ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 231810
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| Date: | Sunday 20 February 1944 |
| Time: | 04:30 approx |
| Type: |  Handley Page Halifax Mk III |
| Owner/operator: | 640 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | LW550 |
| MSN: | C8-U |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 7 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Treben, Thüringen -
 Germany
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Leconfield |
| Leipzig |
Takeoff at 00:22 hrs for an operation against aircraft assembly factories at Leipzig in Sachsen.
Claim by Uffz Harald Lovenich JG300 6/ South of Leipzig: 4,000m VNE, ASM at 04:12.
According to crew reports they were hit by Flak while over Leipzig at 22,000ft. Aircraft abandoned and
crashed at Treben near Altenburg. Uffz Lovenich claim rejected.
The impact of the flak was felt almost as the bomb load left the aircraft. On fire the order to bale out was
given.
Those who perished were initially buried in Altenburg Cemetery 23 February 1944.
Crew
Pilot:1321432 Sgt B S Woodham - PoW/Stalag 357 Kopernikus/PoW Number 1761.
Flight Engineer:1568441 Sgt W R Anderson - PoW/Stalag 357 Kopernikus/PoW Number 1704.
Navigator:137609 Fg Off W W L Hodgkins - PoW/Stalag Luft 3 Sagan & Belaria/PoW Number 3486 (NCO:1535813 Commission Gazetted : Tuesday 30 March, 1943)
Bomb Aimer: R/155694 Flt Sgt Thomas Orval Wilson RCAF - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery Plot 2 Row A Grave 19.
Wireless Operator:1467450 Sgt H G Coker - PoW/Stalag 357 Kopernikus/PoW Number 1722.
Air Gunner:1507607 Sgt R Goldsbrough - PoW/Stalag 357 Kopernikus/PoW Number 1736.
Air Gunner:1454589 Sgt Maurice Frederick Godfrey - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery Plot 2 Row A Grave 20.
Sources:
Nachtjagd Combat Archives 1944 Part 1 - Theo Boiten.
http://www.aircrewremembered.com/AlliedLossesIncidents/?q=LW550
Google Maps
Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Dec-2019 12:50 | TigerTimon | Added |
| 11-Jan-2020 19:29 | Anon. | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 19-Feb-2024 13:13 | Rob Davis | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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