ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 307402
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| Date: | Thursday 4 February 1943 |
| Time: | 23:00 |
| Type: |  Avro Lancaster Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | Royal Air Force (RAF) |
| Registration: | W4118 |
| MSN: | ZN-L |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 8 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Valsonne, Rhône (69) -
 France
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire |
Crashed on a bombing mission to Turin, Italy after two engines failed. Four crew members died in the crash, the other four crew members were injured.
According to the squadron Operational Record Book, having taken off at 18.10 on 4 February, this aircraft broadcast a message at 22.10 to the effect that ‘an engine has failed’ and that the aircraft was losing height.
Its position was near Dijon in eastern France on its outbound journey.
Nothing more was heard. (Source 4).
Please note some sources state both port engines were ablaze. (Source 5).
Crew were:
Sergeant David Lowell Thompson (R/103431 RCAF) - Pilot [injured - Prisoner of War] Source 6).
Sergeant Norman Burt Johnson (948736 RAFVR) - Flight Engineer [Deceased]
Flight Sergeant Frank Lawrence Darlington (R/108258 RCAF) - Navigator [Deceased]
Flying Officer George Roland Powell (122735 RAFVR) - Air Bomber [Deceased]
Sergeant Wilfred Eric Baker (932842 RAFVR) - Wireless Operator/Air Gunner [Deceased]
Sergeant Peter Ward (1562783 RAF) - Air Bomber [Injured - Prisoner of War] (Source 7).
Sergeant Richard Peter Sutton (1601271 RAFVR) - Air Gunner [Baled out - Prisoner of War] (Source 8).
Sergeant John Picken (1434088 RAF) - Rear Gunner [injured - Prisoner of War] (Source 9).
Post-war the dead were moved from La Guillotiere Cemetery, Lyon to La Doua French National Cemetery. Their details can be found by searching the Commonwealth WarGraves Commission (CWGC) website.
A summary of information relating to this loss can be found ant information at Source 10.
W4118 was named ‘Admiral Prune’ and was flown on occasions by the Squadron CO, Wing Commander Guy P Gibson, later famous as the leader of the ‘Dambusters raid’ (Operation CHASTISE)
Sources:
1. https://www.aerosteles.net/steleen-valsonne-lancaster
2. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-avro-683-lancaster-i-valsonne-4-killed
3. https://www.le-pays.fr/valsonne-69170/actualites/un-avion-anglais-sest-ecrase-a-valsonne_14255884/
4. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/
5. https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/100929/
6. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C17939166
7. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C17935371
8. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C17826770
9. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C17498272
10. https://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=3267
11. https://dambustersblog.com/category/admiral-prune/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-May-2023 15:14 | Richard | Updated |
| 02-May-2023 05:27 | Richard | Updated |
| 04-Jul-2023 14:28 | Richard | Updated |
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