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Hitchcock, Nathan Charles (Sergeant)

Prisoner of War 1943-June-15

Male Head

Birth Date: unkown date (age )

Service
Unit
49 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Cave Canem (Beware of the dog)
Base
Fiskerton
Rank
Sergeant
Position
Flight Engineer
Service Numbers
1332226
396

Lancaster Mk.I/III ED434

Bombing Oberhausen Germany 1943-June-14 to 1943-June-15

An all Lancaster force of 197, guided by 6 Oboe Mosquitoes made a successful attack on Oberhausen. Despite the target being cloud-covered, accurate sky-marking enabled the bombers to do considerable damage. Twelve Lancasters lifted from Fiskerton's runway, the last one away by 22.32hrs. The crews found themselves engaged in a savage battle from both flak and fighters which resulted in Bomber Command losing 17 aircraft.

Of those missing: Sgt Frost (ED434) and crew had been shot down by a German night fighter flown by Hauptmann Hans-Dieter Frank I./NJG1. The aircraft fell to the ground 2 kilometers East of Dodewaard, Holland at 01.13hrs. The pilot and flight engineer survived to become POW's in Stalag 357, Kopernikus; the remainder of the crew are buried in Uden War Cemetery.

Took off 22:32 from Fiskertonin Lancaster Mk III ED434 on a raid to Germany

Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed in Gelderland, Holland

There were two survivors of the crash who were made POWs: Sergeant Hitchcock and Sgt Frost (both British) were both POWs at Stalag 357.

There were six deaths in the crash, all buried at Uden War Cemetery, Holland: F/Sgt Walter Lawrence Chatfield RCAF R/99842 KIA Uden War Cemetery 5. G. 11. (the only Canadian on the aircraft). Sgt John Robert Coulsey RAF KIA Uden War Cemetery 5. F. 1. Sgt Dennis Downing RAF KIA Ebbw Vale Cemetery Sec. H. South border. Row 13. Grave 5. Sgt Victor Horsley RAF KIA Uden War Cemetery 5. G. 13. Sgt Peter Alfred Toms RAF KIA Uden War Cemetery 5. G. 12. F/O Alan Ewart Whittaker RAF KIA Uden War Cemetery.

Crew on Lancaster Mk.I/III ED434

Avro Lancaster

Avro Lancaster Mk. X RCAF Serial FM 213
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirling, all three aircraft being four-engined heavy bombers adopted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the same wartime era.

The Lancaster has its origins in the twin-engine Avro Manchester which had been developed during the late 1930s in response to the Air Ministry Specification P.13/36 for a capable medium bomber for "world-wide use". Originally developed as an evolution of the Manchester (which had proved troublesome in service and was retired in 1942), the Lancaster was designed by Roy Chadwick and powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlins and in one version, Bristol Hercules engines. It first saw service with RAF Bomber Command in 1942 and as the strategic bombing offensive over Europe gathered momentum, it was the main aircraft for the night-time bombing campaigns that followed. As increasing numbers of the type were produced, it became the principal heavy bomber used by the RAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and squadrons from other Commonwealth and European countries serving within the RAF, overshadowing the Halifax and Stirling. Wikipedia

YouTube Lancaster Bomber

Wkikpedia Wikipedia

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF On Strength (234), RCAF 6 Group (5), RCAF 400 Squadron (7), Canadian Aircraft Losses (1732)
last update: 2021-09-18 14:32:33

Lancaster Mk.I/III ED434


49 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF) Cave Canem

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