Avro Lancaster Serial Groups Specifications

Bombing Berlin Germany 1943-12-02 to 1943-12-02

(B) Sqn (RCAF) East Moor

Battle of Berlin

458 aircraft - 425 Lancasters, r8 Mosquitoes, 15 Halifaxes. There were no major diversions and the bombers took an absolutely direct route across the North Sea and Holland and then on to Berlin

. The Germans identified Berlin as the target 19 minutes before Zero Hour and many fighters were waiting there. Incorrectly forecast winds scattered the bomber stream, particularly on the return flight, and German fighters scored further victories here. A total of 40 bombers - 37 Lancasters, 2 Halifaxes, I Mosquito-were lost, 8·7 per cent of the force. 460 (Australian) Squadron lost 5 of its 25 Lancasters on this raid, including the aircraft in which two newspaper reporters were flying. These were Captain Grieg of the Daily Mail and Norman Stockton of the Sydney Sun. The body of Mr Stockton is buried in the Berlin War Cemetery.

The inaccurate wind forecast caused great difficulties for the Pathfinders, who were not able to establish their positions correctly. The bombing photographs of the Main Force suggested that the attack was scattered over a wide area of southern Berlin and the countryside south of the city. The Berlin report confirms this but adds damage was caused in industrial areas of the eastern and western districts, with two more of the Siemens factories, a ball-bearing factory and several railway installations being badly hit. Damage elsewhere was light, only 136 building: being destroyed. 36 people were killed and a further 105 were classed as 'missing'. (I is noticed again and again that, as the war progressed, German reports become mon erratic or incomplete. The 'final report' - Schlussbericht -for this raid is missing from the Berlin archives.)

source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

Lancaster aircraft LL 618 missing from night operations over Berlin, Germany. Flight Lieutenant S.W. Baker, WOs G.P. Lowle, A.R. Morgan, FS J.R. Goodwin, A.E.Slegg, Sergeants W.H. Green, WE Stinson, and J. Wadsworth (RAF) were kilted. There were two pilots on board for this trip.

Bombing Berlin Germany 1944-01-27 to 1944-01-27

(B) Sqn (RCAF) East Moor

Battle of Berlin

515 Lancasters and 15 Mosquitoes. The German fighters were committed to action earlier than normal, some being sent out 75 miles over the North Sea from the Dutch coast.' But the elaborate feints and diversions had some effect. Half of the German fighters were lured north by the Heligoland mining diversion and action in the main bomber stream was less intense than on recent nights. 33 Lancasters lost, 6'4 per cent of the heavy force.

The target was cloud-covered again and sky-marking had to be used. Bomber Command was not able to make any assessment of the raid except to state that the bombing appeared to have been spread well up and down wind. Local reports confirm that the bombing was spread over a wide area, although many bombs fell in the southern half of the city, less in the north, but 61 small towns and villages outside the city limits were also hit with 28 people being killed in those places. Details of houses destroyed in Berlin are not available but it is known that nearly 20,000 people were bombed out. 50 industrial premises were hit and several important war industries suffered serious damage. 567 people were killed, including 132 foreign workers,

source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

Lancaster aircraft LL 638 was shot down near Doberitz, Germany during a night raid against Berlin, Germany. F/Os A.S. Gates, A.D. Bell, D.J. Paterson, P/Os R.P. Wilson, F.W. Heinen, Flight Sergeant C.A.Allison and Sergeant W.R. Greenaway (RAF) were killed.

Bombing Frankfurt Germany 1944-03-22 to 1944-03-22

426 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF Linton-on-Ouse

426 Thunderbird Squadron (On Wings of Fire), RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Lancaster II aircraft DS 741 OW-R was intercepted and shot down, outward-bound at 20,000 feet over the Ruhr during an operation against targets in Frankfurt, Germany by a night fighter. There are multiple night fighter pilot claims for this loss

The Lancaster crashed twenty-five miles east of Munster at Harsewinkel, Germany

Flying Officer EK Sears (RCAF), Pilot Officer JW MacLean (RCAF), Pilot Officer HG Wright (RCAF), Pilot Officer HH Gray (RCAF) and Sergeant L Pearson (RAFVR) were all killed in action

Flying Officer WJ Burrows (RCAF) and Flying Officer HF MacDonald (RCAF) survived and were taken Prisoners of War

426 Squadron Lancaster II LL647 OW-R Frankfurt 1944

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Martin "Tino" Becker claims 22 March 1944 - Luftwaffe and Allied ...

Lancaster OW-R - Guv's Stuff

Bombing Magdeburg Germany 1944-01-21 to 1944-01-22

514 (B) Sqn (RAF)

Outbound shot down from 21000 feet over Perleberg Germany

Lancaster aircraft LL 672 was shot down by German Major Heinrich Wittenstein flying a JU-88 aircraft while engaged in a night trip to Magdeburg, Germany. Sergeantt P McQueeny (RAF) was also killed. Two Canadians, Flight Lieutenant JM Bourke, Flying Officer EJ Clare, and three RAF members of the crew were taken Prisoner of War.

Major Wittenstein had shot down 83 four engine aircraft, at night, using the upward firing cannons. After the war, Earl James Clare of Port Credit, Ontario said, Our aircraft was attacked twice by a night fighter and was on fire as five of us baled out. I can't tell you what happened to Al Williston, whether he hit the tailplane or if it exploded before he got out. The JU-88 got caught in the explosion and it also was on fire. Major Wittenstein was killed but his radar operator baled out. The radar operator reported that they were hit by machine gun fire from the Lancaster and were on fire.

Operational 1944-02-02 to 1944-02-02

(B) Sqn (RCAF) East Moor

Lancaster II aircraft LL 686 QO-F crashed while returning to base on a training flight with engine problems and crashed lining up to land one mile south-east of Ripon, Yorkshire. Flying Officer D.S. Kerr, Pilot Officer(s) W.L. Wolf, P.J. Power, D.D. Finch (Nfld), J.G.Sieben, Sergeants K. Huggins (RAF), R Pratt Robinson, were killed. This was the last Lancaster II lost by 432 Squadron. Pilot Officer Power as a FS had bailed out of the first Lancaster II (DS 847) lost by the squadron November 16, 1943, also lost on a test flight.

Fifty years after the crash a memorial plaque was unveiled overlooking the village green at Aldborough, near Boroughbridge. The names of the crew are inscribed on this plaque. (Detail provided by David E. Thompson, Middlesborough, England.)

Bombing Leipzig Germany 1944-02-20 to 1944-02-20

(B) Sqn (RCAF) Linton-on-Ouse

Battle of Berlin

Leipzig. 823 aircraft, 78 losses (9.5%). Excluding early returners, the Halifax loss rate was 14.9%. As a result, Halifax Mks II and V were permanently withdrawn from service over Germany. The Kiel mine laying diversion was successful in drawing off fighters, but the German controllers only sent half of the available aircraft. As soon as the bomber stream crossed the Dutch coast they were confronted by the remaining half of the fighters and, moreover, the ones sent to Kiel were returned to join the fray. As a consequence, the fighters steadily picked off bombers all the way to this distant target. The winds were strongly than had been predicted and many bombers arrived early and had to orbit the target awaiting the Pathfinders, further increasing the likelihood of being picked off, either by flak or fighters. Leipzig was cloud covered and sky-marking had to be used. Early bombing appeared to be concentrated but later bombing less so. There was no local report nor a reconnaissance flight the following day. An American raid the following day then made it impossible to judge the effectiveness of the raid.

source: International Bomber Command Centre

Bombing Dortmund Germany 1944-05-22 to 1944-05-23

408 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF Linton-on-Ouse

408 Goose Squadron (For Freedom) RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Lancaster II aircraft LL 723 EQ-H was shot down by night fighter pilot Major Hans Karlewski of 2/NJG1 during an operation against targets in Dortmund, Germany. The Lancaster crashed four and three quarters miles south-west of Dulman, Germany with the loss of the entire crew

Wing Commander David Sinclair Jacobs DFC (RCAF), Flight Lieutenant Thom Ross McDougall DFC & Bar (RCAF), Flying Officer James Boustead Dallyn (RCAF), Flight Lieutenant James Robert Hanson DFC (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Joseph Philip Young (RCAF), Pilot Officer Maxwell Henderson (RAFVR) and Pilot Officer William George Philpot (RAFVR), Flight Sergeant Joseph Philip Young (RCAF), Flying Officer Lancelot Eric Morgan (Australia)(RCAF) and Flying Officer Peter Malcolm Hughes (RAFVR) were all killed in action.

Flight Sergeant Young, Flight Lieutenant Hanson and Flying Officer Morgan could not be identified post-war and have no known grave, but all are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial

Addendum: detail from David E Thompson stated there were nine aircrew onboard at time of event, confirmed by Squadron ORB

Wing Commander Jacobs was the commanding officer of 408 Squadron at the time of his death while Flight Lieutenant Hanson and Flight Lieutenant McDougall were the Squadron Gunnery and Navigation Leaders and Pilot Officer Philpot (RAFVR) was the Deputy Gunnery Leader

There were two 408 Squadron aircraft lost this night. Please see aircraft serial DS 759 EQ-A for detail regarding this aircraft and crew

Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1944 Part 3 12 May - 23 July by Theo Boiten, page 19

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Daily Operations

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Bombing Magdeburg Germany 1944-01-21 to 1944-01-21

(B) Sqn (RCAF) East Moor

Battle of Berlin

648 aircraft- 42 I Lancasters, 224 Halifaxes, 3 Mosquitoes - on the first major raid to this target. The German controller again followed the progress of the bomber stream across the North Sea and many night fighters were in the stream before it crossed the German coast. The controller was very slow to identify Magdeburg as the target but this did not matter too much because most of the night fighters were able to stay in the bomber stream, a good example of the way the Tame Boar tactics were developing. 57 aircraft - 35 Halifaxes, 22 Lancasters - were lost, 8·8 per cent of the force; it is probable that three quarters of the losses were caused by German night fighters. The Halifax loss rate was 15·6 per cent!

The heavy bomber casualties were not rewarded with a successful attack. Some of the Main Force aircraft now had H2S and winds which were stronger than forecast brought some of these into the target area before the Pathfinders' Zero Hour. The crews of 27 Main Force aircraft were anxious to bomb and did so before Zero Hour. The Pathfinders blamed the fires started by this early bombing, together with some very effective German decoy markers, for their failure to concentrate the marking. No details are available from Magdeburg but it is believed that most of the bombing fell outside the city. An R.A.F. man who was in hospital at Magdeburg at the time reports only, 'bangs far away'.

source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

Lancaster BII aircraft LL 724 QO-N was shot down one and one half miles south-east of the aerodrome at Wesendorf, Germany whilst carrying out night operations against the synthetic oil plants at Magdeburg, Germany, shot down by night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Wolfgang Knieling of the 4/NJG 5, who was flying a Bf 110 G-4. The Lancaster crashed near Wagenhoff, Niedersachsen, Germany with the loss of the entire crew

Flying Officer LF Legace (RCAF), Flying Officer JB Mahoney (RCAF), Flying Officer DR Hunter (RCAF),Warrant Officer DA McDonald, Pilot Officer WJ Douglas (RCAF)(USA), FS WA Peterson (RCAF), and Sergeant WG Atkins (RAFVR) were all killed in action

There were two 432 Squadron Lancaster II aircraft lost on this operation. Please see Pocock, DL for information on Lancaster DS 843 QO-O

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Lancaster II LL724-QO-N I Our Ancestors

Bombing Stuttgart Germany 1944-09-12 to 1944-09-12

467 (B) Sqn (RAAF) RAF Waddington, England

Bombing Augsburg Germany 1944-02-25 to 1944-02-26

50 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Skellingthorpe

50 Squadron (Sic Fidem Servamus) RAF Skellingthorpe. Lancaster BI aircraft LL 791 VN-O was attacked by two night fighters during an operation against targets in Augsburg, Germany. A fire started in the bomb bay when incendiaries caught fire, which was also fed by hydraulic fluid and with the bomber uncontrollable, the order to bail was given. The aircraft crashed near Embermenil, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France

Sergeant KE Gilson (RAFVR) was killed when he bailed from the aircraft, possibly due to a parachute malfunction

Pilot Officer J Acthim (RCAF), Flight Sergeant J Ansell (RAAF, Flight Sergeant DT Balmanno (RAAF), Sergeant TJ Taylor (RAF) and Pilot Officer WH Taylor (RAF) and Sergeant HS Cammish (RAF) survived and evaded with the aid of the French Underground until five of the six were captured 1944-04-21 at Luchon, near the French-Spanish border, part of a group of 30-35 evaders who were captured at this time and became Prisoners of War. Only Sergeant Cammish continued to escape capture as an Evader

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Bombing Essen Germany 1944-03-26 to 1944-03-27

(B) Sqn (RCAF) Wickenby

Battle of Berlin

705 aircraft - 476 Lancasters, 207 Halifaxes, 22 Mosquitoes. The sudden switch by Bomber Command to a Ruhr target just across the German frontier caught the German fighter controllers by surprise and only 9 aircraft- 6 Lancasters, 3 Halifaxes - were lost, 1·3 per cent of the force.

Essen was covered by cloud but the Oboe Mosquitoes marked the target well and this was a successful attack. 48 industrial buildings were seriously damaged and 1,756 houses destroyed. 550 people were killed, 49 missing and 1,569 were injured. .The figures for killed and missing are broken down in the Essen report as follows:

Germans - 192 women, 155 men, 27 children, 6 soldiers, 4 policemen and 2 Hitler Youth. Foreigners - 74 forced workers and I prisoner of war. The remaining 138 victims were mixed German and foreign concentration-camp prisoners, large numbers of whom were now providing the labour forces in German factories.

source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

Bombing Stuttgart Germany 1944-07-29 to 1944-07-29

467 (B) Sqn (RAAF) RAF Waddington, England

467 Australian Squadron. Lancaster Mk I LL846 took off from RAF Waddington on 28 July 1944 on a mission to Stuttgart, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off. Subsequent reports indicated LL846 crashed at sea 5 miles off Le Havre, France, after being hit by flak.

From RAAF:

The crew members of LL846 were:

• Flying Officer Arthur Henry Birch (171883) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner) PoW
• Flying Officer Samuel Johns (425021) (Pilot) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 26 November 1946
• Flying Officer C E Langstone (J/27488) (RCAF) (Navigator) PoW
• Flight Sergeant Bruce Peter Molloy (419472) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 7 February 1946
• Flight Sergeant Matthew John O'Leary (426379) (Bomb Aimer) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 14 September 1945
• Sergeant Desmond Kenneth James Phillips (1866742) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
• Sergeant Bryan Robert John Pring (1853987) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner) PoW

It was later established that the aircraft ditched and that Sergeant Phillips sustained severe head injuries and was unable to get into the dinghy despite valiant efforts by Flying Officer Johns to get his colleague on board. By morning the Flight Engineer could no longer be seen and he is presumed to have drowned. The other six members of the crew became PoWs.

In a later report by the then Warrant Officer O'Leary he stated "was being marched westwards by the Germans ahead of advancing Russian troops. With two other RAAF companions they fell out in a village pleading exhaustion and waited there fourteen days for the advancing Russians. They were then marched back 45 miles to a reception centre and later taken by motor lorry and train to Poland, and subsequently Odessa."

In his report Warrant Officer Molloy stated "The aircraft was hit by flak about 6000 feet at Le Havre as we were first heading for UK. Flames were coming from the port wing which would have broken off but for the Skippers presence of mind who immediately put the aircraft down and made a perfect ditching 5 miles off Le Havre. All got out but the Engineer was badly smashed up during the ditching and disappeared from us and was not seen again. Six of us spent three days in the dinghy. I was a POW all the time until released by the Russians from German POW Camp."

Sergeant Phillips who was listed as missing is commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing at Runnymede, Surrey, UK.

Bombing Stuttgart Germany 1944-07-28 to 1944-07-29

576 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Elsham Woods

576 Squadron (Carpe Diem) RAF Elsham Woods. Lancaster I aircraft LL 905 UL-H2 was lost during a night raid against targets in Stuttgart, Germany. The Lancaster was shot down by a German night fighter and crashed six miles south-east of Saaralben, Alsace Lorraine between Saarewerden (Bas-Rhin) and Rimsdorf, France

Their are two claims for this Lancaster, either Hauptmann Martin Becker of the 2/NJG6 (flying Bf 110 G-4 2Z+MK) or Unteroffizier Egon Engling of the 8/NJG2

Flying Officer Edward James Mann DFC (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Donald Irwin MacVicar (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Leslie Mutton (RAAF) and Sergeant Reginald Alan Wellesley Roberts (RAFVR) were all killed in action

Flying Officer Anton Novak (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Francis Thomas McCann (RAFVR) and Sergeant William Thomas Doidge (RAFVR) survived to become Prisoners of War

There were four 576 Squadron Lancaster aircraft lost this same date. The other Lancaster aircraft were serials PB 128 UL-S2, LL 799 UL-N2 and PB 253 UL-A2

Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1944 Part 4 24 July - 15 October by Theo Boiten, page 22

1 Group Bomber Command an Operarional Record by Chris Ward with Greg Harrison and Grzegorz Korcz

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Bombing Caen France 1944-07-07 to 1944-07-07

460 () ()

Bombing Duisburg Germany 1944-05-22 to 1944-05-22

460 () Sqn (RAAF) RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom