Date:	Sunday 28 January 1945
Time:	20:40
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk X
Owner/operator:	428 (Ghost) Sqn RCAF
Registration:	KB770
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 7
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Waldenbuch, Böblingen, Baden-Württemberg -   Germany
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Middleton St. George, near Darlington, County Durham
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B.Mk.X KB770: built by Victory Aircraft, Malton, Ontario in January 1944, Departed to UK June 1944, Arrived UK June 1944, To 20 MU RAF Aston Down (delivered 28-6-44). With No. 428 (Ghost) (Bomber) Squadron, RCAF, coded "NA-D" from 12-7-44. Failed to return from operations over Stuttgart on night of 28/29 January 1945. Shot down by night fighter, crashed at Waldenbuch, Germany; one of 6 aircraft lost by 6 Group on this raid. 5 crew killed, 2 survived, taken as PoW.

According to the Squadron ORB (Operations Record Book):

"Target: Stuttgart. 602 aircraft, 11 losses (1.8%). A two-part raid with 3 hours between each. The first wave of 226 aircraft attacked railways yards at Kornwestheim. The second wave attacked Zuffenhausen which contained the Hirth engine factory. Sky-markers were used due to complete cloud cover and bombing was somewhat scattered.

The Bosch factory was hit as a result of the Kornwestheim attack and it is said that the local people felt they had been bombed by mistake. Interestingly, dummy sky-makers were used in the defence of the city- small ground launched rockets. This was the last of 53 major raids on the city, which had endured a 63% destruction of its building stock and the loss of 4562 lives which was much lower than might have been the case had the air-raid defences been built into the sides of the hills".

Crew of Lancaster KB770:
S/Ldr Harold Leslie Kay (C/888) pilot RCAF- killed in service 28-1-45
F/O Gerald Jospeh Liney (J/40040) RCAF- killed in service 28-1-45
P/O John Wilfred Blades (J/35935) RCAF- killed in service 28-1-45
P/O Fernand Leo Jolicouer (J/95345) RCAF - killed in service 28-1-45
Sgt Reginald William Gullick (1895420) RAF - killed in service 28-1-45
F/O B.Stapelford, - survived, taken as PoW
F/Sgt E.Ossington - survived, taken as PoW

1. http://www.rwrwalker.ca/RAF_owned_JP100.html
2. 428 (Ghost)(Bomber) Squadron RCAF ORB (Operations Record Book)(Air Ministry Form AM/F.540) for the period 1-1-1944 to 30-6-1945: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/1850 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2504492
3. https://www.bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca/lancavro.html#indexkb770
4. https://www.lancaster-archive.com/lanc_unknowncrashsites.pdf
5. https://www.backtonormandy.org/the-history/air-force-operations/airplanes-allies-and-axis-lost/lancaster/18882-KB7701945-01-29.html
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2102095/HARRY%20LESLIE%20KAY/
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2102229/GERALD%20JOSEPH%20LINEY/
8. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2079806/JOHN%20WILFRED%20BLADES/
9. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2102062/jolicoeur,-fernand-leo/
10. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2101734/REGINALD%20WILLIAM%20GULLICK/
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldenbuch .

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-Feb-2021 20:52	gendreau-hetu	Added
14-Jun-2021 21:53	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative]
14-Jun-2021 21:54	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type, Source, Narrative]
26-Jun-2021 09:08	TB	Updated [Operator, Narrative, Operator]