Operation: Frankfurt, Germany

Date: 12th/13th September 1944 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit No: 625 Squadron, 1 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: LM103

Code: CF:N

Base: RAF Kelstern, Lincolnshire

Location: North of Frankfurt, Germany

Pilot: Flt Lt. Robert Banks 147209 RAFVR Age? KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Marcel Paul Mary 1891721 RAFVR Age 19. KiA

Navigator: Sgt. Samuel Taylor Kerr 1495199 RAFVR Age 26. KiA (1)

Bomb Aimer: Flt Sgt. John Ernest Tooth 1622619 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

W/Op/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. Robert William Small 1521752 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. George Thomas Hagues 1819687 RAFVR Age 19. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Flt Lt. Dennis William Webber DFC, 143864 RAFVR Age 22. KiA (2)

Above: It is believed that above image is the original crew of the then Sgt. Stanley Hubert Beetham 1623019, front 2nd from left. Sgt. William R. Bates is front 1st from the left. The other five (5) crew members depicted are believed to be, in no particular order or identification; Sgt. Marcel P. Mary, Sgt. Samuel T. Kerr, Sgt. John R. Tooth, Sgt. Robert W. Small, Sgt. George. T. Hagues. (Courtesy of Tony Smith via Friends of 625 Squadron)

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the night of the 12th/13th September 1944 nineteen (19) aircraft from the squadron were detailed to join a force of three-hundred and seventy-eight (378) Lancasters and nine (9) Mosquitoes on the last major operation against Frankfurt in Germany

Of the seventeen (17) Lancasters that failed to return two (2) were from the Squadron.

LM103 or 218 Sqn Lancaster NF906 were claimed by two Luftwaffe pilots (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (24 July 1944 - 15 October 1944) Part 4 - Theo Boiten).

Lt. Josef Wolfsberger, from 1./NJG11 who claimed a Lancaster as a probable over the northern edge of Frankfurt at 4.200 m. at 22:30 hrs;

Uffz. Ulrich, his 1st Abschuss, from 1./NJG11 who claimed a 4-Mot north of Frankfurt at 5.700 m. at 23:04 hrs.

The second aircraft was Lancaster III LM512 flown by Fg Off. Howard N. Cornish who was KiA along with his crew.

Based upon the initial burial cemetery of the crew and in the absence of any other information the aircraft was believed to have crashed in the vicinity of Bad Homburg which is some 8½ miles (13¾ km) NNW of the centre of Frankfurt.

(1) Samuel Taylor Kerr was recorded as a Police Constable in Chester-le-Street, Co. Durham on the 1939 National Register dated 29th September 1939.

(2) Acting Flt Lt. Webber was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) whilst with 625 Sqn on the 30th June 1944 (London Gazette 27th June 1944).

Flt Lt. Webber DFC was reported to be the Squadron Gunnery Leader and was standing in for the crew's regular rear gunner, Sgt. William R. Bates who was unfit to fly due to an ear infection.

Burial Details:

The crew were initially buried at the Bad Homburg Wood Cemetery and finally laid to rest at the Durnbach War Cemetery on the 24th March 1948.

Above Durnbach War Cemetery (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

Flt Lt. Robert Banks. Durnbach War Cemetery, 7.J.25. No verifiable information had been found on-line

Sgt. Marcel Paul Mary. Durnbach War Cemetery, Coll. Grave 7.J. 20-24. Grave Inscription: “SLEEP ON. PEACE IS ONLY IN GOD'S GARDEN. MUM, DAD, SUE, PAULINE, ANDRE, MADELEINE”. Born in the 2nd Qtr of 1925 in Islington, London. Son of Andre Paul and Ada Theresa (née Cox) Mary of Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey, England.

Sgt. Samuel Taylor Kerr. Durnbach War Cemetery, Coll. Grave 7.J. 20-24. Grave Inscription: “GOD'S GREATEST GIFT, REMEMBRANCE. LOVING WIFE LONA AND SON MALCOLM”. Born on the 11th October 1917 in Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham. Son of Alexander and Selina (née Taylor) Kerr of Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham. Husband of Selina (née Sears) Kerr of Chester-le-Street, Co. Durham, England.

Flt Sgt. John Ernest Tooth. Durnbach War Cemetery, Coll. Grave 7.J. 20-24. Grave Inscription: “REMEMBERING ALWAYS DEAR JOHN. BRIAN, LESLIE, KATHLEEN, GRACE AND MOTHER”. Born in the 3rd Qtr of 1923 in Derby, Derbyshire. Son of Charles William (deceased in March 1937) and Louise Elizabeth (née Williamson) Tooth of Sheffield, England.

He was a Chorister at the Derby Cathedral.

Flt Sgt. Robert William Small. Durnbach War Cemetery, Coll. Grave 7.J. 20-24. Born in the 4th Qtr of 1922 in Horsham, West Sussex. Son of Baden Howard and Doris May (née Harnott) Small of Carshalton, Surrey, England.

Sgt. George Thomas Hagues. Durnbach War Cemetery, Coll. Grave 7.J. 20-24. Grave Inscription: “ONE OF THE DEAREST, ONE OF THE BEST, GOD GRANT HIM ETERNAL REST. MUM AND SISTERS”. Born in the 1st Qtr of 1925 in Uppingham, Rutland. Son of George and Mary Jane (née Claypole) Hagues of Deenethorpe, Northamptonshire, England

Flt Lt. Dennis William Webber DFC. Durnbach War Cemetery, Coll. Grave 7.J. 20-24. Born on the 29th October 1921 in Bristol, Avon. Son of William Thomas and Edith (née Winter) Webber of Bristol, Gloucestershire, England.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the crew and their relatives (Mar 2026). Correction and updated to crew photograph identification (Apr 2026).

Other sources listed below:

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