Short Stirling & RAF Bomber Command Forum

Does anyone have any information for F/S Collier and crew lost on Nordhausen, 3rd April 1945? Their Lancaster was NG237, the 625 Squadron ORB typically records nothing more than FTR and Holmes only records the aircraft as issued to 625 Oct 44, missing Nordhausen 3/4/45. The crew are buried in Holland.

Cheers,

Richard

Richard,

I have Chorleys details if you require them ?????
John

Oh yes please - that would be much appreciated!

Here it is Richard. From Bill Chorley RAF Bomber Command Losses 1945, volume 6, page 151.
Cheers,
John

Thanks John, much appreciated. I'll pass this on.

Richard

Hello Richard,

I have joined this blog specifically because of your enquiry. I too am chasing information about the Lancaster NG237. My uncle died in this same incident. He was Sgt James McIntosh and was acting as rear gunner. I do have some information - some is anecdotal from my mother and the other McIntoshes.
They were not a "crew" so to speak as they were put together as volunteers for this mission from remenants from other crews as there was a bout of flue affecting the ability to put planes up. The logs of the plane show that they did not fly her previously. My family believes NG 237 was struck by lightning however I can find no confirmation of this anywhere. I can find records showing that she impacted minus a complete wing. Other family stories suggest they flew into a severe storm - can't confirm this either but I do know that the target of Nordhausen was under cloud cover and they were returning after the mission. Another Lancaster, PA 190, was lost on this mission but this seems unrelated - I think she went down off the Dutch coast.

Interestingly I have found modern references to the crash in, of all things, cycling guides to Belgium. This is a little strange and has made me wonder if this site is marked or at least known locally. The crash site is also very close (around 4km) to a modern airstrip where there is an annual airshow called Sanicole held at this Sanicole airfield. I thought that also might be a source of information.

Attached is a link to the curious cycling reference - in Dutch unfortunately.

http://www.routeyou.com/location/view/4 ... elheide.nl
also
http://nl.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?tit ... d=30607283

I hope this adds to you knowledge.

Iain

Hi Iain and welcome to the forum. Here is a language converter ....... http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... uvcF2WVqtg

The long straight way Leopoldsburg-Hechtel offer you a large look over the Long Heuvelheide. Too in the middle of of the heath links lie the Visbedden, where on 3 April 1945 an airplane of the British Lancastereenheid crashed.

John

Hi Iain, welcome to the Forum and thanks for the additional information. Every little bit helps! I asked about F/S Collier originally beacause I'm in touch with the navigator of the crew he flew his 'second dicky' trip with. Gus was interested to know what had happened to him - he was happy with the info from Chorley but if we can add any significant details that would be great!

Cheers,

Richard

Hi,
Can't beleive i've overlooked this thread, as i have the 625sqdn ORB in my collection.
Iain, can i please correct one bit of information. This was not a scratch crew as suggested, Collier, Valentine, Sheldon, Morrison, Bennett and Ewington, all came in together from 1667 CU on 4th March 45, and flew as a crew thereafter. They came in, however, minus a Mid-Upper gunner, and were given a different gunner for each of their 6 ops flown, your uncle being in the M/U position on their final op to Nordhausen.
Surnames of the other airmen who flew as M/U with them are........
Shaw, Bruchstrasse, 22nd March.
McCarthy, Bremen, 23rd March.
Edwards, Hannover, 25th March.
Atkinson, Paderborn, 27th March.
Peach, 31st March, Hamburg.
Alan.

Alan,

Thanks for the correction. We knew that my uncle had volunteered for a crew but did believe that the others had also. Somewhere along the passage of time the story has altered a bit! Great to get the real story.

Richard,

As you can see my information is "sketchy" and largely based on seconhand information from my family. I'm still interested in finding out how NG237 went down as I don't believe it was shot down. I'll keep looking.

Best regards,

Iain