ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 58874
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| Date: | Thursday 18 November 1943 |
| Time: | 05:55 |
| Type: |  Avro Lancaster Mk III |
| Owner/operator: | 617 (Dambusters) Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | ED735 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Bay of Biscay -
 Portugal
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Rabat, Morrocco |
| RAF Connigsby (QYC/EGXC) |
After a mission to bomb the Antheor Viaduct in Southern France the 8 Lancasters flew to Blida in Algeria. After a week they returned to Conningsby but ED735 ("KC-R") was never found.
ED735 was Airborne 23:40 on 17 Nov 1943 from Rabat, Morocco, having diverted there from the raid on the Antheor Viaduct 11/12 Nov 1943. Lost without trace after being routed via the Iberian Peninsula and the Bay of Biscay. All 7 crew killed: all are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Their average age was 23. It is assumed that it was shot down by a fighter over the sea. The crew were:
Pilot : F/L Edward Ernest George Youseman DFC RAFVR 113351 (NCO:1152649 Commission Gazetted : Tuesday 20 January, 1942) [Killed]
F/E : P/O Sam James Whittingham DFM RAFVR 159886 (NCO:966702 Commission Gazetted : Tuesday 07 December, 1943) [Killed]
Nav : P/O Leonard Plishka RCAF J/17388 [Killed]
B/A : P/O Ronald Florence DFM RNZAF NZ/41577 [Killed]
W/Op : F/O Walter Crawford Grimes DFM RAFVR 138314 (NCO:952866 Commission Gazetted : Tuesday 16 February, 1943) [Killed]
M/U : P/O Alan Macneiley Laughland DFM RCAF J/19334 [Killed]
R/G : W/O1 John Brian De Courcy O'Grady RCAF R/77353 [Killed]
The last signal from ED735 at over the Bay of Biscay, west of the coast of Portugal at 05:55 on the morning of 18 Nov 1943. F/L Youseman and all four DFM holders had previously flown in Stirlings; F/O Grimes with 218 Sqdn and the others in 214 Sqdn. In crew order, the DFMs had been gazetted on 14 May 1943, 16 May 1943, 12 Jan 1943 and Jun 1943 respectively. It is also reported that three un-named Army personnel had boarded the aircraft in Rabat for transportation to the UK.
Sources:
1. http://www.dambusters.org.uk/docs/recordbook.pdf
2. http://www.specialforcesroh.com/showthread.php?19816-Grimes-Walter-Crawford&s=2d092836887e9560e26fb7151f68fbea
3. http://www.hughesman.co.uk/page17.htm
4. http://landinportugal.org/perdidos+i.htm
5. http://www.dambusters.org.uk/war-personalities/lost-in-action/
6. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Mar-2009 21:00 | VH-KDK | Added |
| 16-Feb-2012 01:08 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 03-Jan-2015 09:21 | Dr. John Smih | Updated [Time, Location, Country, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 09-Oct-2018 18:01 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 17-Nov-2022 07:38 | Rob Davis | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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