Accident Lancaster I ED330, Thursday 18 February 1943
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Date:Thursday 18 February 1943
Time:20:46/48
Type:Silhouette image of generic LANC model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Lancaster I
Owner/operator:207 Squadron
Registration: ED330
MSN: EM-F
Fatalities:Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 7
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:Crashed into the mud flats of the Jade 2.5km North East of Hooksiel -   Germany
Phase: Combat
Nature:Military
Departure airport:RAF Langar
Destination airport:Wilhelmshaven
Narrative:
Wilhelmshaven
Took off from RAF Langar at 18:28.
Coned in searchlights and hit by heavy Flak of the floating Flak Battery “Arkona” and Marine Flak Abt 282 Battery Horumersiel and crashed into the mud flats of the Jade 2.5km North East of Hooksiel at 20:46/48. (Officially credited as two seperate victories to the II Marine Flak Brigade as victories 65 & 66. According to to post war testimonies from the solo survivor Plt Off Burney (PoW) and a farmer in Crildumersiel, who spoke to soldiers of a nearby searchlight unit. This aircraft was lost after a collision with 106 Squadron Lancaster I R5750 ZN-).
Plt Off Burney captured on 18 February 1943 at Wilhelmshaven
Crew
Pilot: NZ/413373 Sgt Norman Clive Beer RNZAF - Sage War Cemetery Plot 8 Row B Collective Grave 4-6.
Flight Engineer: 536350 Sgt Walter Gordon Gawthorpe - Sage War Cemetery Plot 4 Row B Grave 4.
Navigator: 126014 Plt Off Charles Douglas Ernest Burney - PoW/Dulag Luft Frankfurt/Oflag XXIB Szubin/Stalag Luft 3 Sagan & Belaria/Stalag IIIA Luckenwalde/PoW Number 246. Escape attempts - Two unsuccessful tunnels at Sagan.
Bomb Aimer: 1283890 Sgt Harold John West - Runnymede Memorial Panel 169.
Wireless Operator: 1286788 Sgt William Harding - Runnymede Memorial Panel 152.
Mid Upper Gunner: 1345473 Sgt James Logan Whyte - Runnymede Memorial Panel 169.
Rear Gunner: 1216233 Sgt Joseph Smurthwaite - Runnymede Memorial Panel 165.

Sources:

Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1943 Part 1 - Theo Boiten
CWGC
Bomber Command Losses 1943 - W R Chorley
PoW Questionnaire

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
09-Apr-2025 08:12 Anon. Added

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