Crash Site Handley Page Halifax LK925 SE-R

On the night of 3 to 4 October 1943, the Halifax Bomber LK925 SE-R of RCAF 431 Squadron crashed near this memorial. The aircraft had taken off at 6.44pm from RAF Tholthorpe for a mission to Kassel. On the way back, the aircraft was attacked by a night fighter. The fuselage of the plane filled with smoke and the crew was ordered to leave the aircraft. Three of the crew were killed and are buried in Hotton War Cemetery. Four were made prisoners of war and one managed to escape.

The crew consisted of:
Warrant Officer Class II Gordon James Crebbin (R/128786) Navigator, Age 22, Deceased, buried Hotton War Cemetery, Belgium;
Pilot Officer Lennox Cameron Main, (J/18896) Air Gunner, Age 23, Deceased, buried Hotton War Cemetery, Belgium;
Sergeant Calvin Hudson Wardrope (R/191206) Air Gunner , Age 19, Deceased, buried Hotton War Cemetery, Belgium;
Warrant Officer Class II Lester Royce Cudmore (R/117037) Prisoner of War;
Sergeant Stanley Dennis Peters (1606574) POW;
Pilot Officer John Reynoldson (J/19007) POW;
Flight Sergeant Grappa Clement Storey (1198768) POW;
Sergeant R.A.C. de Pape (R/152875) Escaped.

The monument bearing the names of all eight crew members was unveiled by Stan Peters and Ray de Pape on 17 May 1998.

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

Source

• Text: TracesOfWar.com
• Photos: Frans Gorissen (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), Edwin van der Wolf (6)
• - Halifax V  LK925 [Royal Air Force Aircraft Serial and Image Database] RAFCommands.com