Crisp, James R (Flight Sergeant)

Prisoner of War 1945-March-15

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Birth Date: unkown date

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Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RCAF

Unit

405 (PFF) Sqn- Squadron
Ducimus We Lead

Base

RAF Gransden Lodge

Rank

Flight Sergeant

Position

Air Gunner

Service Numbers

R/217630

Target
Google MapMisburg Germany

Took off from Gransden Lodge at 17:59 to mark the Deurag oil refinery at Misburg Germany, on the outskirts of Hanover.

Suffered engine failure over the target and was also hit by flak. The crew abandoned and it crashed 1km East of Bad Grund, Germany.

POWs murdered by the Nazis: Flight Sergeant Francis Joseph Marsh RCAF R/266317 murdered Hanover War Cemetery grave 2. G. 12. Sergeant Robert Morris RAF murdered Hanover War Cemetery grave 2. G. 10. Flying Officer Donald George Smith RCAF J/35778 murdered Hanover War Cemetery grave 2. G. 11.

Killed: F/Lt Leslie Norman Laing RCAF J/26053 pilot KIA Hanover War Cemetery grave 2. G. 13.

POW: Flying Officer Ian Wesley Bonter RCAF J/35906 POW Stalag Luft L1 Barth Vogelsang.

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew or Other Personnel

Lancaster NE119

Flying Officer Ian Wesley Bonter RCAF

Flying Officer Bonter, Ian Wesley (RCAF)
Navigator
Prisoner of War
1945-March-15
cemetery unknown

Flight Sergeant James R Crisp RCAF

Flight Sergeant Crisp, James R (RCAF)
Air Gunner
Prisoner of War
1945-March-15
cemetery unknown

Flying Officer Raymond M Hyde RCAF

Flying Officer Hyde, Raymond M (RCAF)
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner
Prisoner of War
1945-March-15
cemetery unknown

Flight Lieutenant Leslie Norman Laing RCAF

Flight Lieutenant Laing, Leslie Norman (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1945-March-15
CWG Cemetery, Hanover, Germany

Flight Sergeant Francis Joseph Marsh RCAF

Flight Sergeant Marsh, Francis Joseph (RCAF)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1945-March-15
CWG Cemetery, Hanover, Germany

Sergeant Robert Morris RAFVR

Sergeant Morris, Robert (RAFVR)
Flight Engineer
Killed in Action
1945-March-15
cemetery unknown

Flying Officer Donald George Smith RCAF

Flying Officer Smith, Donald George (RCAF)
Bomb Aimer
Evader Murdered
1945-March-15
CWG Cemetery, Hanover, Germany

Mission

Lancaster Mk.III NE119

Bombing Misburg Germany 1945-March-15 to 1945-March-15

405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) Gransden Lodge
405 City of Vancouver Squadron (Ducimus), Pathfinder Force Lancaster III aircraft NE 119 LQ-P was shot down at Bad Grund, Germany, on March 15, 1945, during a night attack against Misburg, Germany. Flight Lieutenant LN Laing (RCAF) appears to have parachuted into trees, released his harness and fell about thirty feet, sustaining fatal injuries. Of six others who baled out, three were shot FS FJ Marsh (RCAF) was captured in the vicinity of the crash and was shot by the Gestapo on March 15, 1945. 1945. Sergeant R Morris (RAF) was killed on March 15, 1945. Flying Officer DG Smith (RCAF) was an Evader and was shot by the Gestapo on March 17, 1945. Three aircrew survived as Prisoners of War, Flying Officer IW Bonter, (RCAF), Flying Officer RM Hyde, (RCAF), FS JR Crisp, (RCAF). Flying Officer Bonter was on loan from 432 Squadron.

Lancaster serial: NE119

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

Unit Desciption

405 (PFF) Sqn Ducimus ("Vancouver")

History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Wellington II, Halifax II, Lancaster I, III & X)

This was the first RCAF bomber squadron to be activated at Driffield, Yorkshire, England and flew its first mission on 12/13 June 1941. At that time it was a member of 4 Group of Bomber Command, and flew successively from Driffield, Pocklington and Topcliffe, Yorkshire, England. With Code Letters LQ It flew Wellington Mk II aircraft until converting to Halifax II in April 1942, in time for the first 1000-bomber raid on Cologne. In October 1942 it was transferred to Coastal Command No 18 Group, flying over the Bay of Biscay from Beaulieu, Hampshire. Returning to Bomber Command, the squadron joined No 6 (RCAF) Group and flew from Topcliffe and Leeming, Yorkshire in March and April 1943. It was then seconded to No. 8 (Pathfinder) Group and for the rest of the war flew from Grandsen Lodge, Bedfordshire, UK . Its first Pathfinder mission was on 26th April 1943, and its last on 25th April 1945. It was slated to become part of the "Tiger Force" to attack Japan, but the surrender of Japan precluded that, and the Squadron was disbanded at Greenwood, Nova Scotia on September 5th, 1945. One of the aircraft that flew briefly with the squadron was the first Canadian-built Lancaster Mk. X, KB700, christened the "Ruhr Express", which was subsequently transferred to 419 Sqn RCAF in December 1943. Overall, the squadron flew 4427 sorties, of which 349 were with Coastal Command and 41 were in Operation Exodus, the repatriation of POWs. Nearly 25000 operational hours were logged together with 12,000 non-operational, and 12,856 tons of bombs were dropped. In the course of operations, 167 aircraft were lost with 937 aircrew. In the course of its history, squadron members were awarded 9 DSO's, 161 DFC's and 24 Bars to DFC's, 38 DFM's, 2 CGM's 2 BEM's and 11 MiD's. Battle Honours were: Fortress Europe 1941-44, France and Germany 1944-45, Biscay Ports 1941-45, Ruhr 1941-45, Berlin 1941; 1943-44, German Ports 1941-45, Normandy 1944, Walcheren, Rhine; Biscay 1942-43.Moyes, Kostenuk and Griffin

Squadron History (Bomber Command Museum PDF)

Maps for Movements of 405 Squadron 1941-45

MAP 1: 405 Squadron Movements in Yorkshire 1941-45 (right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab)
MAP 2: 405 Squadron Movements in England 1941-45

405 Sqn History Summary 1941-45

405 Sqn History Summary 1941-45 Page 2

History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Lancaster X, Neptune, Argus I & II, Aurora)

The squadron was re-formed as No 405 (Maritime Reconnaissance) Squadron at Greenwood, Nova Scotia on 31 March 1950, and redesignated No 405 (Maritime Patrol) Sqn on 17 July 1956. The squadron was the first of four formed in Maritime Air Command. It flew modified Lancaster Mk. X aircraft until mid-1955, when they were replaced by P2V7 Lockheed Neptunes, which gave an enhanced anti-submarine capability. and the first to fly Lancaster, Neptune and Argus aircraft on East Coast maritime duty. In April 1958 the squadron was given the distinction of being the first to fly the Canadian-built CP-107 Argus. The squadron made its last flight in the Argus on 10 November 1980 before introducing the CP-140 Aurora. On 1 February 1968 the squadron was integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces. It is now designated No 405 Long Range Patrol Squadron, flying from Greenwood, NS.

The squadron’s primary combat functions are Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface (ASUW). The Squadron regularly trains for its roles by participating in a number of naval exercises at home and abroad. However, most of its time is taken up in a number of non-combat roles, including search and rescue and support to other government departments, including counter-drug operations with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and fisheries patrols with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Year-round, the Squadron carries out sovereignty patrols covering the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and maritime areas of interest . During these patrols, 405 LRPS crews maintain a constant vigil for ships that discharge pollutants illegal at sea. Similarly, its crews verify that foreign and Canadian fishing vessels abide by their Canadian licensing agreements and report suspected violators to DFO patrol boats.

405 LRPS regularly deploys to a number of allied bases for an assortment of exercises and missions. Among its international training sites are US NAS Keflavik (Iceland), US NAS Sigonella (Sicily, Italy), US NAS Oceana (Virginia, USA), US NAS Jacksonville (Florida, USA), US NAS Roosevelt Roads (Puerto Rico), UK RAF Kinloss (Moray, Scotland),UK RAF Station St. Mawgan (Cornwall, England) and NL NAS Valkenburg (Netherlands).

unvetted Source Government of Canada RCAF Website