Duisburg

The crew was engaged in a bombing mission over Duisburg. While approaching the target, the Lancaster PD319 collided with another RAF Lancaster registered LM637, dove into the ground and crashed. All seven occupants were killed. The fate of the second aircraft remains unknown.
Crew (550th Squadron):
F/O H. Dodds, pilot,
P/O A. R. Brown, flight engineer,
F/O D. J. K. White, navigator,
F/O H. Black, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt C. W. Beckingham, wireless operator,
Sgt A. Laidlaw, air gunner,
Sgt H. V. Lewis, rear air gunner.

En route, the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reason. Four crew members were killed while three others were injured.
Crew (12th Squadron):
F/O Theodore Sorenson, pilot,
Sgt Crawford Fernie, flight engineer,
F/O Robert William Randall, bomb aimer,
Sgt D. R. Smith, mid upper gunner,
F/O H. S. Gartrell, navigator,
Sgt R. Allen, wireless operator,
Sgt S. R. Smith, rear gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Chedburgh at 0026LT on an operation to Duisburg. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Ruhrort, in the north outskirt of Duisburg. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Harold Broadbent, pilot,
Sgt Stanley Frederick Dean, flight engineer,
P/O Henry Catch, navigator,
Sgt Norman Douglas, bomb aimer,
Sgt William Frederick Walter Hards, wireless operator,
Sgt John Arthur Brown, air gunner,
Sgt William Duthie, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Warboys at 0013LT on an operation to Duisburg. It crashed in unknown circumstances in the target area, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
S/L Lighton Verdon-Roe, pilot,
Sgt John Cameron Stewart, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Edward William Banks, navigator,
P/O Frank Giles, navigator,
F/Sgt Thomas James Pritchard, wireless operator,
Sgt Kenneth Cecil Harrison, air gunner,
P/O Herbert Francis Jolley, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Warboys at 0021LT on an operation to Duisburg. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed in the target area. Lost without trace.
Crew:
P/O William Murray Wendon, pilot,
Sgt Clarence Askham, flight engineer,
P/O Evan Seaforth Mackenzie,
F/Sgt Neville Ray Mason,
F/Sgt Gordon Alexander Williams,
F/Sgt Ronald Gordon Wynn, air gunner,
F/Sgt Alexander Clive Johnston, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2311LT on May 12 on an operation to Duisburg. It crashed in unknown circumstances in the target area. Six crew members were killed and the bomb aimer survived and became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Norman Elsdon Jones, pilot, †
Sgt Peter Colin William Rich, flight engineer, †
Sgt Eric Gregson Brown, navigator, †
Sgt Kenneth Stewart Hobkirk, navigator, †
Sgt Laurence Wakenshaw, bomb aimer,
Sgt Peter Reginald James Blake, air gunner, †
Sgt Harry Goddard, air gunner. †

The airplane departed RAF Wickenby at 2340LT on May 12 on an operation to Duisburg. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed in the target area. Lost without trace.
Crew:
P/O Ian Hamilton Alexander, pilot,
Sgt Edwin Rome, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Richard Douglas Fraser,
Sgt Edgar David Harrison, bomb aimer,
Sgt John Ackroyd Stephens, wireless operator,
Sgt Ronald Bell, air gunner,
F/Sgt David Hugh Williams, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Warboys at 0043LT on an operation to Duisburg. It crashed in unknown circumstances in the target area. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Donald Herbert Waugh, pilot,
Sgt Bernard Patrick Ashcroft,
Sgt Colin Niven Bonar,
F/O Leopold Ernest Lindsey,
Sgt Ronald Eric Funnell,
Sgt Sydney Crowther Brown,
F/Sgt Leslie Harold Watters, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 0108LT on an operation to Duisburg. It crashed in unknown circumstances in the target area. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Harvey B. Minnis, pilot,
Sgt Charles Edward Thorne,
Sgt Leigh Gordon Webster,
Sgt Norman Law,
Sgt Wilfred Arthur Timms,
Sgt William Charles Snook,
P/O Edward Austin Foster, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Wickenby at 1702LT on an operation to Essen. Approaching Duisburg, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed. Five crew members were killed and two became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Frederick William Baker, pilot, †
Sgt Peter John Howlett Hogg, flight engineer, †
F/Lt William Douglas Leek, navigator, †
F/O Edward Christian Carl Rasmussen, bomb aimer, †
Sgt L. W. Keating, wireless operator,
Sgt J. V. Richards, air gunner,
Sgt Charles Herbert, air gunner. †