Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Thurgarton: 7 killed
Date & Time:
May 26, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
L7578
Survivors:
No
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a training mission. En route, while cruising at low altitude, the bomber hit tree tops and crashed in a field. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (44th Squadron):
P/O George Benjamin Sanderson, pilot,
Sgt James Graham Middlemas, flight engineer,
Sgt Albert Dennis Clark, navigator,
P/O Archibald Thomas Noble, bomb aimer,
Sgt Bernard Broe, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/S Dennis Wright, air gunner,
Sgt Derek Nicholls, air gunner.
Crew (44th Squadron):
P/O George Benjamin Sanderson, pilot,
Sgt James Graham Middlemas, flight engineer,
Sgt Albert Dennis Clark, navigator,
P/O Archibald Thomas Noble, bomb aimer,
Sgt Bernard Broe, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/S Dennis Wright, air gunner,
Sgt Derek Nicholls, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. Nevertheless, it was shown that the crew was inexperienced.
