Date & Time:
May 16, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED934
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
7
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Scampton in the evening of May 15 to attack the Sorpe Dam located southeast of Dortmund. While overflying The Netherlands by night at an altitude of 300 feet, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the Waddenzee, off Texel. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (617th Squadron):
P/O Vernon William Byers, pilot,
Sgt Alastair James Taylor, flight engineer,
P/O James Herbert Warner, navigator,
Sgt Arthur Neville Whitaker, air bomber,
Sgt John Wilkinson, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Charles McAllister Jarvie, air gunner,
F/Sgt James McDowell, air gunner.
Crew (617th Squadron):
P/O Vernon William Byers, pilot,
Sgt Alastair James Taylor, flight engineer,
P/O James Herbert Warner, navigator,
Sgt Arthur Neville Whitaker, air bomber,
Sgt John Wilkinson, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Charles McAllister Jarvie, air gunner,
F/Sgt James McDowell, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
