Other victories........other losses

The first Lancaster to be shot down was that of P/O Tomlin, with an experienced crew on their 23rd operation. It is generally accepted that this Lancaster (JA851) crashed at Hellesøgård, a tiny setlement west of Nordborg. The image below is the RAF loss card for this aircraft.

An account by Meissner states that the aircraft hit the ground "a few hundred yards from Ufer". Even on a highly detailed map I can find no such location and am led to believe that this is a misunderstanding over the German word "Ufer" meaning river bank. The bank in question being the Als Fjord.

A composite panorama view taken from Hellesøgård looking between north and east.

Reports obtained locally say that the Lancaster (or parts of the aircraft) first hit the ground at Hellesøgård and then crashed at sea. Whatever the exact circumstances of the crash only the body of Pilot Officer Tomlin was recovered, the other members of the crew being remembered at Runnymede.

The third Lancaster shot down by Hans Meissner and Josef Krinner that night belonged to 619 Squadron from Woodhall Spa. The aircraft, Lancaster EE117, was being flown by Wing Commander I J McGhie and crashed into these fields near the village of Ustrup.
The aircraft had a crew of eight and their names are recorded on this memorial stone erected next to the crash site. From details recorded next to each name it can be seen that this was indeed a multinational crew with British, Australian and Canadian members.
The family of F/O Elmont Prest kindly provided the photographs opposite. Elmont was a Canadian member of the crew and was a replacement that fateful night. The author would be interested in knowing more about the crew of Lancaster EE117.