Lancaster ND990 near Bridlington.
On the night of 12th / 13th July 1944 the crew of this 103 Squadron aircraft undertook an operational flight to bomb railway marshalling yards at Revigny and took off from Elsham Wolds airfield at 21.23hrs. On their return to England they were diverted north to land at Carnaby because of heavy rain and low cloud that was effecting flying over North Lincolnshire. They could not locate Carnaby and with the aircraft running out of fuel they received orders to bale out. They left the aircraft over the Bridlington area at around 06.30hrs and the aircraft at around 07.15hrs but where is unclear.
Pilot - P/O Frederick George Durrant RCAF (J/86070). Minor back injuries.
Navigator - Sgt Lawrence Edward Matte RCAF (R/162397).
? - F/Sgt J H H Armstrong RCAF (R/129147).
? - Sgt J T Halliday RAF.
? - P/O George Melville Collard RAFVR (157878).
Air Gunner - WO Stanley George Webster DFM RAAF (412288).
? - Sgt G T/J Greenway RAF.
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.
Stanley Webster had earlier served with 460 Squadron. On 22nd October 1943 was flying an operational flight in Lancaster DV193 when the aircarft was damaged by flak and also attacked by an enemy aircraft. For his actions on the 22nd October 1943 he was awarded the DFM, Gazetted on 21st January 1944, the citation reads.. "Operating over such strongly defended targets as Berlin, Hamburg, Peenemunde and the Ruhr Valley, F/Sgt Webster has completed many successful sorties. On one occasion in October 1943 during an attack on Kassel, his aircraft was engaged by heavy anti-aircraft and fighter aircraft simultaneously, while over the target. F/Sgt Webster was thrown out of his turret and badly wounded. He endeauvoured to re-enter the turret only disised when he realised it had been rendered unservicable. although in great pain from a shattered leg and suffering from loss of blood, he cheerful confidence was an inspiration to the other members of his crew on the return journey. He has always set a fine example of courage, keenness and devotion to duty." He broke bones in his left leg and after many months recovering he was deemed fully fit on 3rd May 1944. Having being posted to 103 Squadron to complete his tour, the thirtieth and final flight was the one on 12th / 13th July 1944. By the end of July 1944 he had ben posted to 1481 Gunnery Flight but was then repatriated to Australia in early 1945.
Other members of this crew appear to have been posted to 103 Squadron in late-May 1944. Frederick Durrant and Lawrence Matte were both awarded the DFC for service with 103 Squadron, both Gazetted in March 1945.
