 |
| |
Home
RAF
Stations & Bases
Aircraft
types
Forum and Bulletin Boards
Search site
Links
Books
Abbreviations
People Finder
About
Contact
us
> Units and Formations
Flying Squadrons
5 Sqn
6 Sqn
8 Sqn
9 Sqn
10 Sqn
11 Sqn
12 Sqn
15 Sqn
18 Sqn
21 Sqn
22 Sqn
23 Sqn
25 Sqn
27 Sqn
29 Sqn
33 Sqn
35 Sqn
39 Sqn
41 Sqn
43 Sqn
44 Sqn
46 Sqn
49 Sqn
50 Sqn
51 Sqn
54 Sqn
56 Sqn
57 Sqn
61 Sqn
64 Sqn
65 Sqn
68 Sqn
69 Sqn
70 Sqn
71 Sqn
73 Sqn
75 Sqn
81 Sqn
83 Sqn
85 Sqn
88 Sqn
90 Sqn
92 Sqn
97 Sqn
100 Sqn
101 Sqn
103 Sqn
104 Sqn
106 Sqn
109 Sqn
110 Sqn
111 Sqn
112 Sqn
113 Sqn
116 Sqn
121 Sqn
133 Sqn
136 Sqn
139 Sqn
141 Sqn
142 Sqn
143 Sqn
144 Sqn
148 Sqn
149 Sqn
150 Sqn
151 Sqn
153 Sqn
154 Sqn
166 Sqn
170 Sqn
189 Sqn
198 Sqn
199 Sqn
203 Sqn
206 Sqn
207 Sqn
209 Sqn
210 Sqn
211 Sqn
214 Sqn
222 Sqn
227 Sqn
228 Sqn
229 Sqn
235 Sqn
236 Sqn
248 Sqn
249 Sqn
251 Sqn
253 Sqn
254 Sqn
255 Sqn
256 Sqn
264 Sqn
266 Sqn
280 Sqn
288 Sqn
300 Sqn
301 Sqn
302 Sqn
303 Sqn
305 Sqn
307 Sqn
309 Sqn
310 Sqn
349 Sqn
350 Sqn
401 Sqn
402 Sqn
404 Sqn
407 Sqn
409 Sqn
410 Sqn
411 Sqn
412 Sqn
415 Sqn
416 Sqn
420 Sqn
421 Sqn
430 Sqn
438 Sqn
439 Sqn
441 Sqn
442 Sqn
443 Sqn
452 Sqn
455 Sqn
460 Sqn
463 Sqn
467 Sqn
486 Sqn
503 Sqn
504 Sqn
527 Sqn
528 Sqn
532 Sqn
538 Sqn
542 Sqn
550 Sqn
576 Sqn
601 Sqn
609 Sqn
613 Sqn
616 Sqn
617 Sqn
619 Sqn
625 Sqn
626 Sqn
627 Sqn
630 Sqn
Heavy
Conversion Units
1654
HCU
1656 HCU
1660 HCU
1661 HCU
1662 HCU
1665 HCU
1667 HCU
1668 HCU
21 HGCU
Advanced
Flying Schools
201
AFS
Advanced
Flying Units
12
AFU
15 AFU
Flying
Training Schools
1 FTS
2 FTS
3 FTS
6 FTS
7
FTS
12 FTS
1 Lancaster Finishing School
Central Flying School
Operational
Training/
Conversion Units (Fighter)
6
OTU
53 OTU
56 OTU
Air
Armament Schools
1
AAS
2 AAS
Empire Central AS
Other
schools
1 Gp Aircrew School
1 Ground Defence School
1 Air Observers School
Central
Gunnery School
5 Gp Anti Air School
Other units
Bomber Command
Coastal Command
Fighter Command
HQ No 5 Group
HQ No 23 Group
1485
Gunnery Flight
2782
Defence Sqn
178 Support Unit
399 Signals Unit
Nationality
based Sqns
Updated: 11 May 04
From: Air Historical Branch 5 (RAF)
MINSTRY OF DEFENCE
Room 308,
3-5 Great Scotland Yard,
London SWIA 2HW
Dear Mrs Evans,
Thank you for your letter dated 27 October 1999, requesting information concerning your late father, Sgt Edmund Kenneth Day (189663).
As requested I have consulted surviving casualty records, and where possible I have attempted to answer the questions that you have raised.
On 16 March 1945 your fathers aircraft, a Lancaster Mk I, No. NG.169 which was operating with No 625 Sqn, took from RAF Kelstern to carry out operations over Nuremberg, from which it failed to return to base. In total 231 Lancasters from No 1 Group, plus 46 Lancasters and 16 Mosquitoes of No 8 Group were despatched for this raid, which sadly resulted in the loss of 24 Lancasters,(all from No 1 Group). Most of these losses were due to German Night Fighters found the bomber stream on its way to the target. For your interest I enclose an extract taken from the Bomber Command Night Raid Reports relating to events for 16/17 March 1945.
After the cessation of hostilities the RAF Missing Research and Enquiry Service carried out investigations regarding the fate of the crew. During 1947 it was initially established that the aircraft had crashed 100 metres South of Bastenau. The body of the Pilot, Flying Officer E F Seear, had been found buried at Schillingsfuerst as an unknown, however, he was later was later identified after his grave was exhumed. Information supplied by a priest from Erzberg and other local inhabitants indicated that the aircraft crashed around 21.15 hrs on 16 March 1945 and exploded on impact. Further investigations revealed that the next morning a former policeman from Dombuehl proceeded to the scene of the crash and noted that the aircraft had entered into soft ground. All that was visible was what appeared to be part of a wing, with further wreckage found strewn over a wide area. Human remains that were found, collected and transported to the cemetery and buried at Erzberg.
When an MRES Officer visited the crash site he discovered that / the wreckage was still in a crater and covered by water. It was believed that the remains of 2 or 3 men had been recovered although this was uncertain. However, in order to establish individual identities exhumations were carried out by the MRES and identity discs belonging to Sgt H Smither (1893583) were located. It proved extremely difficult to obtain correct info as to the disposal of the aircraft but after numerous enquiries it was finally ascertained that the remains of the aircraft were still in the crater, which had partly filled up water. The MRES had the surplus water pumped from the crater and the salvaged the wreckage to establish whether any human remains could be found. As nothing was discovered it was the opinion of the investigating Officer that the remains that had been collected and buried at Erzberg were in fact, the remains of all the missing crew concerned.
As was standard practice the entire crew were transferred to the Bad Tolz (Durnbach) British Military Cemetery to ensure that the graves could be cared for by the former Imperial War Graves Commission. Flying Officer Seear was laid to rest in Grave No 11, Row J, Plot XI, with the remaining airmen, including Sgt Day laid to rest in a comrades’ group of graves numbered 12—15.
Regrettably we are unable to tell you if
any of the crews relatives are still alive as such information is not
retained amongst our records.
However, there are two options which you may wish to pursue. The first
is to send
correspondence contained in a sealed pre—paid to the RAF Personnel
Management Agency requesting that they forward to the Next—of—Kin’s
last known address. Although I should point out that these addresses
could be over fifty four years old and may not produce a response.
The contact address is as follows:
PMA(CS)lbl (RAF)
Building 248
RAF Innsworth
Gloucester
GL3 1EZ
I hope the information provided proves helpful.
Yours sincerely,
MISS D COFFEY
Air Historical Branch 5 (RAF)
Aviation
Heritage Lincolnshire
(Tourism)
Follow RAF Lincolnshire:
powered by blueconsultancy
