Operation: Bochum, Germany

Date: 12th/13th June 1943 (Saturday/Sunday)

Unit No: 83 Squadron, 8 Group (PFF), Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: ED603

Code: OL:L

Base: RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire

Location: IJsselmeer, The Netherlands

Pilot: Fg Off. Eric Arthur Tilbury 127147 RAFVR Age 25. KiA

Flt Eng: Plt Off. Arthur Bertram Smart DFM 51914 RAF Age 30. MiA (1)

Nav: WO. Harold Elvin Howsam 1153358 RAFVR Age 31 KiA (2)

Bomb Aimer: Flt Sgt. Arthur Gordon Fletcher R78972 RCAF Age 20. KiA (3)

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. Raymond Edward Moore DFM 552503 RAF Age 21. MiA (4)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Plt Off. Charles Frederick John Sprack DFM 51543 RAF Age 23. MiA (5)

Air Gnr (Rear): Fg Off. Gordon Robert Sugar 127055 RAF Age 22. KiA (6)

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the night of the 12th/13th June 1943 12 aircraft from the squadron were detailed for operations to Bochum comprising 7 'Backers Up’ and 5 'Main Force'. From the bomb load for ED603 it appears that Fg Off. Tilbury was the Master Bomber.

The weather over target was spoilt by Stratocumulus at 10,000 ft but visibility was good. Target Indicators (TIs) appeared well placed except for 1 Red TI was dropped in error 10 miles to the NW.

Flak was heavier than for some time probably due to the fact that only heavies were on this attack and the height of the Flak was therefore increased.

It was reported the Fg Off Tilbury was the keenest of the pilots and left nothing undone in his effort to be perfect. His crew were all, bar Plt Off. Sugar, old members of 83 Squadron. Flt Sgt. Fletcher would often bring back aiming point photographs.

ED603 was hit by Flak damaging the port wing and on the homebound leg the aircraft was intercepted by Hptm. Rudolf Sigmund, his 15th Abschuss and 2nd of the night, from 10./NJG1, 5 km east of Den Oever at 5300 m. at 02:11 hrs. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (1 January - 22 June) 1943 Part 1 - Theo Boiten).

Hptm. Sigmund was KiA on the night of the 3rd/4th October 1943 after being shot down probably by 434 (Bluenose) Sqn Halifax LK907 over Göttingen. He was credited with 26 confirmed Abschüsse with one awaiting confirmation. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies - Theo Boiten).

The attack caused a massive fire in the fuselage resulting in the aircraft crashing out of control into the IJsselmeer, The Netherlands.

The location of the aircraft wreckage came about after a fishing boat snagged its nets on an large object which was hauled to the surface. The object was a Merlin engine and propeller which was subsequently identified as one of the engines from ED603. This instigated an coordinated effort to uncover the wreckage with the aim of finding the remains of the missing crew members. A documentary named “Inside Guy Martin’s Hunt for Britain’s Lost RAF Lancaster” describes the recovery of the aircraft wreckage and aircrew remains.

Remains found during the investigation were confirmed to be those of Plt Off. Arthur Bertram Smart DFM, Flt Sgt. Raymond Edward Moore DFM and Plt Off. Charles Frederick John Sprack DFM. Upon the conclusion of the investigation a burial ceremony is planned in the presence of their families.

There is also a RAF News article describing the joint effort between the RAF Global Establishment and the Dutch Military to recover the submerged Lancaster and the remains of its lost crew.

Remains found during the investigation were confirmed to be those of Plt Off. Arthur Bertram Smart DFM, Flt Sgt. Raymond Edward Moore DFM and Plt Off. Charles Frederick John Sprack DFM. Upon the conclusion of the investigation a burial ceremony is planned in the presence of their families.

Update 12th August 2025: Aircrew Remembered has been informed that tthe British Commonwealth War Graves Commission that the three recovered airmen will be buried in the town of Workum, Southwest of Friesland.

Normally, airmen recovered during such a salvage operation would be buried at the large British cemetery at Jonkerbos near the city of Nijmegen. But an exception has been made for the three recovered airmen so they can be interred alongside their fellow crew who were found earlier on the lake shore at Workum, Stavoren and Hindeloopen weeks after the crash in June 1943.

A translation from a Dutch article in the Omrop Fryslân by Jantine Weidenaar - 7th August 2025 of a letter sent to the families by the CWGC:

“Unique circumstances, where two of the crew have existing graves at the end of a row, mean their comrades can now be buried alongside them. This ensures that our principle of burying war dead with their friends becomes paramount There is room for new graves on the right of the front row of gravestones. This is reserved for the deceased members of the same crew’.

The military funeral for Plt Off. Arthur Bertram Smart DFM, Flt Sgt. Raymond Edward Moore DFM and Plt Off. Charles Frederick John Sprack DFM is scheduled to take place in October 2025

(1) 650173 Flt Sgt. Smart was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) whilst with 83 Sqn. London Gazette dated 12th March 1943. He was appointed to a commission and promoted to 51914 Plt Off. with effect the 5th April 1943. London Gazette dated 15th June 1943.

(2) Acting Warrant Officer (WO) Howsam was appointed to a commission and promoted to 146295 Plt Off. with effect 18th May 1943. London Gazette dated 13th July 1943.

(3) Flt Sgt. Fletcher was awarded a temporary Path Finder Badge on the 3rd February 1943 which was made permanent on the 14th June 1943. He was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J17802 Plt Off. with effect 2nd June 1943.

Above. A letter written by Arthur Gordon Fletcher to his Mother, Father and siblings in the event of his death (From his Service Record).

(4) 552503 Sgt. Moore was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) during his 1st tour with 50 Sqn. London Gazette dated 18th November 1941. He was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to 52074 Plt Off. with effect the 31st January 1943. London Gazette dated 20th April 1943.

(5) 646985 Flt Sgt. Sprack was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) whilst with 83 Sqn. London Gazette dated 12th March 1943. He was appointed to a commission and promoted to 51543 Plt Off. with effect 7th January 1943. London Gazette 4th May 1943.

(6) The body of Fg Off. Sugar was washed up on the 22nd June 1943 near Hindeloopen on the NE shore of the IJsselmeer.

Burial details:

Above: The Staveren General Cemetery. (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Grave Commission). The marker for Flt Lt. Tilbury is 2nd from the left in the far row of four.

Flt Lt. Eric Arthur Tilbury. Staveren General Cemetery Row I, Grave 29. Grave Inscription: ‘LEAVING HERE A NAME, I TRUST, THAT WILL NOT PERISH IN THE DUST’. Born on the 28th October 1917 in Romford, Essex. Son of Arthur Herbert and Dora Beatrice (née Haynes) Tilbury of Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England.

Above: The Runnymede Memorial. (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Grave Commission)

Plt Off. Arthur Bertram Smart DFM. Runnymede Memorial Panel 133. Born on the 10th January 1923 in Darjiling, West Bengal, India. Son of Carlton Wernicke and Eliza Maud (née Mallins) (deceased) Smart of Darjiling, West Bengal, India. Husband to Doreen J. (née Wilmshurst) Smart of North Walsham, Norfolk, England.

Above: The Workkum (Spoordyk) General Cemetery (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Grave Commission). The markers for Plt Off. Fletcher and Plt Off. Howsam are the last two to the right of the row.

Plt Off. Harold Elvin Howsam. Workkum (Spoordyk) General Cemetery Plot D, Row 1, Grave 9. Grave Inscription: ‘GRANT HIM, O LORD, ETERNAL REST’. Born on the 26th March 1916 in Bigby, Lincolnshire. Son of George and Annie (née Robinson) Howsam of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England.

Plt Off. Arthur Gordon Fletcher. Workkum (Spoordyk) General Cemetery Plot D, Row 1, Grave 8. Grave Inscription: ‘WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHALL HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE ST. JOHN III.16’. Born on the 25th June 1922 in London, Ontario. Son of Arthur Delaski ‘Del’ and Annie McIntosh (née Begg) Fletcher of London, Ontario, Canada.

Plt Off. Raymond Edward Moore DFM. Runnymede Memorial Panel 132. Son of Edward ‘Ted’ and Ethel Maud (née Watts) Moore (deceased) of Camberwell, London. Husband to Elizabeth G. (née Watson) Moore of Bently, Yorkshire, England.

Plt Off. Charles Frederick John Sprack DFM. Runnymede Memorial Panel 133. Born on the 23rd September 1919 in Brading, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England. Son of Harry Frederick and Dora (née Reed) Sprack of Brading, Isle of Wight, England.

Above: Hindeloopen Protestant Churchyard. (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Grave Commission). The marker for Fg Off. Sugar is 2nd from the right in the front row.

Fg Off. Gordon Robert Sugar. Hindeloopen Protestant Churchyard Plot D, Row 1, Grave 8. Grave Inscription: ‘IN THE MOSAIC OF VICTORY LIES THIS PRECIOUS PIECE’. Born in 3rd Qtr of 1921 in Mildenhall, Suffolk. Son of Robert John and Daisy Mary (née Willsmore) Sugar. Husband of Dulcie May (née Henderson) Sugar of Headington, Oxford, England.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the crew and their families (Jul 2024). Thanks to Keith West for informing us that the photograph of Plt Off. Fletcher in Service Record was mistakenly filed (Mar 2025). Thanks to Emile van Croonenburg for the update to the recovery and burial information for Plt Off. Arthur Bertram Smart DFM, Flt Sgt. Raymond Edward Moore DFM and Plt Off. Charles Frederick John Sprack DFM (Aug 2025).

Other sources listed below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2025 Last Modified: 12 August 2025, 05:46