Lancaster LM638 Mk.I/III - Bombing Culmont Chalindrey France - 1944-07-12 to 1944-07-13
Squadron: 44 (B) Sqn (RAF)
Start Date: 1944-07-12
Completion Date: 1944-07-13
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Culmont Chalindrey France
Target Specific: rail junction
Base: RAF Dunholme Lodge
Take Off Time: 21:43
Squadron Code: KM-P
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: France
Crash Specifics: Forest of Montavoire near Auberive, Haute-Marne, France
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: midair
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable

6 Bomber Group July 12/13, 1944

91 Halifaxes from 424, 427, 429, 431, 433, and 434 squadrons were joined by 8 Lancasters from 428 squadron on an attack of 2 V-1 launching sites at Bremont and Acquet. The crews were over the targets at between 9,000and 10,000 feet, releasing 780,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports both targets were well hit. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)

378 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitoes of 1, 5 and 8 Groups attacked railway targets at Culmont, Revigny and Tours. Culmont and Tours were accurately bombed but cloud interfered with the all- 1 Group raid at Revigny and only half of the force· bombed. I0 Lancasters were lost on the Revigny raid and 2 on the Culmont raid.

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

Lancaster III aircraft LM 638 KM-P returning from an operation to bomb the railway junction at Culmont-Chalindrey, France, was involved in a mid-air collision with 576 Squadron RAF Lancaster ND 859 UL-L2, which was circling in cloud trying to find another railyard at Revigny-sur-Ornain, France. Both aircraft were on missions in support of the D-Day landings, an attempt stop German troop and equipment movement on the French rail system

Lancaster LM 638 crashed near Auberive, Haute-Marne and ND 859 crashed at Giey-sur-Aujon, Haute-Marne, France

WO HL Brooks MC (RCAF) Sergeant RG Royle (RAF) survived and were taken as Prisoners of War.Warrant Officer Brooks would later escape from a POW work party 1943-05-10 and join the Polish underground for the duration of the war

Sergeant KW Green (RAF) survived and initially Evaded until captured at the Swiss border 1944-08-17 and taken Prisoner of War

Flying Officer RS Arnold (RCAF), Sergeant J Bray (RCAF),Sergeant WA Lamb (RCAF) and Sergeant L Wharton (RAF) survived and Evaded capture. Arnold, Lamb and Wharton all joined the Resistance movement until liberated by Allied Forces

unvetted Source [Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...

unvetted Source Search for France-Crashes 39-45

unvetted Source Memoirs 52: July 13 1944: two Lancasters crashed in the south-...

unvetted Source List of RAF-evaders-1940-1945.pdf

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