I recently published my father’s biography under the title “Shalom, Jack” (ISBN 978-1-907953-70-5). It included as full and as accurate account as I could deduce about what happened to Lancaster bomber RF154 on the night of 16 March 1945, when it crashed during the last major bombing raid of Nürnberg in WW2. My father, Jack Goldstein, was the only one if the crew not to have bailed out, so crashed with the airplane. I have eyewitness accounts of the crash and of Jack being taken from his mid-upper gun turret, being laid down a short distance from the aircraft but being found to be dead. Surviving crew reported that still on board when the Lancaster came down was a 4000lb ‘Cookie’. The explosion rom the crash was heard 5km away and left a crater that was described by eyewitnesses as big enough to put a house in. Yet Jack was still in the mid-upper gun turret. The canopy had been blown off and his face was covered in blood; it appeared that his nose had been torn off by the blast. But otherwise his body was intact. He was buried in his flying gear in a local German cemetery before being re-buried after the war in the CWGC cemetery in Durnbach, Bavaria. The magnitude of the blast suggests that the ‘Cookie’ exploded on impact, but if so, it would be expected that Jack would have been far more seriously damaged. So maybe it didn’t – in which case why such a loud explosion and crater? I would very much appreciate any advice, suggestions, or observations on this anomaly. Thank you!
hello Did the Lancaster crash as a complete aircraft or did it break up over a wider area? Out of interest but might not answer your query see the below Lancaster DS690 for forum members info a few threads about Jack Jack Goldstein,166 Sqn Bomber Command | WW2Talk The last flight of Lancaster RF154 (AS-B) regards Clive
It was largely intact. One eye witness said bits were falling off on the way down, but I think the fuselage and wings were still as one.
From your description, if the mid-upper turret was more or less intact then it isn't unreasonable that its occupant could be severely injured but physically recognizable. Explosions are very random. There are numerous accounts of crewmen being blown clear of an exploding bomber and surviving.
Ahh...good to know there are other examples - even with such a large bomb just in front of the turret?
Oh dear, just seen a ‘typo’....where I said Jack was laid down after being taken from the aircraft, I meant he was found “TO be dead.” I think you have all realised this, fortunately.
