Liberation Route Marker 224

LIBERATION ROUTE MARKER 224

The Crash of Lancaster ED737

On the night of June 16-17, 1943, a heavily loaded Lancaster bomber takes off from Bottesford to bomb Cologne. The aircraft is shot at by a German night fighter on the way and explodes. The debris lands in the vicinity of Niederkrüchten and a few houses on Lamertzweg collapse. This includes civilian casualties, including children. After the crash another drama follows.

The Lancaster ED737 under the command of Sergeant John Binnie is part of the No. 467 Squadron (RAAF). According to the operation record books, it appears that at least one device is experiencing problems with the communication equipment during the bombing. During the flight to Cologne, the Lancaster ED737 is hit by a German night fighter. The device loses height and explodes in the air. A large part of the crew does not survive the crash.

The debris causes serious damage in and around the village of Oberkrüchten, causing several civilian casualties.

After the war in 1946, the British intelligence service investigates an assistant customs officer who was stationed in Oberkrüchten at the time. It becomes clear that Arthur Smith, the copilot of the plane, survived the crash and was found injured next to the ditch by a German official. During interrogations, it appears that the accused was on the bike to counter illegal border traffic when the plane crashed. According to several eyewitnesses, he told the copilot to raise his hands. When he did not do this quickly enough, he hit Smith with the butt of his rifle. A police officer who later arrived at the location then took a doctor who gives the copilot an examination. He was then taken to the Fliegerhorst of Münchengladbach with an Luftwaffe ambulance where he still died.

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Liberationroute.com
• Photos: Arie van Wijngaarden