ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 159300
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| Date: | Tuesday 6 March 1945 |
| Time: | 01:00 LT |
| Type: |  Avro Lancaster Mk III |
| Owner/operator: | 582 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | PB475 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 7 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Bellingdon, 2 miles NW of Chesham, Buckinghamshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Little Staughton, Bedfordshire |
| RAF Little Staughton, Bedfordshire |
Lancaster B.Mk.1 PB475 "60-C" of No.582 Sqn. Took off at 17:33 hours from RAF Little Staughton, Bedfordshire. It was returning from the raid on Chemnitz, Saxony, on the night of 5/6 March 1945 when a hung up target indicator ignited in the bomb bay . Records state it came down near Bellingdon, 2 miles north-west of Chesham, Buckinghamshire at 01:00 hours, sadly six of the crew were killed only the rear gunner survived by bailing out:
crew:-
Pilot : Flying Officer John Charles Gould RAFVR 177586 [Killed] (NCO:1393319 Commission Gazetted : Tuesday 01 August, 1944)
Flight Engineer : Sergeant Arnold Denbigh RAFVR 1588726 [Killed]
Navigator : Flight Sergeant Ross Frederick Barnett RAAF Aus/417794 [Killed]
Bomb Aimer : Warrant Officer Glen Torr RAAF Aus/417533 [Killed]
Wireless Operator : Warrant Officer Ellis Wilby Hemsworth RAAF Aus/423730 [Killed]
Mid-Upper Gunner : Sergeant Gerald John Price Ralph RAFVR 1811907 [Killed]
Rear Gunner : Sergeant G Hart RAF
All six crew KIA were interred in Oxford (Botley) Cemetery. The sole survivor, Bill Hart never got over the fact that he survived. He married his girlfriend soon after and emigrated to Canada. He divorced in 1970 and moved to Florida to run a limo and taxi service. He died peacefully after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer in 1994.
On the 13 May 2012 a memorial service was held, and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster PA474 flew over the crash site at 11:45am (see video below).
Sources:
1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
2. https://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?116752-Avro-Lancaster-flypast
3. http://www.156squadron.com/display_newpff_roll.asp?ID=582
4. http://www.mainpointonline.co.uk/?p=599
5. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=1067
6. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Aug-2013 13:21 | JINX | Added |
| 29-Dec-2014 01:43 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 29-Dec-2014 01:43 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location] |
| 21-Aug-2018 15:33 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative] |
| 09-Nov-2018 17:40 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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