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Other news

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622 SQUADRON MEMORIAL UNVEILED TO LANCASTERS LM167 & LL802

GOLATEN LANCASTER MEMORIAL UNVEILED

Over the weekend of 20/21st July 2024, the culmination of a lot of organising and forward planning came to fruition in the village of Golaten, Canton of Bern, Switzerland.

The event was twofold; To commemorate the day, 80 years ago on 15th March 1944, when a stricken Lancaster W4355 coded LS – A of XV Squadron crash-landed on the farm land of the Baumann family.

Secondly to remember all the crew, who, through the quick-thinking actions of the pilot, F/Lt Walter Blott, were able to escape the damaged aircraft, parachuting to safety across the Swiss landscape nearby. Some, with their pilot, making home runs, others spending the remainder of the war in hospitals and POW camps. The Lancaster, then under the control of ‘George’, the automatic pilot, continued to circle the area before finally crashing into an orchard and amongst beehives.

When Daniela, daughter of Fritz, who was just a boy when this happened, contacted me, I already knew of the incident because Malcolm Gill, son of the W/Op Sgt. Gordon Gill, had sent me the amazing story of his father’s escape from the aircraft and captivity. Malcolm is a Register member and I quickly tied his story together with that of Sophie Kaminarides, daughter of the pilot, and the search was on for more family members.

Despite finding relatives of the navigator, F/O Cedric Nabarro, who sustained leg injuries during the escape from the plane, we have been unable to find anyone else related to the other four crew members. Sadly, even these relatives were unable to attend.

Daniela estimates that over 200 people were involved with the setting up and participation. With military re-enactors, and displays of military hardware and models. Overall attendance was in the region of 2000 and they were blest with wonderful weather throughout, which must be a bonus.

Former Federal Councillor Samuel Schmid delivered speeches on the days and when the memorial was unveiled by Sophie and Malcolm.

Daniela has kept a photographic diary throughout, some of which she has shared online here: -

https://www.journiapp.com/ul/preview/94e1250d1378aee8NWM4ZTk5O2U=

and here: 

https://www.schuetzen-golaten.ch/home/bomberfest-2024/

There is an aerial over view of the site posted on YouTube, to be found here: -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F9K0mrmQNo (apologies for the music, not my choice?)

There were three news reports of the event as seen by viewers in Switzerland. Although all the reports are in German, there are pictures that accompany the reports. See here: -

https://www.telebaern.tv/telebaern-news/sonntag-21-juli-2024-157698822  From 13 mins to 17 mins

https://web.telebielingue.ch/de/sendungen/info/2024-07-21  From 1 min 20 to 3 min 50.

https://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/absturz-von-britischem-bomber-als-die-weltgeschichte-auf-ein-berner-dorf-fiel

It isn’t often that a commemoration such as this takes place where it is actually a celebration of all the crew surviving, rather than perishing.

I raise my hat to Daniela, her family, friends and associates for bringing all this together and making it a huge success for everyone, including Sophie and Malcolm, who, I’m sure will have found it both a proud and emotional event.

Malcolm has promised to write up the whole event for the newsletter, so look out for this years edition just after Christmas.

HENGRAVE LANCASTER PROJECT

Below is the the second and latest newsletter from the Hengrave Lancaster project. You will see there is a plea for help in funding towards the end. This project has been on the go, on and off, since 2011 and was reported in our 2011/12 newsletter (pages 27 & 28) that year. Following on from many refusals to dig the site, because it remains a 'War Grave', the members of the committee involved are determined to erect a memorial near the site.

A new film called Lancaster was released in  June 2022, see details below. We hope you managed to see it!

"Would you like to buy this book?"

"COURAGE AFLAME"

The biography of Sergeant James Ward, VC.

Some years ago, Robert Moore seemed close to publishing his biography of Jimmy Ward, after 35 years of researching the man from Wanganui. Ward was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery for crawling out onto the wing of a 75(NZ) Squadron Wellington bomber at night over Holland to attempt to extinguish a fire that could have resulted in the crashing of the aircraft. 

Now, with the awesome help of a team of dedicated and learned assistants, the book is near printing/publication. The printing of any book is fraught with the dilemma of 'how many' to order due to costs and how many will sell world wide. Cost is yet to be settled per book, but there will be hard cover and soft cover versions.

Book launches are starting to be arranged for the author both in New Zealand and England. So, in order to gauge interest for Bob's book and if you would like to buy a copy, please advise me you are interested with a quick reply below, with quantity and if hard or soft cover. 

Thank you 

Glen Turner

Glen can be contacted by e-mail: - glen@75squadron-raf-rnzaf.com

THE RIBBON OF REMEMBRANCE - IBCC (International Bomber Command Centre)

You are invited to dedicate an engraved paving stone to commemorate your relative, ancestor or friend. The Ribbon of Remembrance will provide a central and personal focal point for visitors to the IBCC and ensure that those who served or supported the Command’s operations are remembered and honoured, whether lost during the war or since.

This will be built to frame the Memorial Avenue that connects the Chadwick Centre to the Spire Memorial and Walls of Names at the new International Bomber Command Centre, which is opening on the 30th January 2018. 

Created out of Yorkstone Scoutmoor stones, this highly durable stone is cut to 65mm and is available in a variety of sizes. The colours vary from each stone; from blue grey to buff brown so no two stones are the same.

To order your stone, download the application form by clicking below.

To pay for your Memorial Stone online, please email sue@internationalbcc.co.uk or call 01778 421420

To read about the eligibility criteria for the Bomber Command Memorial Clasp click on the file below:

To see (and print) the application form for the Bomber Command Memorial Clasp, click on the file below:

Previous Newsletters

Click on the file to read the newsletter.

We have newsletters going back many years; these will be scanned and added as soon as possible.