ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 159106
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| Date: | Monday 12 March 1945 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Avro Lancaster Mk III |
| Owner/operator: | 460 Sqn RAAF |
| Registration: | PB187 |
| MSN: | AR-E |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 7 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Duisburg-Meiderich -
 Germany
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Binbrook |
Mission to Dortmund.
460 SQUADRON RAAF, WORLD WAR 2 FATALITIES
Date of Death : 12 March 1945
Source: AWM 64 (1/295) AWM 237 (63) (64) NAA : A705, 166/6/1005
Aircraft Type: Lancaster III
Serial number:PB 187
Radio call sign: AR – E
Unit: 460 Sqn RAAF
Summary: Lancaster PB187 took off from RAF Binbrook at 1255 hours on 12 March 1945 to carry out a daylight raid on Dortmund, Germany. Bomb load 1 x 4000lb and 16 x 500lb bombs. Twenty aircraft from the squadron took part in the raid and PB187 failed to return.
Crew:-
Pilot : Pilot Officer George Leonard Burgess RAAF Aus/423053 [Killed]
Flight Engineer : Flight Sergeant Peter Charles Sweetman RAFVR 1398175 [Killed]
Navigator : Flight Sergeant Derek Arthur Little RAFVR 1802092 [Killed]
Bomb Aimer : Flight Sergeant John Derrick Bryant RAAF Aus/418625 [Killed]
Wireless Operator : Sergeant Kenneth Grundy RAFVR 1892367 [Killed]
Mid-Upper Gunner : Sergeant Philip John Brown RAFVR 2225786 [Killed]
Rear Gunner : Sergeant Edmund Donald Grant RAF
Post war it was established that the aircraft crashed at Duisberg-Meiderich and that six of the crew were killed with Sgt Grant (Rear Gunner) becoming a POW. Sgt Grant later reported “ We turned on to the bombing run and when ready to release the bombs at 20,000 feet we were hit twice close to the nose. I do not know the extent of the damage being in the rear of the aircraft. The Skipper informed us that the Bomb Aimer (Flt Sgt Bryant) was killed instantly and asked if any other crew was wounded. The Engineer said he was wounded and he fell unconscious on top of the forward escape hatch. The Skipper then asked the navigator for a course to the nearest emergency landing field in Allied hands about 20 minutes away. The Skipper asked the Mid Upper Gunner and WOP to see what they could do for the engineer, and also try and release the bombs. The Mid Upper Gunner went forward and found that bombs would not release. He then tried to put a parachute on the engineer and bale him out. The Skipper told the rest of the crew to come forward and bale out as soon as everything was clear. I came forward and could see the navigator destroying his maps and equipment while waiting his turn to jump. By this time I had no intercom. The WOP who was on intercom told me to go aft and jump from the rear exit. He followed me down. The Mid Upper Gunner was still trying to get the engineer out. I opened the rear escape hatch and baled out at about 5,000 feet, which was just above the tops of the cloud. I went straight into the cloud and when I came out of the cloud after opening my chute, I could not see or hear the plane and did not see it again. About one quarter of a mile away I saw another crew member going down pretty fast with a large rent in his chute. I never saw him again. I landed and estimated I was about 2 miles east of the Rhine near Duisberg. German guards took me prisoner. They told me that all the crew were killed. I did not see them again. I was later liberated by Allied troops.” The six crew members who lost their lives are buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Cleves, Germany
Sources:
Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
RAAF Bomber Losses 460 Sqdn - Author : Alan Storr
Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 31 March 1944 | ND738 | 460 Sqn RAAF | 7 | Ermreuth, Neunkirchen am Brand, Bayern | |
w/o |
| 24 December 1944 | PB255 | 460 Sqn RAAF | 7 | Oostelbeers, Noord-Brabant |  |
w/o |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 25-Aug-2013 17:24 | JINX | Added |
| 04-Jun-2015 07:58 | INV | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 30-May-2016 04:13 | Red Dragon | Updated [Cn, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Country, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 29-Jun-2018 06:53 | ehren69 | Updated [Location, Destination airport] |
| 12-Mar-2024 08:36 | Rob Davis | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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