The entry in RAF Bomber Command Losses by W R Chorley gives the following information about the loss of your grandfather and crew:

Lancaster III JB280 LQ-K took off 0023 from Gransden Lodge on op to Berlin.
Outbound, shot down by nightfighter (Lt Friedrich Potthast, IV./NJG1) crashing 0210 at Nieuw Schoonebeek (Drenthe) in the commune of Schoonebeek, where all were buried on 5th January in Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery. F/O Donnelly RCAF (the pilot) gained his DFM, Gazetted 4/8/42, with 57 Sqdn.

Crew (all killed)
F/O T H Donnelly DFM RCAF
Sgt L G R Miller
G/O A J Salaba RCAF
F/S W L J Clark RCAF
Sgt B S J West
Sgt R E Watts
Sgt R Zimmer RCAF

Also may be worth checking this site here http://www.associations.rafinfo.org.uk/ for details of any 405 Squadron Association who may be able to help with photographs.

Good luck with your search.

Thanks Papa Lima, you live and learn 🙂

So, if the prop is steel would that help to narrow down which type of a/c it came from?

Infuriatingly I have seen a picture of that prop before but can’t for the life of me think what the story was! Sorry, not much help. Maybe someone at the Arran Heritage Museum would have some info?

Good luck and please post anything you discover as it’s doing my head in that I can’t remember where I’ve seen it before.

Two weeks on Monday I will be flying to Norway to spend a week visiting memorials, cemeteries and crashsites commemorating RAF airmen lost in WW2 during attacks against Tirpitz. With me will be the 80 year old sister of a W/Op A/G who lost his life and the son of a pilot who also lost his life during these attacks in 1942. I’m sure it will be a memorable week for all concerned.

When you have to say ‘NO’ try “I’m disinclined to acquiesce to your request” instead :diablo:

The following contacts are listed in a wartime weekend booklet I picked up in Pickering last year when I stumbled on a wartime weekend.

Uniforms, Civilian Dress & Equipment

The Aerodrom (Hire)
Garden Cottage
Outgang Road
PICKERING
YO18 7EL
01751 476339
Specialist in wartime RAF Uniforms & accessories

Biba Lives (Purchase)
0207 v482 4994
http://www.bibalives.com
Vintage clothing mainly civilian

Johnsons of Leeds (Purchase)
Unit 2 Vulcan Foundry
Haigh Park Road
Stourton
LEEDS
LS10 1RT
01132 775237
Anything from armbands to armoured cars!

Just Military (Purchase)
701 Abbeydale Road
SHEFFIELD
0114 255536

Memories (Hire & Purchase)
20 Market Place
ALFORD
Lincs
LN13 9EB
01507 462541
Military & Civilian

Wartime Wardrobe (Purchase)
01773 744427
Clothing & Accessories, military & civilian

I’m a bit peeved as I’ll miss Abingdon by a whisker 🙁 will be driving down to Brize Norton on Wednesday next week and sadly can’t manage to swing it to include the previous weekend as well much as I would like to. I hope all goes well on the day and that everyone has a great day out.

Well, what can I say? It is almost 11pm and I have just got home. I can’t really begin to say what the day has meant to me. Overwhelmed is probably the best word I can use. To be given the Honour of sitting next to Wing Commander Wallis, George Ford and Ted Neale was a humbling experience. Some of us read avidly of the experiences of men like these, some of us have had the privelege to write about them, but these men lived through those experiences and freely gave of their time today to support this launch. I will never be able to thank them enough.

My fellow forumites, how can I thank you? To be in the company of our esteemed veterans and my family for such an occasion was wonderful, to look out and see so many forumites shows the depth of friendship this forum can engender. For your kindnesses, your encouragement and most of all your friendship, I thank you all.

Today, my dream came true.

Regards,

kev35

Kev, well done, well said, well deserved.