4/5 April 1945 – 166 Sqn, RAF Kirmington - Avro Lancaster I – LM289 - F/O R A Ayton RNZAF and crew - Op Lutzkendorf.
Approximate Location - Old Mill Farm at Melton Ross, North Lincs.
Lancaster LM289 of 166 Sqn with F/O R A Ayton and crew on their first operation crashed near Mill Farm, Melton Ross North Lincs on 5 April 1945.
They were part of a large force sent to bomb a synthetic oil plant at Lutzkendorf. Thee aircraft took off from Kirmington at 2116hrs and had been in the air for over eight hours before crashing on approach to Kirmington airfield. At 800ft the bomber dived to avoid another aircraft spotted by the rear gunner and hit rising ground near Mill Farm on the Melton Ross - Bigby Road at 05.36. A gentleman who was a about 12 at the time recalls this tragic incident and visited the site with a friend. The aircraft was in 2 sections with 2 engines actually on the road.
Five of the crew died. The only survivors were the pilot, F/O Ayton, and the rear gunner, Sgt J Benson. Both were seriously injured.
F/O R A Ayton RNZAF – Pilot - injured
Sgt. K H Butcher RAFVR – Pilot/Flight Engineer - 24 – 166 Sqn - Son of William Hardy Butcher and of Dora Daisy Butcher, of Southall, Middlesex. - Cambridge City Cemetery.
Sgt. Adrian Gordon Stewart Laidlaw RAFVR – Navigator – 21 – 166 Sqn - Son of Edward Douglas and Isabel Stewart Laidlaw, of Walton-on-Thames, Surrey - Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire.
F/S Ronald James McClean Bell RNZAF - Air Bomber – 22 – 166 Sqn - Son of Garnet Garvin Bell and Ethel Eliza Bell, of Matamata, Auckland, New Zealand. His brother Peter Garvin Bell, also died on service - Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire.
Sgt. Alwyn Nicholson RAFVR - Wireless Operator / Air Gunner– 20 – 166 Sqn – Son of Mr and Mrs Arnold Nicholson of York - Acomb St Stephen Churchyard, East Yorkshire.
Sgt. Denis John Blackie Barlow RAFVR - Mid Upper Gunner – 22 – 166 Sqn - Son of Victor George and Margaret May Barlow, of Headley. Awarded the Bronze Medal of the R.S.P.C.A., 1934 - Headley All Saints Churchyard, Hampshire.
Sgt. J Benson RAFVR - Air Gunner - injured.
Grave stone of Alwyn Nicholson at Acomb, York. Photo Darran Walker
Compiled by David Fell.
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