Memorial to Lancaster bomber crew that crashed near Whittlesey 80 years ago

In the early hours of the morning of 19th April 1944 Avro Lancaster ND475 of 576 Sqn Bomber Command crashed into an Eastrea Field near Whittlesey with the loss of 8 crew members.

It was returning from a successful raid on the railway yards at Juvisy-sur-Orge, near Paris, when, without warning, it went into a steep dive and crashed in a field at Wype Drove, Eastrea, near to the junction with Benwick Road.

Only one body was recovered from the scene, that of Tail Gunner Sgt. Willis, who is buried in Bury Cemetery, Lancashire. The remaining crew members were never recovered and remain in that field.

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This Friday, the 19th of April 2024, on the 80th anniversary of that crash a memorial to the crew members (seven of whom were never recovered) will be unveiled at The Eastrea War memorial on Wype Road.

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The service will be attended by members of 57 squadron RAF, the squadron association, Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre (custodians of the squadron’s heritage), The Royal British Legion, The RAF Association, local dignitaries, and members of the public.

Also present will be the owners of the land where ND475 crashed and custodians of the site and local residents – including the last living individuals to witness the scene.

Avro Lancaster III (ND475 DX-) on a mission to Juvisy-sur-Orge on 1944-04-19

The memorial has been privately arranged by Cllr Barry Wainwright and Cllr Bob Wicks of Whittlesey Town Council.

The ceremony will start at 10:45 and last for about half an hour. Anyone is welcome to attend.

The intention is to mount the memorial plate on a stone plinth, but due to the final permissions being received only a couple of weeks ago, the plate will be temporarily mounted on a wooden display board.

This will be replaced by the stone plinth later this year. It was felt more important to mark this significant anniversary than wait for the stone to be delivered.

History

The aircraft was reported as hitting the ground in a “vertical, high-speed dive” and was totally destroyed in the crash and subsequent fire.

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There was speculation at the time that the aircraft was shot down by a Luftwaffe night fighter that was operating in the area on that night, attacking two other returning bombers at Ely and Chatteris, but this was never conclusively proved.

The only crew member’s body recovered was Sgt John Willis, Tail Gunner.

From left: Anniversary memorial placed by Brown Family, The grave of Sgt John Willis, Bury Cemetery, Lancashire, and memorial placed by local resident

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Sgt. Willis was buried in Bury Cemetery, Lancashire. His headstone is inscribed “Too dearly loved to be forgotten, he died that we may live”.

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The remaining seven crew members were never recovered, and they are recorded as “No known grave”.

Crew

RAAF 420493 P/O Oberg, Albert Edward, Captain (Pilot) (age 32)

RAAF 425129 P/O Culliford, Ronald Firth (2nd Pilot) (age 22)

RAFVR 1522824 Sgt Kinnes, William Duncan (age not known)

RAFVR 174670 Sgt Crossley, Edmund Forbes (age 34) RAFVR 174690 Flt Sgt Pizzey, Herbert Rex (age 23)

RAFVR 1394671 Sgt Richards, Joseph Stewart (age 20)

RAF 174599 Sgt Adams, Henry Harris (age 40) (see below)

RAFVR 2208994 Sgt Willis, John Frederick (age 19)

(At 40, not only was Pilot Officer Adams well above the age associated with operational aircrew, but he was also amongst the oldest airmen killed on Bomber Command” RAF Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War: 1944 v. 5. W R Chorley)

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The Crash Site

The crash site is a field north of Wype Drove, close to its junction with Benwick Road. The field is jointly owned by members of the Brown Family of Wype Mere Farm, Anglebridge, Whittlesey.

It has been named as “Lancaster Field” by the family in memory of the men who died there.

Though jointly owned by the family, the field is managed by Robert Brown and most of the communication with the Brown family has been conducted with him.

The Brown family had reservations about having a permanent memorial at the crash site as they were concerned it would attract metal detectorists and souvenir hunters. The crash site is, of course, also a war grave.