Dakota KG653 Mk. III - Transport - 1944-09-24 to 1944-09-24
Squadron: 437 (T) Sqn (RCAF)
Start Date: 1944-09-24
Completion Date: 1944-09-24
Mission: Transport
Operation: unspecified
Target City:
Target Specific:
Base: RAF Pershore
Take Off Time:
Squadron Code:
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: Germany
Crash Specifics: four miles south-west of Neuleiningen
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason:
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim: Captain Julius Meimburg of 11/JG53
War Diary Unavailable

6 Bomber Group September 24, 1944

31 Halifaxes from 427 and 429 Squadrons were ordered on an attack enemy positions at Calais. The crews were over the target at between 1,500 and 2,500 feet, releasing 341,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the target was cloud covered and bombing was scattered. Some crews descended below cloud were they were fired at by accurate light flak. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)

1 Ferry Unit RAF Pershore. Dakota III aircraft KG 653 (attached from 437 Squadron RCAF, Omnia passim) was one of 15 transports en-route from the #1 Personnel Dispatch Centre transporting Canadian ground crew to India. The Dakota flew in very poor weather conditions, with dark, low clouds, heavy rain, thunder and lightning when it was blown off course, drifting over Germany where it was attacked by a Bf 109 fighter piloted by Captain Julius Meimburg of 11/JG53. Meimburg tried to force KG653 down but it went into a dive and suffered structural failure while trying to pull out, causing the Dakota to crash four miles south-west of Neuleiningen, Germany with the loss of all aboard

The flight crew: Pilot, Flight Lieutenant Ralph Korer (RAFVR), Navigator, Pilot Officer Lionel Alfred Veary (RAFVR) and Wireless Operator/Air Gunner George Beckoff (RAAF) were all killed in action

Passengers: Leading Aircraftman Lawrence Irwin Beach (RCAF), Leading Aircraftman John Adelard Real Chevrier (RCAF), Corporal James Cumming (RCAF), Corporal Lorne Hamilton Moreau (RCAF), Leading Aircraftman Oliver Eugene Debs Bergen (RCAF), Leading Aircraftman Joseph Robert Marcel Armand Couturier (RCAF), Leading Aircraftman Michael James Foch Good (RCAF), Leading Aircraftman Fred Larsen Kristensen (RCAF), Leading Aircraftman William John Scott Lundy (RCAF), Leading Aircraftman Donald John MacDonald (RCAF), Leading Aircraftman John Cyril Sutherland (RCAF), Leading Aircraftman Robert Thomas Burden (RCAF), Corporal William Howard Campbell (RCAF), Sergeant Walter Francis Hughes (RCAF), Corporal Howard John Hunter (RCAF), Aircraftman Class 1 John Dunlop McVie (RCAF), Corporal Frederick William Sargeant (RCAF), Leading Aircraftman Henry Studwell Watson (RCAF), Corporal James Ernest Allen (RCAF) and Aircraftman Class 1 Frederick Albert Leigh Gates (RCAF) were all killed in action

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