Lancaster R5696, 97 Squadron, Woodhall Spa. shot down 11 Jul 1942

Dave090945 · Aircraftsman 1st Class

Lancaster R5696, 97 Squadron, Woodhall Spa. shot down 11 Jul 1942

Grexx · Leading Aircraftsman

Hello Dave,
I have been researching this daily operation over Danzig (Gdansk nowadays) in Poland. As I live in this city I am going to write an article about it.
Unfortunately I do not have any photographs of the crew.
However I would suggest you to take a look at this website:
http://aircrewremembered.com/miller-charles.html for more details of the loss of Lancaster R5696 OF-H of 97 Sqn.
I would appreciate if you could provide more details of this mission.

Regards,
Greg

Fonky · Aircraftsman 1st Class

possibly the Lancaster.

RoseGul · Aircraftsman 1st Class

If anybody is doing a study of Canadian Evaders, this dossier is available since the group has, essentially, dissolved.

Date: Nov 6, 2018

Dear all, we are doing quite a lot of research. The crew are indentified and there is a small memorial on the crash site. We are looking to erect a larger monument within a reasonable time. Please get in touch for further information: adam@gosiewski.net

Date: Mar 16, 2024

Hi, my name is Karol Kowalczyk, I am a member of the MILITARY HISTORICAL AND EXPLORATION ASSOCIATION "UR" from Poland.
Wojskowe Stowarzyszenie Historyczno - poszukiwawcze ,,UR"

Wojskowe Stowarzyszenie Historyczno - Eksploracyjne "UR" | Brodnica | Facebook

We are a group of soldiers in active service and retired, but most importantly, history enthusiasts.

In our free time, we search for traces of history in our homeland, mainly northern Poland.

About several mons ago, during a weekend trip with a metal detector in the neighborhood of Gdask, we came across airplane elements.

We are certain that this is one of the Avro Lancasters based on the elements found.

This is indicated by the 303 Browning ammunition as well as by the descriptions on the radio elements and equipment, photos of founds in links below.

We are conducting an investigation in the local community, we managed to contact a family member of the eyewitness, now a ninety-year-old woman, then a nine-year-old girl who remembers the plane crash, we plan to conduct and document an interview with this lady.

At the moment, we suspect that this is one of two machines lost in the raid on Gdask on 11.07.1942.

My colleagues and I, based on the elements we found, suspect that this is the second crew. To be 100% sure, we need confirmation and we need to find a plate with the aircraft's serial number.

Possibly access to archives or aerial photos of the area where we found the remains. Thanks to such aerial photos, if they exist, we could determine the year or analyze the place of the fall.

I have already contacted the RAF museum in London and the archives of the Royal Air Force and the archive of aerial photographs, as well as similar associations of enthusiasts. but unfortunately the description of history was ignored, it is very sad that they are indifferent to the fate of their pilots.

We also suspect with high probability that the crew of the plane died on the spot and rests there to this day.
It will be an honor for us to find the remains of the crew and honor them with a proper rest.

If anyone has any information regarding this incident, please contact us via our Facebook page.

Pasjonaci tropi ostatni drog brytyjskiego bombowca z II wojny wiatowej - Wiadomoci (onet.pl)

W Gdasku trwaj poszukiwania samolotu. Maszyna zostaa strcona podczas II wojny wiatowej (radiogdansk.pl)

Zestrzeleni nad Gdaskiem w 1942. Jest drugi Lancaster? (zawszepomorze.pl)

Beast Regards

Karol