Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.

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15/16.03.1944 No. 408 Squadron Lancaster II LL637 EQ-P P/O. Lumgair

Operation: Stuttgart, Germany

Date: 15/16th March 1944 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit: No. 408 Squadron

Type: Lancaster II

Serial: LL637

Code: EQ-P

Base: RAF Linton-On-Ouse, Yorkshire

Location: Hilsenheim, French / German border

Pilot: P/O. Norman Andrew Lumgair J/86440 RCAF Age 23. Killed (1)

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Douglas Cruickshank 620947 RAF Age 23. Killed

Nav: P/O. George Parker J/85528 RCAF Age 29. Killed

Air/Bmr: P/O. William Taylor J/89913 RCAF Age 24. Killed (2)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. William Lawrence Doran J/86233 RCAF Age 30. Killed (3)

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Robert Henry Hudson 305164 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. 'Bud' Robert George Alfred Burt R/206418 RCAF Age 19. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Lancaster II LL637 EQ-P took off from Linton-On-Ouse, Yorkshire at 19:18 hrs. Shot down by Luftwaffe night fighter and crashed at Hilsenheim some 9 km north - east of Selestat, France.

                     

Left to right: Bill Taylor, Norman Lumgair, Wally Richmond, George Parker and William Doran

  

Above left: Brothers, Left Bob Lumgair and right Norman - both served in 408 Squadron

Above right: Buddy (3rd from left middle row), taken during training June 1943 at Trenton, Ontario, Canada. Can you name any of the others?

863 aircraft  - made up from 617 Lancasters, 230 Halifaxes and 16 Mosquitos took part in this raid.

The German night fighters split the force into two parts. The bombers flew over France nearly as far as the Swiss border before turning North East to approach Stuttgart. This resulted in delaying the Luftwaffe  making contact with the bomber force. When the German fighters did arrive just before Stuttgart was reached a fierce combat followed.

    

Above left to right: P/O. Norman Lumgair, P/O. William Taylor and Sgt. Robert Burt

    

Above left to right: Sgt. Robert Hudson, P/O. William Doran and P/O. George Parker

A total of 37 aircraft were lost (27 Lancaster's and 10 Halifax's - 2 other Lancaster's force landed in Switzerland.)

Adverse winds delayed the opening of the attack and the same winds may have caused the pathfinder marking to fall back well short of the target area - despite the clear weather conditions.

Some of the bombing fell in the city centre but most were ineffective and fell into  open country south - west of the city.

The bombing destroyed some housing and a college. A total of 88 people on the ground were killed and a further 203 injured.

Stuttgart raid 14/15th March 1944, Aircrew losses:

Killed: 218 - Injured: 3 - PoW: 47 - Interned: 1 - Evaded: 17

We have received other reports that this aircraft had been taken down by anti-aircraft fire and these are being researched.  Another report  writes that the Lancaster collided with another. We would be very pleased to hear from anyone who is able to provide any further information on this. Any information received will also be passed on to the families (Mrs Lisa Russ) who are preparing a memorial book to this crew.

(1) 'Lumgair Creek' in Manitoba named after him.

(2) 'Taylor Bay' Saskatchewan named after him.

(3) 'Doran Creek', in BC named after him

The sister of P/O. William Taylor, Ms Isabel Taylor, wrote and dedicated a poem to him. We have also received further information from Lisa regarding other members of the crew. The first article is regards to 'P/O. William Taylor' is reproduced on our website.

                     

Burial details:

P/O. Norman Andrew Lumgair. Hilsenheim Communal Cemetery Collective grave No. 4. Son of Robert Wallace Lumgair and Hannah Louisa Lumgair, of Thornhill, Manitoba, Canada.

Sgt. Douglas Cruickshank. Hilsenheim Communal Cemetery Collective grave No. 4. Son of William and Ellen Cruickshank, of Oatlands, Harrogate, Yorkshire, England.

P/O. George Parker. Hilsenheim Communal Cemetery Collective grave No. 4. Son of Levi and Mary Ann Parker; husband of Patricia Anne Parker, of Morinville, Alberta, Canada.

P/O. William Taylor. Hilsenheim Communal Cemetery Grave No. 1. Son of Harry and Mary Taylor, of Nottingham, Saskatchewan, Canada.

P/O. William Lawrence Doran. Hilsenheim Communal Cemetery Collective grave No. 4. Son of William John and Jessie Hearst Doran; husband of Marjorie Evelyn Doran, of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Sgt. Robert Henry Hudson. Hilsenheim Communal Cemetery Grave No. 3. Son of Walter Henry and Madeline Hudson, of Sileby, Leicestershire, England.

Sgt. 'Bud' Robert George Alfred Burt. Hilsenheim Communal Cemetery Collective grave No. 2. Born on the 08th April 1924, the son of Robert Oliver and Myrtle Bessie Burt (née Weller), of Brampton, Ontario, Canada.

Researched by Lisa Russ, Canberra, Australia. (Relative of Sgt. Rober Burt) for Aircrew Remembered - all photographs courtesy Lisa. As soon as her book is published - details will be on this page. With thanks also to Tina O who corrected personal details on Sgt. ‘Bud’ Burt, September 2015.

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