Lancaster W4816 near Langtoft.
During the evening of 17th January 1943 the crew of this 460 Squadron aircraft were detailed to undertake an operational flight to bomb Berlin and left Breighton at 17.00hrs. The aircraft was flew off track and
was hit by flak in the Stettin area which damaged a fuel tank. Flying through thick cloud and realising that spending too much time trying to locate the primary target would have caused a fuel shortage later they released their bombs
over a village in the Eberswalde district, North East of Berlin. On the return flight the aircraft suffered a problem with the compass and combined with the fuel shortage they were probably lucky to make
landfall. The aircraft ran out of fuel as they approached the Yorkshire Coast and the crew abandoned the aircraft at around 5,000 feet just before the engines cut out. Sadly one of the crew had his radio lead caught in his parachute leads which resulted in
his parachute failed to deploy properly and he died.
The 460 Squadron ORB also states that the aircraft crashed in the Flamborough area and was destroyed.
Ken Reast, Albert Pritchard and Eric Barton located what they believed was where Lancaster ND990 crashed around a mile north-west of Langtoft in April 2006 with permission from the landowner. Small
fragments were located through fieldwalking. The casualty file for Lancaster W4816 (AIR81/21010) gives the location for this aircraft as crashing exactly where Ken, Albert and Eric located their finds
which would indicate that what they located was W4816 and not ND990.
Lancaster W4816 was built to contract B.69275/40 by Metropolitan Vickers Ltd. at Trafford Park and was awaiting collection in October 1942. On 10th November 1942, after assembly at Woodford the aircraft was taken on charge by A.V.Roe Ltd for a short period before being taken on charge by 460 Squadron at Breighton on 1st December 1942. As a result of the incident on 17th January 1943 the aircraft was lost with Cat.E/FB damage recorded. It was struck off charge on 20th January 1943 having flown just over 55 hours in the air.
Pilot - Sgt William Murray Wendon RAAF (403389).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Clarence Askham RAFVR (936478).
Navigator - Sgt Alastair Kennedy RAAF (403619).
Bomb Aimer - Sgt Dudley Anstruther Corfe RAAF (411124), aged 29. Buried Bubwith Churchyard, Yorkshire.
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Gordon Alexander Williams RAAF (411082).
Mid Upper Gunner - Sgt Ronald Gordon Wynn RAAF (408605).
Rear Gunner - Sgt Alexander Clive Johnston RAAF (404684).
Dudley Corfe was born on 3rd October 1913 in Inverell, New South Wales, Australia and enlisted for RAAF service in Sydney on 26th April 1941.
Ronald Wynn was born on 6th July 1918 and enlisted for RAAF on 27th April 1941.
Clarence Askham and Gordon Williams were later posted to 156 Squadron PFF with other 460 Squadron aircrew for Pathfinder duties. On 13th May 1943 they were flying in Lancaster ED837 on Ops to Duisburg when the aircraft crashed in Germany after colliding with another aircraft over the target. Askham was twenty two years old and is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Williams became a PoW.