Memorial Royal Canadian Air Force 424 Sqdn 5th April 1945

Royal Canadian Air Force,5th April 1945
Remembered Lane End,Buckinghamshire.

Note: On memorial Thomson shows as Thompson

ARMSTRONG, CURWOOD NEVILLE

Rank:
Pilot Officer
Trade:
Air Bomber
Service No:
J/95124
Date of Death:
05/04/1945
Age:
20
Regiment/Service:
Royal Canadian Air Force

424 Sqdn.
Grave Reference
51. F. 3.
Cemetery
BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of Leslie and Vera Armstrong, of Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada.

ASHDOWN, EDWARD THOMAS

Rank:
Pilot Officer
Trade:
Flt Engr.
Service No:
J/95123
Date of Death:
05/04/1945
Regiment/Service:
Royal Canadian Air Force

424 Sqdn.
Grave Reference
51. F. 7.
Cemetery
BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of Alfred Thomas Ashdown and Ivy Isabel Ashdown, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.


HOWES, CHARLES KEITH

Rank:
Pilot Officer
Trade:
Air Gnr.
Service No:
R/170976
Date of Death:
05/04/1945
Age:
19
Regiment/Service:
Royal Canadian Air Force

424 Sqdn.
Grave Reference
51. F. 1.
Cemetery
BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of Charles Tupper Howes and Mary Howes, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

ROBINSON, STEWART JAMES OLSON

Rank:
Pilot Officer
Trade:
Air Gnr.
Service No:
J/95524
Date of Death:
05/04/1945
Age:
19
Regiment/Service:
Royal Canadian Air Force

424 Sqdn.
Grave Reference
51. F. 5.
Cemetery
BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of Harry and Hannah Olson Robinson, of Raymond, Alberta, Canada.


ROCHFORD, JOSEPH

Rank:
Flying Officer
Trade:
Nav.
Service No:
J/39294
Date of Death:
05/04/1945
Age:
21
Regiment/Service:
Royal Canadian Air Force

424 Sqdn.
Grave Reference
51. F. 2.
Cemetery
BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of James and Alice Rochford, of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.

WATSON, JOSEPH WILLIAM

Rank:
Flying Officer
Service No:
J/41735
Date of Death:
05/04/1945
Regiment/Service:
Royal Canadian Air Force

424 Sqdn.
Grave Reference
51. F. 6.
Cemetery
BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY

THOMSON, STUART MCLEAN

Rank:
Pilot Officer
Trade:
W.Op./Air Gnr.
Service No:
J/94843
Date of Death:
05/04/1945
Age:
20
Regiment/Service:
Royal Canadian Air Force

424 Sqdn.
Grave Reference
51. F. 4.
Cemetery
BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of Albert S. Thomson and Jessie M. Thomson, of Three Rivers, Province of Quebec, Canada.

 

Avro Lancaster 1. RF150. 424 (Tiger) Sqn RCAF Skipton on Swale, Yorkshire. Aircraft took off approx 18.08hrs on 04/04/1945, target Merseburg in Germany. All squadron aircraft reached the target area only to come under attack from heavy anti aircraft fire and marauding nightfighters. RF150 made the homeward journey but at approx 02.20hrs on the 5th it collided with a blacked out water tower and crashed heavily into a large beech wood to the west of Booker Airfield, High Wycombe. None of the crew survived the impact and subsequent fire. As locals made their way to the scene another Lancaster flew over the crash site so low that it took the tops of some trees out but managed to stay in the air. Examination of the wrecked Lancaster remains the next morning revealed several crew members already bandaged up from flak wounds and/or fighter combat wounds. The low returning height may have been a result of crew injuries and/or damage to aircraft and engines and presumably responsible for the extremely low altitude. Crew consisted of Pilot F/O J W. Watson, Navigator F/O J. Rochford, Bomb Aimer F/S C N. Armstrong, Wireless operator W/O S. Thomson, Flight Engineer Sgt E T. Ashdown, MU/G F/S S J. Robinson and R/G F/S C J. Howe


RAF Relics. Lancaster RF150. 424 Sqn RCAF.05/04/45 (05/24/2012)
Canadian Lancaster RF150 crashed on April 5, 1945.


Canadian students visit site of plane crash in Lane End (From Bucks Free Press)

RCAF Avro Lancaster RF150

 

Old thread I know but I took a walk up to the crash site today. The water tower that the Lanc hit is still there (although presumably it was damaged and repaired?) and there is a memorial stone near that. A little further away in the beech forest is the site where she came to rest. There is an impromptu memorial there at the base of a tree. It is a beautiful, quiet spot to remember the sacrifice of these brave men.

Pic I took of the tree memorial, the other pic is of the memorial stone, is from the internet and is credited to Simon Cairns.

 

Donnerstag der 5.April 1945

 

P/O Howes is shown with his previous NCO number on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial. Correct number is J95122. Have advised them.

 

Good job.

 

That was quick. From the CVWM:

I just wanted to let you know that I made the correction on the memorial record of Charles Keith Howes and here is the link to view his updated memorial record:

Charles Keith Howes - The Canadian Virtual War Memorial - Veterans Affairs Canada