Lancaster KB845 Mk.X - Bombing Chemnitz Germany - 1945-03-05 to 1945-03-06
Squadron: 419 (B) Sqn (RCAF)
Start Date: 1945-03-05
Completion Date: 1945-03-06
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Chemnitz Germany
Target Specific:
Base: Middleton St.George
Take Off Time: 16.29
Squadron Code: VR L
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: Drayton Parsloe in Bedfordshire, UK
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: icing
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable

6 Bomber Group March 5/6, 1945

86 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, 429, and 432 Squadrons were joined by 84 Lancasters from 419, 424, 428, 431, 433, and 434 Squadrons on an attack at Chemnitz. The crews were over the target at between 15,000and 18,000 feet, releasing 1,064,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, severe damage was caused by this attack. There was severe icing over England and this was a factor in most of the crashes. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)

760 aircraft - 498 Lancasters, 256 Halifaxes, 6 Mosquitoes - to continue Operation Thunderclap

. The operation started badly when 9 aircraft of 6 Group crashed near their bases soon after taking off in icy conditions. 426 Squadron, at Linton-on-Ousc, lost 3 out of their 14 Halifaxes taking part in the raid in this way, with only I man surviving. 1 of the Halifaxes crashed in York, killing some civilians. 22 further aircraft were lost in the main operation - 14 Lancasters and 8 I·Ialifaxes. The city of Karl-Marx-Stadt was unable to supply any local details but it Is known that the centre and the south of the city suffered severe fire damage. Several important factories were situated in the fire area and the Siegmar factory, which made tank engines, was destroyed

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

419 Moose Squadron (Moose Aswayita) RAF Middleton St George. The crew of Lancaster BX aircraft KB 845 VR-L were returning from operations over Chemnitz, Germany when they crashed at Drayton Parslow, Buckinghamshire, England, believed due to severe icing conditions

Pilot Officer FR Leet (RCAF), Flying Officer L Reitlo (RCAF), Flying Officer GJ Hollinger (RCAF), Flying Officer WN De Witt (RCAF), Pilot Officer JE Hanley (RCAF), Pilot Officer JAS King (RCAF), and Pilot Officer NR Poole (RCAF) were all killed in action

unvetted Source 419 Squadron RCAF 1941 to 1945 Crew of Lancaster KB 845

unvetted Source RAF losses 5./6. March 1945 [Archive] - Luftwaffe and Allied Air...

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