ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 158521
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| Date: | Thursday 29 June 1944 |
| Time: | 01:00 approx |
| Type: |  Avro Lancaster Mk III |
| Owner/operator: | 405 (Vancouver) Sqn RCAF |
| Registration: | PA980 |
| MSN: | LQ-E |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 7 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | one kilometre southeast of Cormontreuil, Marne département -
 France
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Gransden Lodge |
| Metz Railway Yards |
Metz Railway Yards
Took off from RAF Gransden Lodge at 23:02.
While at 12,000 feet, in the vicinity of Rheims, it was attacked from behind by a night fighter. The surviving crew reported that the centre section of the bomber was ablaze as it dived earthward. Records show that communication was maintained with the tail gunner after the attack but that there was none with Flt Sgt Moore who would have been closest to the damaged section of the airframe. The aircraft was abandoned by the five crew who survived, four of whom escaped and one of whom was captured. Witnesses saw the
aircraft crash into a slough three kilometres south east of Rheims near the village of Cormontreuil. It is thought to have exploded on or near to the ground and was then consumed by fire. Flt Sgt Moore and Sgt Shaw the tail gunner did not survive nor were their bodies ever found. Whatever remained of the aircraft was never recovered and is probably still buried in the marsh.
Possible claim by Maj Werner Hoffmann Stab I/NJG5 - area FF Willi (Fismes area TH):2,000m at 00:58.
(Nachtjagd Combat Archives 1933 Part 3 - Theo Boiten)
Crew
Pilot: J/85958 Plt Off Frank A Smitten RCAF - Evaded/Returned to UK 5th September 1944.
Flight Engineer: 1607735 Sgt Edgar Ernest Thorn - Evaded/Returned to UK 5th September 1944.
Navigator: J/86072 Plt Off Elwood W Stringam RCAF - PoW/Stalag Luft 3 Sagan & Belaria/Milag-Marlag Nord Oflag L/PoW Number 6634.
Bomb Aimer: J/25740 Fg Off Leonard Raymond Stein RCAF - Evaded/Returned to UK 6th September 1944.
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner: R/172667 Flt Sgt James Wesley Shurvell RCAF - Evaded/Returned to UK 8th September 1944.
Mid Upper Gunner: R/197236 Flt Sgt George Edwin Moore RCAF - Runnymede Memorial Panel 255.
Rear Gunner: 1050043 Sgt John McDonald Shaw - Runnymede Memorial Panel 237.
Sources:
Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
RCAF archives
Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1944 part three
Google Maps
https://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=40
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 18-Aug-2013 08:22 | JINX | Added |
| 05-Nov-2014 16:50 | Unites | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 24-May-2015 20:27 | Z. Zeeland | Updated [Operator] |
| 15-Nov-2016 07:06 | Ken | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Country, Source, Narrative] |
| 15-Nov-2016 07:06 | Anon. | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Country, Source, Damage] |
| 13-May-2021 08:31 | Anon. | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative] |
| 04-Jun-2021 15:20 | TigerTimon | Updated [Time, Cn, Location, Phase, Source] |
| 18-Apr-2022 07:29 | Ron Averes | Updated [Damage] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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