ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 318370
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| Date: | Tuesday 15 February 1944 |
| Time: | 22:00 |
| Type: |  Avro Lancaster Mk III |
| Owner/operator: | 626 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | JB595 |
| MSN: | UM-B2 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 7 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | runway Erfurt airfield -
 Germany
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Wickenby, Lincolnshire |
LancasterJB595: Took off 17:28hrs for mission over Berlin. 15/02/1944
Shot down by a JU88 over Erfurt.
Crew:-
Pilot : Flight Sergeant Stewart Jacques RAF 1432964 [PoW]
Flight Engineer : Sergeant Alfred Arthur Phillips RAFVR 1583796 [Fatal Injury]
Navigator : Sergeant George Chomley Farran RAF 1512473 [PoW, repatriated]
Bomb Aimer : Sergeant John George Morton RAF 1335893 [PoW]
Wireless Operator : Sergeant Frank Seddon RAF 1536326 [PoW]
Mid-Upper Gunner : Sergeant John Edward Holford RAF 3050007 [PoW]
Rear Gunner : Sergeant David Connolly O'Donnell RAF 1061941 [PoW, repatriated]
Sgt Phillips banged his head and fractured his skull during an evasive manoeuvre as they were being attacked on the run in to Berlin from the North. The bombs were dropped and a course set for home. FE was obviously not fully compos mentis and it became clear that the fuel tanks had been hit and there was insufficient fuel for the return leg. The pilot deviated south from the home route and set a course towards "Erfurt". The order was given to bail out which everybody did. Rear Gunner Sgt O'Donnell was injured in the attack, his parachute cord pulling arm's shoulder was hit with tracer. He was dragged up from the back by the Navigator and his chute was clipped on upside so he could pull it with his good arm. FE Phillips also bailed, but was in no fit state for anything including his responsibility to help the pilot get his own chute on. Nav, Sgt Farran, went to say good bye to the skipper before jumping and was asked to help him on with his chute, which he did. However in the process the chute was dropped and lost out of the front hatch.
So, 2 in the aircraft and 1 chute remaining. After some discussion they stayed together and decided to try and land the Lanc. They spotted an airfield (possibly one of the 2 at Erfurt at that time) and Jacques belly landed on the runway. Farran was very badly injured in the process and was dragged from the burning wreck by the pilot who had a smashed shoulder, but was otherwise ok.
Sources:
Casualties in the CWGC Register and Incidents/Accidents for Lancaster III JB595
Various documentation
Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 2 January 1944 | DV190 | 626 Sqn RAF | 6 | 200 metres east of Breiteiche, Gardelegen, Sachsen-Anhalt | |
w/o |
| 29 August 1944 | ME742 | 626 Sqn RAF | 0 | Nyled, 1 km S Båstad (Skane) |  |
w/o |
| 5 April 1945 | PD295 | 626 Sqn RAF | 7 | English Channel |  |
mis |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 26-Jul-2023 16:16 | Beagletorque | Added |
| 06-Sep-2023 06:30 | Nepa | Updated |
| 15-Feb-2024 08:09 | Rob Davis | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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