Date & Time:
May 16, 1943 at 2257 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED934
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
7
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 2130LT on May 15 to attack the Sorpe Dam located 40 km southeast of Dortmund. While passing over the Netherlands at night at an altitude of 300 feet, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the Waddenzee, west of Harlingen. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (617th Squadron):
P/O Vernon William Byers, pilot,
Sgt Alastair James Taylor, flight engineer,
P/O James Herbert Warner, navigator,
Sgt Arthur Neville Whitaker, air bomber,
Sgt John Wilkinson, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Charles McAllister Jarvie, air gunner,
F/Sgt James McDowell, air gunner.
Crew (617th Squadron):
P/O Vernon William Byers, pilot,
Sgt Alastair James Taylor, flight engineer,
P/O James Herbert Warner, navigator,
Sgt Arthur Neville Whitaker, air bomber,
Sgt John Wilkinson, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Charles McAllister Jarvie, air gunner,
F/Sgt James McDowell, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
