ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 301703
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Monday 7 December 1942 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Avro Lancaster B Mk1 |
| Owner/operator: | 101 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | ED322 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Carmarthen Bay. Off Tenby. -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor. |
| RAF Carew Cheriton. |
Lancaster ED322 had arrived at the squadron in the beginning of the month and was not slated to fly, as a result she was the reserve aircraft. But her turn came quicker than anyone thought when the raid on the night of the 6th/7th of December was in the final stages of preparation, she was called to fly when one of the other aircraft went ‘Unserviceable’ (U/S). Five aircraft of the squadron took off on the Monday evening of the 6th of December, of one was ED322, they were part of a force of 272 aircraft. Their tasking for the Op’ was an attack on the vital railway sidings near the city of Mannheim. Ed322 was loaded with one 4,000lb Cookie and 10 carriers of 90 x 4lbs Incendiaries. The raid was a dismal failure with 12 aircraft lost and a further 2 lost crashing in England and ED322 in Wales. The target area was completely covered in cloud and only 500 Incendiary bombs and some leaflets were dropped. The only damage was to the city was the destruction of an old wooden building, a local farmer lost 25 sheep, 4 lambs, some turnips and a hay barn. A local canoe clubhouse was also set on fire but soon extinguished. No casualties in Mannheim or the railway sidings but a total of 55 aircrew were killed, 3 more made P.O.W, a further 10 injured. The squadron records state: “To the regret of the whole squadron, this first-class officer and his crew did not return from this Op’. The captain decided to take the new A/C ‘T’ which was in reserve as the A/C ‘H’ to which he had been detailed to fly had gone U/S. The bodies of F/Sgt Smith & Sgt Hughes were found washed up on the S/Wales coast, but no further information has been received up to the time of writing this report. The Navigational record of F/Sgt Smith has always been excellent. Owing to Sgt Bradly being sick, Sgt Franchuk had taken his place and his loss was also one which the squadron could ill afford. P/O Dabbs had been immediately awarded the DFC for the flying on his previous Op”. ED322 crashed on the return flight into the sea off Tenby, in Carmarthen Bay, South Wales with the loss of the entire crew. Three of the crew are buried at the small war graves cemetery at Carew Cheriton. Sgt’s Smith and Hughes were found washed up on the long storm beach of Cefn Sidan the following day, F/Sgt Middleton was found at Rhossili on the tenth. P/O Dabbs body was washed ashore on the 9th of December at Amroth Beach. The cause of his death was determined to be from drowning. The aircraft was attempting to land at RAF Carew Cheriton because they were approximately 300 miles off course from their home base at Holme-on-Spalding Moor, Yorkshire. Crew: P/O Howard Earl Dabbs J/15608 RCAF. Pilot. Killed. 1 F/Sgt Leonard Roy Anderson R/91822 RCAF. Nav’. Killed. 2 F/Sgt Stefan Franchuk R/86255 RCAF. A/Gnr. 3 F/Sgt Robert John Middleton R/91294 RCAF. W/Op. Killed. 4 Sgt James Hughes 997105 RAFVR. Engr’. Killed. 5. F/Sgt Robert Gordon Smith R/93318 RCAF. Obs’. Killed. 6 Sgt William Thomas Warren 1318039 RAFVR. A/Gnr. Killed. 7 Buried: 1 Carew (St Mary) New Churchyard. Row B. Grave 4. 2 Runnymede Memorial. Panel 102. 3 Runnymede Memorial. Panel 103. 4 Carew (St Mary) New Churchyard. Row D. Grave 1. 5 Bolton (Heaton) Cemetery. Division 3. Section X.1. Nonconformist. Grave 3. 6 Carew (St Mary) New Churchyard. Row B Grave 5. 7 Runnymede Memorial. Panel 96. Wreckage: At sea. Memorials: Runnymede Memorial. CWGC Headstones. Canadian Virtual Memorial. Canadian War Memorial, Toronto, A lake in Alberta was named after Howard Dabbs DFC. Additional Information: Howard Dabbs DFC. Was born on the 28th of April 1921, Alberta. He enlisted into the Royal Canadian Air Force and was posted to No.101 squadron. He was an experienced pilot, having flown in eight raids in Wellingtons with a further four in Lancaster’s, he was awarded the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross) just four days before his final mission. He died the day the award was made public and possibly didn’t know. The citation was published in the London Gazette on the 15th of December. It read: “One night in December 1942. This officer of an aircraft detailed to attack Frankfurt. When nearing the target area, his aircraft, whilst held in a cone of searchlights was hit by anti-aircraft fire and one of its engines was put out of action. Despite this, Pilot Officer Dabbs flew on to his target but, as the bomb release mechanism was unserviceable, he was unable to drop his bombs. Displaying skilful airmanship, he flew his aircraft back to this country without the assistance of wireless aids. With a full bomb load he made a masterly landing in poor visibility. This officers skill and determination in the face of adverse circumstances set an example worthy of the highest praise. He has flown on several sorties with distinction.” On the night of the 6th of December 1942, Howard took off in his Lancaster, Serial ED322, bound for Mannheim. On the return leg the following morning, the Lancaster became lost over the Pembrokeshire coast, and crashed into the sea off Tenby, killing the crew. Over the next ten days, four bodies washed ashore on various beaches in the area. Howards body was one of these, and he is buried in Carew (St Mary) New Churchyard. He was just 20 years old. The three other crewmen were not recovered and are remembered on the Runnymede Memorial in Surry,
Sources:
www.rafcommands.com www.cwgc.org www.aircrewremembered.com www.backtonormandy.org www.wwwmpwales.com
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation