Sgt. George Frederick Clark with his sister Muriel 1942. Right: Joan, a sister of Sgt. Clark, visiting the crew graves in Berlin (courtesy Patricia Firman, John Barker and relatives of Sergeant George Clark)

(1) Oblt. Paul Anton Guido Zorner, already a night fighter ace at this time went on to claim a total of 59 night victories. He survived the war - imprisoned by the Soviets until 1949 he went on to work for Hoechst as their Chief Engineer before retiring in 1981. He died in Hamburg on the 27th January 2014 age 93.

Additional information supplied by Brian Bouchard - March 2018

Frederic had contracted a second marriage, which was registered in Epsom for the March Quarter of 1915, to Gertrude Agate (born 27 September 1882, reg. Kensington, 12/1882). Birth of their son Basil O Wright came to be recorded at Kingston, 12/1916.

Before 4 October 1916, the family had taken up residence at 47 Kingston Road, New Malden, Surrey.

With a Service Number 518852, his son Basil would have been a pre-war entrant as an aircraftman to the Royal Air Force.

For the 1939 Register Gertrude, Frederic and their daughter were living at 38 Sycamore Grove, New Malden, with his occupation stated to be 'Cafe Proprietor, Commercial Traveller (Glass)' and his wife a 'Cafe Manageress'.

Having risen to the rank of Flight Sergeant, Basil was commissioned Pilot Officer 51875, on probation, emergency, with effect from 14 May 1943 before promotion to Flying Officer (war substitute), 14 November 1943. Reportedly, records of 166 Squadron - part of Bomber Command - note that he had been posted into the Unit on 3 October 1943.

“It was a foggy February evening. I sat with my parents, brothers, and sisters having dinner, when a loud engine noise was heard. It was louder than usuall, because, normally, the English and American bomber formations flew higher. The sound of a big engine was getting closer. Suddenly there was an enormous explosion. My sister was shocked obviously. We ran out and saw the fire through the fog in the Recknitz River valley...

Next day, while it was still dark, I hurried to the crash site before I went to school and before I found the SS and the armed forces already there. In the dawn I saw that a Lancaster bomber had crashed. It was terrible to see the dead crew members hanging in the trees. One was gored through by a strong branch! Others were caught in the completely destroyed wreck of the aircraft. Parachutes were partly opened.

I looked a bit closer at the Englishmen; I could see that they were wearing blue uniforms under their heated flying suits, and below that they were also wearing civilian dress. Nearer the wreckage was an inflated dinghy and provisions packages were laying around. I quickly retrieved some parachute silk, a provisions package and a flare gun with ammunition. Then I also already saw pushing the first armed troops....

I quickly went to school. Soon after, the whole crash site was blocked off and was guarded by the SS. When I came home in the afternoon, I found out that somebody had stolen the felt boots from some of the aircrew. I can still remember that some people had their houses searched.

The Lancaster came from direction of Dierhagen. Someone said that the Lancaster had been attacked by a night-fighter and that the pilot was possibly attempting to crash-land on the Bodden near Ribnitz-Damgarte but crashed in the thick fog at ground level.

Those of the crew who perished, were buried locally [at Neuer Friedhof, Rostock] but were exhumed and re-interred in the 1939 – 1945 War Cemetery at Charlottenburg, Berlin after the end of the war.

Mr. Frederic William Augustine Wright of Chiltern Lodge, 38 Sycamore Grove, New Malden, Surrey, died on 23 November 1945 in Kingston Hospital. In his Will, Malden Social Club was directed to have a drink at the bar instead of sending a wreath.’