Lancaster JB737 Mk.III - Bombing Berlin Germany - 1944-01-01 to 1944-01-02
Squadron: 405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF)
Start Date: 1944-01-01
Completion Date: 1944-01-02
Mission: Bombing
Operation: Battle of Berlin
Target City: Berlin Germany
Target Specific:
Base: Gransden Lodge
Take Off Time: 00:37:00
Squadron Code: LQ-R
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: France
Crash Specifics: near Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, Pas-de-Calais
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: fighter
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim: Oberleutnant Ludwig Meister of the 1/NJG 4
War Diary Unavailable

6 Bomber Group January 1/2, 1944

31 Lancaster from 408, 426, and 432 squadrons were ordered on an attack at Berlin. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 22,000 feet, releasing 124,000 lbs of high explosives and 73,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the target was cloud covered and bombing was scattered. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)

405 Vancouver Squadron (Ducimus) Pathfinder Force, RAF Gransden Lodge. Lancaster BIII aircraft JB 737 LQ-R was shot down by night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Ludwig Meister of the 1/NJG 4, who was flying Bf 110 G-4 3C+SJ from Florennes airfield in Belgium while returning from an operation against targets in Berlin, Germany. The Lancaster crashed near Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, Pas-de-Calais, France with the loss of five crew members

Flying Officer A P Campbell (RCAF), Flight Sergeant B C Cameron (RCAF), Pilot Officer J B Dunne (RCAF)Pilot Officer T D Gavin (RCAF) and Sergeant J Redhead (RAFVR) were all killed in action

Pilot Officer D N Thompson (RCAF) and Sergeant D J Leslie (RAFVR) both survived to become Prisoners of War

unvetted Source Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

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unvetted Source Aviation Safety Network

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