Date:	Friday 17 December 1943
Time:	00:50
Type:	Avro Lancaster Mk III
Owner/operator:	405 (Vancouver) Sqn RCAF
Registration:	JB481
MSN:	LQ-R
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 7
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Near RAF station Marham, north of Swaffham, Norfolk. -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Gransden Lodge
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Aircraft took off at 16h37 on 16 December 1943 from RAF Station Gransden Lodge on a bombing mission to Berlin. It ran out of fuel in bad weather and fog on return and crashed at 00h50 on 17 December 1943 near RAF station Marham, Norfolk.

Crew:
Pilot: J/9419 F/O E.B. Drew (RCAF) – Seriously injured
Navigator: 425183 F/Sgt V. Mienert (RAAF) - Killed
Bomb Aimer: R/130592 F/Sgt H.M. Saunders (RCAF) - Killed
Flight Engineer: 997720 Sgt W. Corrigan (RAFVR) – Killed
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner: R/99045 WO2 W.L. Dobson (RCAF) - Killed
Air Gunner: R/198740 Sgt H.R. Bessent (RCAF) - Killed
Air Gunner: R/151941 Sgt L.A. McCrea (RCAF) - Safe

Archives Canada
The National Archives UK
405 Sqn wartime records from RCAF historical archives
RCAF losses 1943
Personnel files of the deceased RCAF personnel
CASPIR
Veterans Affairs Canada
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
https://aircrewremembered.com/AlliedLossesIncidents/?q=JB481&qand=&exc1=&exc2=&search_only=&search_type=exact/
https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=JB481
http://wartimeheritage.com/whaww2rcaf1/whaww2rcaf1_bessent_henry_roberts.htm
https://raf-pathfinders.com/black-thursday-405-squadron/405-squadron-the-bessent-twins-and-black-thursday/

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
01-Jul-2025 08:58	tachel	Added
01-Jul-2025 12:24	tachel	Updated [Source, ]
01-Jul-2025 12:41	tachel	Updated [Narrative, ]