Memorial Avro Lancaster I LL882

Memorial to commemorate the crash of the Avro Lancaster I LL882.

Taking off from RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire at 22:20 hrs to bomb railway yards - some 506 aircraft (291 Lancasters, 187 Halifaxes with 28 Mosquitoes) taking part to bomb various targets - Courtrai, Ghent, Dieppe, Lens and Lille. Reports on the Lille target state that they were successful although many bombs fell on civilian housing.
LL882 was claimed by Lt. Hans Schmitz, his first Abschuss, from 4./NJG1 NW of Lillie at 3000 m at 00:15 hrs. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (16 March 1944 - 11 May 1944) Part 2 - Theo Boiten).

Lt. Hans J. Schmitz claimed one other aircraft before he was killed on the 25th/26th September 1944 at Rinkerode - his aircraft collided with high power cables in bad weather.

The aircraft exploded mid-air with the wreckage falling on the Dumoulin Brickworks at 00:15 hrs. The owner of the brickworks stated that he heard machine gun fire and he believed the aircraft was attacked by a night fighter. All four engines were found some distance from the fuselage and other parts of the aircraft were widely dispersed. The pilot's body was found still in the cockpit strapped to his seat, Fg Off. David Croston was also found in his position within the turret.

Crew:
Pilot: Sqn Ldr. Mervyn Powell (DFC), 402817, RAAF, Age 29. Killed
Flt Eng: Sgt. Harry Law Moyyneux, 1802369, RAFVR, Age 21. Killed
Nav: Fg Off. Ronald Jacques, 134697, RAFVR, Age 28. Killed
Bomb Aimer: Flt Sgt. Bertram Fraser, 1443752, RAFVR, Age 22. Killed
WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Lt. William Neil Read ,406700, RAAF, Age 22. Killed
Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Fg Off. Robert McKerlie Croft, 407199, RAAF, Age 27. Killed
Air Gnr (Rear): Fg Off. David Payne Croston, 407821, RAAF, Age 32. Killed

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Sander Janssen