Zone

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I near Bourg-Saint-Maurice: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ED352
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Scampton at 1803LT on February 4 on a bombing mission over Turin. While approaching the Alps by night and very poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit the Belleface face located in the massif of La Pointe de La Terrasse, near Bourg-Saint-Maurice. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was located few months later in an mountainous and isolated area.
Crew (57th Squadron):
F/O Alistair Frank Gray Ritch, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Cosford, flight engineer,
Sg Denis George Busby, navigator,
Sgt Eric Atkins, navigator,
Sgt Douglas McNeill, radio operator,
Sgt Eric Norman Perkins, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Ronald Shears, wireless operator and air gunner.