61 sqdn lancaster ND988 QR-E out of Skellingthorpe sgt H lea
 

gday i have information on the crew of lancaster ND988 shot down on the Dortmund Ems canal raid on the night of 23rd september. sgt H Lea gunner was the only survivor. my grandfathers brother FO Ian Campbell was the pilot. the aircraft crashed at Wechte germany.

Re: 61 sqdn lancaster ND988 QR-E out of Skellingthorpe sgt H lea
 

The following link http://www.bomberhistory.co.uk/Canal...ampbell_I.html may be of interest. It shows the Headstone of F/O I.M. Campbell Service No. 426213.

Another link http://www.wartimememoriesproject.co...rved/c-ww2.php
F/O Ian Melville Campbell . RNZAF 61 Squadron (d.23rd September 1944)
My great uncle flew a Lancaster with 61 Squadron and was killed on the 23rd of September 1944. I'm trying to find information on the only survivor, Sgt H. Lea who was put into Stalag Luft 7. I'd like to know if he is still alive. > > The crew were:
· F/O Ian Melville Campbell RNZAF 426213
· Sgt John Norman Hoad 1175274 23/09/1944
· Sgt R.D. Cole
· F/S M.J. Milne RNZAF
· Sgt John McCabe 1348047 RAF Volunteer Reserve
· Flt/Sgt Samuel Vernon Wickland 640170
· Sgt H. Lea > > Lancaster ED470 took off at 19:07 23rd Sep 1944 to bomb the Dortmund-Ems Canal at Ladbergen near Munster. It crashed at 23:30 at Wechte, 3km from Tecklenburg. Those killed are now buried in the Reichswald Forest War cemetery.

NOTE: The above link gives a name & email address of person making this enquiries. Not sure if it is you.

Kind regards

Ross

Re: 61 sqdn lancaster ND988 QR-E out of Skellingthorpe sgt H lea
 

Many thanks for your help Ross.
I hope to get to the crash site next year.

Mike

Re: 61 sqdn lancaster ND988 QR-E out of Skellingthorpe sgt H lea
 

Hi Mike
It might interest you that Lancaster ED470 was shot down by Leutnant Otto Teschner from 11./NJG 1. Teschner was born in East Preussia in Bartenstein. He was killed during the night of 24. and 25. December 1944 during an aerial combat. His Bf 110G-4 (Werk Nr 160582 and coded G9+AY) crashed 3 km east of Dortmund. His other two crewmembers survived, but were wounded (Tinsp Rudolf Schmidt and Uffz Kurt Köhler).

Re: 61 sqdn lancaster ND988 QR-E out of Skellingthorpe sgt H lea
 

Hello.
Lancaster ED-470 of 61 Squadron crashes at Zelhem (Netherlands)
Rear Gunner evaded capture.
6 members of this crew are still MIA.
Aircraft crashed and after a few minutes, the bomb load (14 x 1000lbs) exploded. Last year the Royal Netherland Air Force excavated the wreckage, but no human remains were found.
They found an armoured plate with 470 on it, proving that Lancaster ED-470
crashed at Zelhem.
Lancaster ND-988 crashed at Wechte. 6 KIA/1 POW
Regards
Karl Lusink

Re: 61 sqdn lancaster ND988 QR-E out of Skellingthorpe sgt H lea
 

Thank you very much for your replies.
Going by the eyewitness report I have , locals in the lengerich /wechte area saw an airborne explosion which resulted in the Lancaster wreckage being spread over a few hundred yards.

going by this I gather that the aircraft was likely shot down by a night fighter. The lone survivor sgt H Lea was listed as the rear gunner who ended up in stalag luft 7.

From what I have found on the Internet some of the lancasters on that raid were
Allocated to bomb a night fighter base which I don't recall its location.

I wonder if the mentioned bf110 pilot shot down ND988 also .

Cheers for the information gentlemen

Mike

Re: 61 sqdn lancaster ND988 QR-E out of Skellingthorpe sgt H lea
 

Hello,
23/24 september 1944
Neuss 532 sorties 7 missing
Munster Acquaducts 120 sorties 14 missing
Munster Handorf Airfield 124 sorties 1 missing
regards
karl lusink

Re: 61 sqdn lancaster ND988 QR-E out of Skellingthorpe sgt H lea
 

Hello to all.

Some time ago i was contacted by a relative of Sgt Miln of ND988.
unfortunately i did not get the message for over a year later and being that the person was logged in as a guest i could not reply to the message.

So if you see this post please contact me.

Mike

Re: 61 sqdn lancaster ND988 QR-E out of Skellingthorpe sgt H lea
 

Mike,

The England & Wales BDM's record only three H. Lea's that have died since 2008 (Scotland & Northern Ireland have none recorded):

Harold Lea B: 1918; D: 27 Jan 2011 Newcastle-Under-Lyne
Henry Lea B: 10 May 1921; D: 3 March 2010 Liverpool
Harold R. Lea B: 31 March 1922; D: 11 August 2008 Carnforth

Regards

Andy Bird
http://andrewdbird.com

Re: 61 sqdn lancaster ND988 QR-E out of Skellingthorpe sgt H lea
 

Hi Andy

Thanks for your input ! thats something I had not come up with, if I can find sgt Leas d.o.b I can hopefully match it up with one of the names you provided.

Things have slowed down on the research lately but a visit to the crash site is hopefully on for next year (2018).

regards


Mike