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McCann, Francis Thomas (Flight Sergeant)

Prisoner of War 1944-July-29

Male Head

Birth Date: unkown date (age unknown)

Service
RAFVR
Unit
576 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Carpe Diem Seize the opportunity
Base
RAF Elsham Woods
Rank
Flight Sergeant
Marshal
Air Chief MarshalA/C/M
Air MarshalA/M
Air Vice MarshalA/V/M
Air CommodoreA/C
Group CaptainG/C
Wing CommanderW/C
Squadron LeaderS/L
Flight LieutenantF/L
Flying OfficerF/O
Pilot OfficerP/O
Warrant Officer 1st ClassWO1
Warrant Officer 2nd ClassWO2
Flight SergeantFS
SergeantSGT
CorporalCPL
Senior AircraftmanSAC
Leading AircraftmanLAC
Aircraftman 1st ClassAC1
Aircraftman 2nd ClassAC2
Position
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Service Numbers
1438832
PoW: 523

Lancaster Mk.I LL905

Bombing Stuttgart Germany 1944-July-28 to 1944-July-29

576 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Elsham Woods

576 Squadron (Carpe Diem) RAF Elsham Woods. Lancaster I aircraft LL 905 UL-H2 was lost during a night raid against targets in Stuttgart, Germany. The Lancaster was shot down by a German night fighter and crashed six miles south-east of Saaralben, Alsace Lorraine between Saarewerden (Bas-Rhin) and Rimsdorf, France

Their are two claims for this Lancaster, either Hauptmann Martin Becker of the 2/NJG6 (flying Bf 110 G-4 2Z+MK) or Unteroffizier Egon Engling of the 8/NJG2

Flying Officer Edward James Mann DFC (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Donald Irwin MacVicar (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Leslie Mutton (RAAF) and Sergeant Reginald Alan Wellesley Roberts (RAFVR) were all killed in action

Flying Officer Anton Novak (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Francis Thomas McCann (RAFVR) and Sergeant William Thomas Doidge (RAFVR) survived to become Prisoners of War

There were four 576 Squadron Lancaster aircraft lost this same date. The other Lancaster aircraft were serials PB 128 UL-S2, LL 799 UL-N2 and PB 253 UL-A2

Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1944 Part 4 24 July - 15 October by Theo Boiten, page 22

1 Group Bomber Command an Operarional Record by Chris Ward with Greg Harrison and Grzegorz Korcz

General Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

General Aviation Safety Network

General France-Crashes 39-45 Search

Footprints on the Sands of Time, RAF Bomber Command Prisoners of War in Germany 1939-45 by Oliver Clutton-Brock, page 356

The Long Road, Trials and Tribulations of Airmen Prisoners from Stalag Luft VII (Bankau) to Berlin, June 1944-May 1945 by Oliver Clutton-Brock and Raymond Crompton, page 321

General Carpe Diem - 576 Squadron RAF - The Crews

Target
Google MapStuttgart Germany

Lancaster LL905

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