Date & Time:
Apr 17, 1943 at 0400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED784
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 2143LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. Over Saarbrücken, it was badly shot about by two German fighters. The crew decided to return to base and later, the bomber was shot down by the German Flak and was ditched at 0400LT into the sea off the French coast. Three crew members were killed and five others were rescued.
Crew:
F/O Henry Elderfield, pilot, †
P/O Patrick Claud Cotter, †
Sgt Harold Hinchcliffe, †
Sgt R. Chambers,
Sgt J. M. Laing,
Sgt R. S. Harman,
Sgt J. Hammond, air gunner,
Sgt H. Webster, air gunner.
Crew:
F/O Henry Elderfield, pilot, †
P/O Patrick Claud Cotter, †
Sgt Harold Hinchcliffe, †
Sgt R. Chambers,
Sgt J. M. Laing,
Sgt R. S. Harman,
Sgt J. Hammond, air gunner,
Sgt H. Webster, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.
