115 Squadron's Avro Lancaster I (#HK555) aircraft, with an aircrew of eight, took off at night from RAF Witchford for an air operation over the synthetic-oil plant in Leuna, Germany. In heavy cloud, the operation completed, HK555 was on the outbound flight when it collided in mid-air with 186 Squadron's Lancaster (#RA533); the tragic result was that both aircraft crashed south of Sinn, taking the lives of fourteen airmen; three survived the crash: two airmen succumbing to their injuries the next day, the other captured and taken PoW.
The airmen of HK555 who perished in this collision and resulting crash were-
RAFVR Flying Officer Albert Edward ADAMS,
RAFVR Sergeant John Thomas BUCKLEY,
RAFVR Flight Sergeant Wilfrid Gordon CARR,
RCAF Pilot Officer Eric Laurence LUXTON,
RAF Flight Sergeant Charles Edward MARCHANT,
RAFVR Flight Lieutenant Thomas Anthony O'HALLORAN,
RAAF Warrant Officer Gordon Reginald SAVILLE and
RAF Sergeant Ernest SHEAVILLS.
For information about the aircrew of the other aircraft, 186 Squadron's Lancaster I (#RA533), please see RAAF Flying Officer James Arthur Gordon BECK DFC.
Military Service-
Rank: Flight Sergeant
Trade: Flight Engineer
Service Number: 1604373
Age: 22
Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Division: 115 RAF Squadron; RAF Witchford, Cambridgeshire
(Motto: 'Despite the element')
Son of Charles and Florence Marchant; husband of Jennie Donkin Marchant of Hendon, Sunderland, County Durham, England.
He is commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
[Note- In the spring of 1946 the body of Flight Sergeant Marchant was located by a forestry worker; it was handed to the Americans and arrangements were made for interment in this cemetery with full military honours.]
115 Squadron's Avro Lancaster I (#HK555) aircraft, with an aircrew of eight, took off at night from RAF Witchford for an air operation over the synthetic-oil plant in Leuna, Germany. In heavy cloud, the operation completed, HK555 was on the outbound flight when it collided in mid-air with 186 Squadron's Lancaster (#RA533); the tragic result was that both aircraft crashed south of Sinn, taking the lives of fourteen airmen; three survived the crash: two airmen succumbing to their injuries the next day, the other captured and taken PoW.
The airmen of HK555 who perished in this collision and resulting crash were-
RAFVR Flying Officer Albert Edward ADAMS,
RAFVR Sergeant John Thomas BUCKLEY,
RAFVR Flight Sergeant Wilfrid Gordon CARR,
RCAF Pilot Officer Eric Laurence LUXTON,
RAF Flight Sergeant Charles Edward MARCHANT,
RAFVR Flight Lieutenant Thomas Anthony O'HALLORAN,
RAAF Warrant Officer Gordon Reginald SAVILLE and
RAF Sergeant Ernest SHEAVILLS.
For information about the aircrew of the other aircraft, 186 Squadron's Lancaster I (#RA533), please see RAAF Flying Officer James Arthur Gordon BECK DFC.
Military Service-
Rank: Flight Sergeant
Trade: Flight Engineer
Service Number: 1604373
Age: 22
Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Division: 115 RAF Squadron; RAF Witchford, Cambridgeshire
(Motto: 'Despite the element')
Son of Charles and Florence Marchant; husband of Jennie Donkin Marchant of Hendon, Sunderland, County Durham, England.
He is commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
[Note- In the spring of 1946 the body of Flight Sergeant Marchant was located by a forestry worker; it was handed to the Americans and arrangements were made for interment in this cemetery with full military honours.]
Inscription
(Epitaph...)
A BELOVED HUSBAND & FATHER
WHO DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE.
JENNIE AND THE CHILDREN
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