Memorial Lancaster ND873

In memory of the seven flight crew members who perished:

- Sergeant Alexander SHIELS, dorsal turret gunner, 21 years of age; from Auchenloch (Lanarkshire).
- Officer Lawrence SMITH, bombardier/nose cone gunner, 21 years of age; from Westmeath (Ontario, Canada).
- Sergeant Alexander McJANNET, radio operator, married, 21 years of age,; from Wigston Magna (Leicestershire).
- Officer Alfred McKAY, navigator, 21 years of age; from Knockando (Morayshire).
- Sergeant Roy LAYBOURNE, flight engineer, 21 years of ages; from Worsley (Lancashire), overleefde.
- Sergeant Harold DYERSON, tail gunner, 32 years of age; from Plaistow (Essex).
- Officer George NICHOLLS, pilot, married, 32 years of age; from Heamoor, Penzance (Cornwall).

In the night of 26/27 April, 1944, the Lancaster with number ND873 of 12th Squadron of RAF airbase Wickenby took of for a bombardment mission to Essen in the German Ruhrgebiet. Almost 500 aircraft participated in this attack, amongst which 342 Lancasters.

On its trip home the aircraft was shot down by a German Messerschmitt and crashed burning into the small stream, the Astense Aa in "The Berken". All seven crew perished. They are buried on the British war cemetery "Jonkerbos" in Nijmegen.

The monument has been placed in 2006 and can be found besides the walking track along the stream the ’Astense Aa’ in the nature reserve "The Berken" north-east of the village Asten and north of the highway A67.

More information abou the bomber and the memorial can be found in the Dutch book "Nachtvlucht over de Peel" by Theo van de Mortel, ISBN 978-90-5345-374-2.

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Source

• Text: Theo van de Mortel
• Photos: Theo van de Mortel (1), John McKay (2), Wayne Blanchard (3), Roxanne Bakewell (4), Doreen McLaren-Strachan / Jean Dyerson (5)