The Welney WebsiteLancaster JA971 crash November 1943, Welney Washespage created 11th September 2010, amended/updated Thursday, 31 March 2011 |
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6 of the 7 crew are shown here: Williams, Stanisforth (Staniforth?), Alexander, Ansty, Hawkins, Glaus, and Sefton. This crew had Hawkins instead of Frewin. Photo courtesy 'Airwar over Denmark' © Søren C. Flensted Aircraft codes are explained on the WW2 aircrashes directory page. Typical marking for a 7 Sqn bomber: The above was on Stirling P8623. 7 Sqn lost (amongst many others): 5 Lanc's & 3 Stirlings bearing code MG-L 4 Lanc's & 5 Stirlings bearing code MG-J but only JA971 was coded MG-J2. (In Sept 43 it was coded XU-J) |
On 24th November 1943 a Britsh Lancaster Mk.111 bomber serial number JA971, identity code MG-J2, of 7 Sqn RAF based at
Oakington crashed on the Welney Washes. It was damaged by flak during operations to Berlin. The elevators were shot away, but the pilot managed to get the aircraft "back to base" but was presumably unable to land. Five of the crew were ordered to bale out. The pilot and navigator remained in the aircraft, but later were also obliged to abandon it some "20 miles north of Oakington". Some reports say the aircraft came down in the Washes in the area of the WWT reserve, however another source says the Civil Defence report map reference puts it on Lady Fen (i.e. on the eastern side of the Old Bedford/Hundred Foot River, and outside the washes). The late Ernie James from Welney described in his book 'Memoirs of a Fen Tiger' finding tiny fragments blown off on impact, but doesn't say where. According to a member of the Fenland Aviation Museum, Ernie had indicated the location to them many years later when standing at the Wisbech Road/Hale Drove junction in Welney and pointing northeast. |
The crew of JA971 on 24th Nov 1943
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All the crew landed safely and were able to resume duties but sadly three of them died
just two and a half months later on a mission to Berlin. See side panel on right. If you can provide any further details about the crash or those involved, please contact the Webmaster using link bottom right. Thanks. |
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