Baht, Ralph Edmund (Flying Officer)

Killed in Action 1943-October-09

Flying Officer Ralph Edmund Baht RCAF

Birth Date: 1920-March-24

Born: Imperial Saskatchewan

Parents: George & Louise Baht

Spouse:

Home: Imperial, Saskatchewan (parents)

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RCAF

Unit

97 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Achieve Your Aim

Base

RAF Bourn

Rank

Flying Officer

Position

Observer

Service Numbers

J/22534

Final Burial
Google MapCWG Cemetery
Plot 2 Row E Grave 14
97 Squadron (Achieve Your Aim). Hit by flak over the target area causing a violent explosion which blew off the nose and the outer part of the port wing of the aircraft and started a fire which quickly spread throughout the fuselage. The pilot's helmet was blown off so he was unable to order the bale-out of the crew. addendum: Lancaster aircraft JB 174 (OF-S) hit by flak whilst over the target. P/O. G.D. Nichol (RCAF) was taken Prisoner Of War, five RAF members of the crew, Sgt.s P Cassidy, A E Gadsby, H J Lewis, J H Brown, and H T Finche were also killed.

Lancaster serial: JB174

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

Wikipedia Wikipedia

unvetted Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page