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GALLAGHER JD
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GALLAGHER, John

Aircraft Information
Aircraft Avro Lancaster III
Serial Number NE173
Markings PM-F
Memorial information
Burial/Memorial Country France
Burial/Memorial Place Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery
Grave Reference IX. F. 2..
Epitaph
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase 1
Panel Number 38
Enlistment information
Service Number J/88398
Service Royal Canadian Air Force
Group 1
Squadron 103
Trade Air Bomber
Country of origin if different Canada
Last Operation information
Start Date 06-06-1944
End Date 07-06-1944
Takeoff Station Elsham Wolds
Day/Night raid Night
Operation To bomb two railway bridges situated at Vire in Calvados, Northern France which was an important road and rail junction on the River Vire which would have been used to supply any German invasion effort.
Reason for Loss Take off 2140. To bomb communication lines in Vire. Approaching the target, they were shot at by night fighter. With both wings on fire NE173 continued its bombing run and bombed the markers. It is possible the crew shot the attacking fighter down. Just beyond the target and still on fire, NE173 made a slow descending turn 180 degrees to port flying back in the direction from which it had come. The pilot seems to have attempted a crash landing in a field at Maisonseule, about 2 miles NE of Vire. Witnesses on the ground say the Lancaster hit the ground at a very shallow angle which broke off the tail. The main section of the aircraft continued at some speed along the ground, shedding burning wreckage, coming to rest yards from a farmhouse close to Omaha beach. No crew baled out. All seven crew killed