Memorial to Lancaster crash

Discussion in 'World War 2' started by Kyt, Aug 23, 2008.

  1. Kyt

    Kyt Άρης

    Memorial to brave crew of mystery Lancaster crash

    Fuller details:

    URL removed as the page contains a malicious programme
     
  2. spidge

    spidge Active Member

    Fuller details alright.

    That is one heavy piece of writing and investigation.
     
  3. liverpool annie

    liverpool annie New Member

    I found this ....

    The Royal Australian Air Force crew who died were pilot, Flying Officer Robert Beddoe (21), from Elsterwick, near Victoria; navigator, Flight Sergeant Frederic Walker (32), St Ives, New South Wales; mid-upper gunner, Flight Sergeant Stanley Abbott (21), Cottesloe, West Australia; wireless operator, Flight Sergeant Terrence Dent (21), Walkeston, Queensland; rear gunner, Flight Sergeant Bevil Glover (23), Malvern, Victoria, and bomb aimer David Ryan (30), of Fairfield, Victoria.

    Mission to honour Lancaster crew... 64 years on - Strathspey and Badenoch Herald

    A photograph taken of the crew shortly before they were killed – left to right, David Ryan, Terrence Dent, Robert Beddoe, Fredric Walker, Bevil Glover and Stanley Abbott.
     
  4. ME453

    ME453 Guest

    This is an extract from the Australian Roll of Honour website:

    463 SQUADRON RAAF WORLD WAR 2 FATALITIES
    Date of Death: 31 August 1944.
    Source:
    AWM 64 1/342 (3), 1/343 AWM 237 (63) (64)
    NAA : A705, 166/5/687
    Aircraft Type:
    Lancaster
    Serial number:
    PD 259
    Radio call sign:
    JO -
    Unit:
    463 Sqn RAAF
    Summary:
    Lancaster PD259 took off from RAF Waddington on 31st August 1944 to carry out a night non-operational cross-country flight. The aircraft crashed at 2315 hours in the Monadhliath mountains about 10 miles north of Kingussie, Inverness Shire, Scotland, and all the crew were killed.
    Crew:
    RAAF 418717 FO Beddoe, R H Captain (Pilot)
    RAAF 428834 Flt Sgt F M Walker (Navigator)
    RAAF 418473 Flt Sgt D H Ryan, (Bomb Aimer)
    RAAF 425617 Flt Sgt T R Dent, (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
    RAF WO G H Middleton, (Flight Engineer)
    RAAF 436790 Flt Sgt S A Abbott (Mid Upper Gunner)
    RAAF 436579 Flt Sgt B M Glover (Rear Gunner)
    On RAAF casualty file A705, 166/5/687 held by Archives the following details are recorded in the Court of Inquiry into the accident :
    A Meteorology report of conditions in the area at the time of the accident stated “Fairly frequent showers in the north of Scotland at the time of the accident. Cumulus and Cumulonimbus clouds extensive to 20,000 feet locally with some reaching to 25,000 feet. Cloud base was locally below 1000 feet in showers and would be covering hilltops. Visibility under cloud in the` area was from 15/30 miles. Temps –30degC to –44degC at 20,000 feet and 25,000 feet respectively. These are far too low for icing to be expected if aircraft was flying at briefed height of 25,000 feet.
    It was also recorded that the crew had a sound training record and that since at this unit the pilot had done 10 hours as second pilot at night and a four hours daylight exercise with his crew. The briefed height was 25,000 feet and the pilot understood the met. situation. Despatch of training flight was considered justified as a bright moon and icing risk negligible at briefed height.”

    I was in the room in RAF Waddington only 2 or 3 weeks ago where the prop and other remains are. One part, an injector if I remember correctly, is in such good condition that my RAF companion said he thought the BBMF could be interested in it as a spare for their Lanc!
    Best wishes
    Max

    The A705 Casualty Report is available online, pages 38 and 39 make particularly interesting reading. It suggests pilot error and inexperience as the primary cause.
     
  5. Antipodean Andy

    Antipodean Andy New Member

    Good to see these young men remembered. Looks like Geoff has some good detail for his project too!
     
  6. spidge

    spidge Active Member

    Seems that Middleton RAF was thought to have parachuted out to safety. It is also thought that he went looking for help in the darkness and fell down a cliff to his death .
     
  7. Nostalgair

    Nostalgair New Member

    Hi All,

    Another fitting tribute and I must comment that I never cease to be amazed by all of your varied abilities to research these events.

    Cheers

    Owen
     
  8. Kyt

    Kyt Άρης

    In post #1 I posted a URL to 467&463 RAAF Squadron website, and a page on the above crash. I have now removed the link as that particular page contained a malicious programme (a virus) that has affected a few people on rafcommands. It did not seem to affect my computer as I have pretty tight security.

    But for those members who clicked the link, please do a scan of your computer using your anti-virus programme, just incase.

    Apologies to anyone who may have been caught out.
     
  9. Kyt

    Kyt Άρης

    Recovery operation brings home Lancaster wreckage which has lain on Scottish hillside for 65 years - The Daily Record

     
  10. spidge

    spidge Active Member

    Lost bombers has a different detail of that numbered aircraft.

    Read more of this on the next post!
     
  11. spidge

    spidge Active Member

    Picked this up from another link which sadly does not open!

    truetales

    Goes to analytics-google.info search the web

     

Share This Page