Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | PB451 |
Markings | LQ-G |
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Rheinberg War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 13. F. 5.. |
Epitaph | FOND MEMORIES HOLD HIM NEAR. LOVE LINGERS IN OUR HEARTS EVERY DAY |
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 121 |
Service Number | J/95443 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 8 |
Squadron | 405 (Vancouver) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of origin if different | Canada |
Baker R M (WO2) |
Butterworth R S (F/O) |
Hayes E (F/O) |
Kirkcaldy A (Sgt) |
Peaker G E (F/O) |
Perrault E F (F/S) |
Smith R P (Sgt) |
Start Date | 18-03-1945 |
End Date | 19-03-1945 |
Takeoff Station | Gransden Lodge |
Day/Night raid | Night |
Operation | Witten. 324 aircraft, 8 losses. A successful raid carried out in good conditions. 1081 tons of bombs were dropped, destroying 62% of the built-up area according to a British port-war survey. The Ruhrstahl steelworks and the Mannesmann tube factory were severely damaged. |
Reason for Loss | Many sources state that this aircraft collided with Halifax RG529 yet in his combat report, Hptm. Fritz Lau stated: "I never lost sight of the aircraft from the moment of my first attack until it crashed". He was unable to identify the aircraft so it remains unclear whether it was RG529 or PB451 but it is at least clear that they did not collide. The presumption that they collided is almost certainly due to the proximity of their respective crash sites as it is said that the wrecks were less than 100m apart in Merklinde. |