ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 164290
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| Date: | Saturday 4 July 1942 |
| Time: | 01:37 claim |
| Type: |  Avro Lancaster Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 61 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | R5663 |
| MSN: | QR-B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 7 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Öresund near Lerberget, Helsingborg -
 Sweden
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Syerston, Notytinghamshire |
Lancaster B.Mk.1 R5663 "QR-B" of 61 Sqn., RAF. Took off from RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire at 22:35. Mission: Laying mines in Öresund (between Helsingborg and Helsingör), hit by flak in one main fuel tank. The aircraft was hit by the 4./Marine-Artillerie-Abteilung 508 off Helsingor and crashed in shallows 200 metres from Lerberget.
The pilot, Flight Sergeant G. S. Williams was the only person to exit the aircraft, wounded. He was saved from drowning by a small rowing boat.
According to the 61 Sqn RAF ORB (Operational Record Book):
"The pilot of another aircraft engaged in similar operations reported did the weather was clear over the target with good visibility and moonlight. No enemy fighters, and the flak encountered what light. At 1:36 am one aircraft, believed to have been hit by flak, which seen to dive into the sea to the east of Helsingborg from a height of approximately five thousand feet. As far as is known, the only aircraft in this area at the time was R5663, which was one of two 61 Squadron Lancasters lost on this operation. The other was R5488".
Remaining six crew KIA:
Sergeant Mervyn Caddy, RAAF, 404951, observer, age 32, grave XV-13
Sergeant Bruce Morgan, RCAF, R/82076, W.Op/Air Gnr, grave XV-11
Sergeant Jack Pritchard, RAF, 1377413, Flight Enginier, age 21, grave XV-16
Sergeant James Raine, RAF, 648020, Air Gunner, age 27, grave XV-14
Sergeant John Samson, RAF, 1369354, Air Gunner, age 19, grave XV-12
Sergeant Harry Victor Turton, RAF, 1167137, W.Op./A Gnr., grave XV-15
All are buried at Helsingborg (Pålsjö) Municipal Cemetery on July 17 1942. As a post-script, on August 4 2014, 72 years after the incident, a reunion was arranged between Aina Berg (then 20 years old, now 92) who had rowed her boat out to rescue Flt Sgt George S. Williams, and Gary Williams, his son. Flt Sgt George S. Williams was taken to the hospital at Dalarna, where after a few months recovery, he was returned to Canada, survived the war, and died of natural causes in 1999.
Sources:
1. http://www.aircrewremembered.com/williams-ge.html
2. http://www.hembygdshistoria.se/palsjo/lerberget1.htm
3. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?2358-61-Squadron-Lancasters
4. http://www.svt.se/nyheter/regionalt/sydnytt/hon-raddade-garys-pappa-efter-kraschen
5. http://www.cahs.ca/2014-newsletters/view/1-cahs-public-mailing-list/91-cahs-national-newsletter-september-edition?tmpl=component
6. Nachtjagd Combat Archive The Early Years part three
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 3 June 1942 | R5613 | 61 Sqn RAF | 6 | La Hulpe, Walloon Brabant |  |
w/o |
| 15 August 1943 | ED722 | 61 Sqn RAF | 5 | Berchères-les-Pierres, Eure-et-Loir 28 |  |
w/o |
| 25 April 1944 | LM359 | 61 Sqn RAF | 6 | La Chapelle-Thècle, Saône-et-Loire département | |
w/o |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 26-Feb-2014 16:19 | Masen63 | Added |
| 30-Dec-2014 16:31 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 30-Dec-2014 16:34 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Embed code, Narrative] |
| 30-Dec-2014 16:34 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Embed code] |
| 30-Dec-2014 16:40 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 17-Oct-2017 16:04 | w.bleumink | Updated [Narrative] |
| 03-Nov-2018 09:25 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 05-May-2020 15:24 | TigerTimon | Updated [Time, Cn, Other fatalities, Source, Narrative] |
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