Date:	Sunday 13 August 1944
Time:	00:14 claim
Type:	Avro Lancaster Mk I
Owner/operator:	218 (Gold Coast) Sqn RAF
Registration:	PD252
MSN:	HA-D
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 7
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Sourbrodt, Waimes, Liège -   Belgium
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Methwold
Destination airport:	Russelsheim

Narrative:
Took off from RAF Methwold at 21:59 hrs for a bombing operation against Rüsselsheim in Germany.
Claim by Oblt Josef Nabrich 3/NJG1 - Area Cochem (Mosel) 40km West of Mainz: 5,000m at 00:14.
Crashed Sourbrodt, Waimes, Liège.
In a POW report PO Hynd stated : The aircraft was hit by flak and the Inter Com failed. It was shot down at 0001 hours on 13 August. . The pilot gave me the visual signal to bale out, and I was first out at 18,000 feet. The aircraft was diving and burning and crashed South of Aschen. I met Bower and Westbrook two days later in the lock up. The Germans said that Humphrey and Chew were killed in the crash, and Lyon and Horrocks were injured and in hospital. I landed safely by chute and walked until captured at Melmady at 23:00 on 13 August 1944. Released by 11th Armoured Division at Lubeck 2 May 1945.”
Sgt Horrocks was initially injured unfortunately he died later that day.
Plt Off Humphrey RAAF, Sgt Chew and Sgt Horrocks were initially buried in Sourbrodt Cemetery then moved to temporary American Cemetery at Henri Chapelle Reinterred 24 April 1947.
Sgt Bower was part of Trupp 27. He arrives at Bankau on 22 August 1944.
Sgt Westbrook was part of Trupp 28. He arrived at Bankau on 29 August 1944.
Sgt Westbrook awarded DFM whilst with 218 Squadron. Gazetted 13 June 1944.
Citation
This airman was the rear gunner of an aircraft detailed to attack Chambley one night in May, 1944. After bombing the target the aircraft was attacked by 2 Junkers 88s. In spite of accurate fire by Sgt Westbrook the aircraft was repeatedly hit by the enemy's bullets. Much damage was sustained and Sergeant Westbrook and his co-gunner were wounded, whilst a third member of the crew was killed. The aircraft went into a violent side slip and, as Sergeant Westbrook left his turret, believing the aircraft to be no longer airworthy, he saw a small fire had started. He promptly put out the flames .and then became aware of -the plight of his wounded comrade to whom he rendered first aid. By now, the pilot had regained control. Although his leg was soaked in blood, Sgt Westbrook insisted on returning to his turret where he remained until the English coast was crossed. In the face of a trying ordeal, this airman displayed courage, fortitude and devotion to duty beyond praise.
Crew
Pilot: A/417488 Plt Off Vernon Leicester Humphrey RAAF - Hotton War Cemetery Plot II Row E Grave I.
Flight Engineer: 2203720 Sgt George Edward Bower - PoW/Stalag Luft VII Bankau near Kreuzburg Upper Silesia PoW Number 5537.
Navigator: 1575850 Sgt Alan David Chew - Hotton War Cemetery Plot II Row E Grave 3.
Bomb Aimer: A/426776 Plt Off John Henry Hynd RAAF - PoW/Stalag Luft III Sagan & Belaria/PoW Number 7480.
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner: 1360209 WO Abraham Thomson Lyon - Runnymede Memorial Panel 214.
Mid Upper Gunner: 1588162 Sgt Thomas Bruce Rushworth Horrocks - Hotton War Cemetery Plot II Row E Grave 2.
Rear Gunner: 1544372 Flt Sgt Leslie Eric Westbrook DFM - PoW/Stalag Luft VII Bankau near Kreuzburg Upper Silesia/Stalag IIIA Luckenwalde/PoW Number 685.

Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
Royal Air Force Bommber Command Losses of the Second World War 1944 Page382.
https://218squadron.wordpress.com/avro-lancaster-mk-b-i-pd252/
German Report dated 18 August 1944 held by State Archive, Liege, Belgium
Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1944 part four
CWGC
Ancestry
Google Maps

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
29-Aug-2013 15:21	JINX	Added
30-Jun-2016 12:25	Red Dragon	Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Country, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
15-Jan-2018 18:50	XindelX	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Destination airport]
31-Mar-2019 16:36	Curto	Updated [Source, Narrative]
04-Mar-2021 15:46	TigerTimon	Updated [Time, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative]
26-Jun-2022 02:28	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]