CRASH OF LANCASTER ND419
OF 460 SQUADRON RAAF
NEAR NORTH WITHAM, LINCONSHIRE
RETURNING FROM A RAID ON STUTTGART, GERMANY
ON THE EVENING OF 20/21 FEBRUARY 1944

Lancaster ND419 of 460 Squadron RAAF crashed into trees near North Witham, Lincolnshire during blizzard conditions while returning from an attack on the 21 February 1944. The following partial extract from the Highgate RSL website provides details of the incident plus the crew (5 RAAF, 2 RAFVR):-

Lancaster ND419 took off from RAF Binbrook at 2330 hours on 20 February 1944 to bomb Stuttgart, Germany. The bomb load was 1 x 4000 lb (pound) (1,800 kg) and 6 x 1000 lb (450 kg) bombs. On return from the mission, in blizzard conditions ND419 flew into trees and crashed at 0650 hours on the 21 February half a mile south of North Witham, which is 10 miles south of Grantham in Lincolnshire.

The following crew members of Lancaster ND419 were tragically all killed:-

Flying Officer Francis Allan Cleveland (422261) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant John Arthur Dietman (417816) (Rear Gunner)
Pilot Officer Graham Athol Grant (416953) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Edward Hurtle Lawrie (417085) (Bomb Aimer)
Sergeant John Emmanuel McCarthy (1836186) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant Peter Dearnley Rawson (1683124) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant Allan Geoffry Young (421426) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)

 

REFERENCES

Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))

Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records

Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll

Can anyone help with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 9 January 2020

This page last updated 19 February 2020