ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 159077
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| Date: | Friday 2 March 1945 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Avro Lancaster Mk III |
| Owner/operator: | 625 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | PB158 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 7 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Stotzheim, near, south west of Cologne (Köln) (NRW) -
 Germany
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Kelstern, Lincolnshire |
On the 2nd March 1945, Lancaster PB158 "CF-G" (named "The Green Goddess") of 625 Sqn, RAF, took off from RAF Kelstern, Lincolnshire, at 07:30 hours to bomb Cologne, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base.
Crew:-
Pilot : Flying Officer Thomas Neville Downes RAAF Aus/434453 [Killed]
Flight Engineer : Pilot Officer Robert Blackley RAF 189176 (NCO:1898720 : Commission Gazetted Tuesday 27 February, 1945)
Navigator : Flying Officer Lawrie Edmund Murray RAAF Aus/428162 [Killed]
Bomb Aimer : Flying Officer A J Bloy RAAF
Wireless Operator : Flight Sergeant Kenneth Thomas Brown RAAF Aus/428620 [Killed]
Mid-Upper Gunner : Sergeant Albert John Sayers RAFVR 962804 [Killed]
Rear Gunner : Flight Sergeant Walter William Foy RAAF Aus/29904 [Killed]
The aircraft exploded in the air. Six of the crew were killed and F/O Bloy was a POW. Those killed are buried in the Hotton War Cemetery, Belgium. In a POW Report F/O Bloy stated : “The aircraft was hit by ack-ack over the target and put the two port engines out. The Pilot said “stand by”. The Rear Gunner remained in the rear turret for a while to ascertain whether approaching fighters were friendly or otherwise. No one was injured. The others five were still in the aircraft when I and P/O Blackley baled out. at 4,000 feet. The aircraft was under control falling rapidly and a fire broke out in the wing. The bale out order was given immediately the fire was seen. The wing eventually blew off and the aircraft spun in and crashed near Stotzheim, south west of Cologne. Only two escaped the crash and the others in the aircraft were killed.
Sources:
1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
2. https://www.twgpp.org/photograph/view/2622873
3. https://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?118023-Help-with-Bomber-Command-KIA
4. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 25-Aug-2013 13:40 | JINX | Added |
| 28-Oct-2014 16:09 | MiG15 | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 28-Dec-2014 06:14 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 28-Oct-2019 15:16 | Uli Elch | Updated [Operator, Location] |
| 01-Nov-2019 20:03 | Anon. | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 02-Mar-2024 08:37 | Rob Davis | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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