NOTES:

Target: Built-up Area Load: 1x 4,000lb 'Cookie', 56x 30lb and 1122x 4lb incendiaries There was plenty of low cloud over Elsham Wolds, but not sufficiently bad to prevent the aircraft from 576 and 103 Squadrons taking off for the mission to Berlin. During the briefing, crews were cautioned about the weather conditions and were instructed that after take-off they should maintain the prescribed climb-out procedures until reaching the prescribed height and then turn towards the North Sea on the briefed route to the target. It was stressed that crews should not deviate from these instructions in any way. At 1637, the crew of Flt Sgt Richter, comprising a scratch crew of 103 and 576 Squadron crews. Shortly afterwards, at 1656, the Scott crew took off for what was to be their first operation. What follows next is largely conjecture. It seems that as Richter's aircraft was climbing out, Scott's aircraft suddenly appeared out of the cloud and flying directly towards them. The collision was inevitable and the two Lancasters crashed head-on. The collision occurred over the village of Ulceby and the wreckage from both aircraft was spread over a wide area. There were no survivors. In 2000, a plaque was erected at the Ulceby War Memorial to commemorate both crews. The 103 Squadron aircraft's crew were: Pilot Flt Sgt V Richter Flight Engineer Sgt F S Copping Air Bomber Fg Off C R Jacques, 576 Squadron Navigator Sgt C W Plampton Wireless Operator Flt Sgt T L H Kay, RAAF Mid-Upper Gunner Sgt P Coopman Rear Gunner Sgt F A Furrie, 576 Squadron