Lancaster, 150. SQN., 22.03.1945

[Spurensucher]

hello,

I am searching all informations about the Lancaster of the 150. SQN, ME451.
It was shot down on 22.03.1945 over germany.

grüße
uwe

[Peter Clare]

22 March 1945.

150 Squadron.
Lancaster I ME451. IQ-D.
Op: Hildesheim.

Crew.
F/O. I H S. Philcox +
Sgt. D S. Fielding +
Sgt. G. Brain +
Sgt. V J. Lawrence +
Sgt. N F. Scaife +
Sgt. A. Moore +
Sgt. T B. Cook

Took off Hemswell to attack the railway yards. The six who died rest in Hannover War Cemetery. Sgt Moore had joined the RAF (Volunteer Reserve) in Newfoundland during August 1940. Sgt Cook is described as "safe".

Bomber Command Losses Vol.6. W R. Chorley.

Sgt. T B. Cook was interned in camp L1.

Regards
Peter.

[Peter Clare]

22 March 1945.

Hildesheim.

227 Lancaster's and 8 Mosquitoes of 1 and 8 Groups. 4 Lancaster's lost.

The target was the railway yards; these were bombed but the surrounding built-up areas also suffered severely in what was virtually an area attack. This was the only major Bomber Command raid of the war on Hildesheim and the post-war British survey found that 263 acres, 70% of the town, had been destroyed. The local report states that the inner town suffered the most damage. The Cathedral, most of the churches and many historic buildings were destroyed. A total of 3,302 blocks of flats were destroyed or seriously damaged. 1,645 people were killed.

The Bomber Command War Diaries. Middlebrook - Everitt.