Date & Time:
Mar 3, 1944 at 0045 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax III
Operator:
Registration:
HX272
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The bomber left RAF Skipton-on-Swale in the evening as Nuremberg for target. While cruising by night southeast of Bamberg, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German Air Force Messerschmitt Me.110 and crashed in a prairie located in Friesener Warte. Three crew were rescued while five others were killed.
Crew (433rd Squadron):
P/O N. Christian,
F/S W. F. Frost, †
P/O C. W. Panton, †
P/O D. MacLawrey, †
W/O2 L. V. Milward, †
W/O1 H. Cooper,
Sgt J. S. Thompson, †
W/O2 J. G. McLaughlan.
Crew (433rd Squadron):
P/O N. Christian,
F/S W. F. Frost, †
P/O C. W. Panton, †
P/O D. MacLawrey, †
W/O2 L. V. Milward, †
W/O1 H. Cooper,
Sgt J. S. Thompson, †
W/O2 J. G. McLaughlan.
Probable cause:
Shot down by German fighter.
