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14/15 March, 1945; LUTZKENDORF:
On Wednesday night, 14 March, 5 Group reverted to its solo efforts,
sending 244 Lancasters and 11 Mosquitoes to attack the Wintershall
synthetic-oil refinery at Lutzkendorf near Leipzig. Group requested
a maximum effort, and 49 was able to provide 20 aircraft; F/O
Littley (PB373) and crew were first away at 16.41hrs. The bombers
were confronted by extremely aggressive and accurate defences,
with the result that 18 Lancasters failed to return (this represented
7.4 per cent of the Lancaster force). 49 Squadron did not escape
the onslaught, with several aircraft receiving damage.
F/Lt Joe McPhee RCAF (RF153) and crew,
consisting of five Canadians and two British, had failed to return.
Sadly, six of the crew were later confirmed as killed, whilst
F/Sgt 'Corky' Corrigan RCAF (rear gunner) had escaped death and
indeed custody, turning up at Fulbeck a few weeks later. The
other six members of the crew are buried alongside each other
in the Berlin War Cemetery.
Lancaster RF153 (EA-K)
F/L J.N. McPhee RCAF Pilot
(Killed)
Sgt P.F.
Ivett F/E (Killed)
F/O G.A. Robinson RCAF NAV (Killed)
F/S T.G.W. Dew W/OP (Killed)
F/S E.G.C. Richards
RCAF A/G (Killed)
F/O R.F.
Thompson RCAF A/B (Killed)
F/S
G.K. Corrigan RCAF A/G (Evader)
Crew on their 17th operation
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