster had taken off from RAF Elsham Wolds, Elsham, Lincolnshire for a bombing and gunnery training excercise. The wreckage was never found, so the reasons for the crash were never discovered. All seven crew on board were killed:

Crew of Lancaster LL952
Sergeant Ivor John Calverley (1814318) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant Murray Alexander Chalmers (431488) (Navigator)
Sergeant Phillip Gapper (1853287) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flight Sergeant William Peter Gibson (1800407) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Mervyn Peter Jones (153077) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant James Wilfred Montague (1802239) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Frederick Augustus Padmore (1837441) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)

Of the seven crew members lost, two bodies were recovered and other five crew members have no known grave and their names are commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing, Runnymede, Surrey, UK.only the bodies of Flight Sergeant Murray Chambers and Sergeant Frederick Padmore were ever recovered. The bodies of Flight Sergeant Murray Chambers was recovered for burial at Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridge, United Kingdom, and Sgt Frederick Padmore was recovered for burial at Brynithel Cemetery, Aberbeeg, Blaenau Gwent, Wales, United Kingdom

1. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985)
2. 100 Squadron Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 to 31 May 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/798/10 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8385105
3. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/LL972-LL977/mobile/index.html
4. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/May/prt1/1.html
5. Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
6. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32378671/murray-alexander-chalmers
7. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/173803803/frederick_augustus-padmore
8. https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/103923/
9. Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
10. Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
11. National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/7/1004
12. https://aviationmuseumwa.org.au/afcraaf-roll/chalmers-murray-alexander-431488/
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Nook_Air_Weapons_Range#Second_World_War
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._100_Squadron_RAF#Second_World_War
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Elsham_Wolds

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
25-Feb-2025 22:17	Dr. John Smith	Added