Eric George Lane

Eric George joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and served as a flight engineer with 51 Squadron based at RAF Snaith, Pollington, East Yorkshire.

He was killed on 5 October 1943 with four other members of the crew of seven (See 'Extra information'). 'Lost in Aircraft Handley Page, Halifax II, Serial Number HR727, Markings MH-V. The aircraft crashed on Blackden Edge, Ashop Moor near Edale, in bad weather after attacking Frankfurt as part of a force of 409 aircraft including 3 B-17s.'

Eric's death was recorded in the Chapel-en-le Frith High Peak registration district.

Eric was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery (grave 18324) on 11 October.

Other references to the accident:

'Halifax IHR727: Took off 17:20hrs 4 Oct 1943 from Snaith. On return encountered very poor weather conditions and whilst trying to establish their position the Halifax crashed 01:30hrs on ashop Moor Derbyshire. Crashed on a bombing mission after being hit by a German fighter plane.' (Source: aviation-safety.net/wikibase/167011)

'51 Squadron Bomber Command.Halifax II. HR727. Based Snaith, Yorkshire. Crashed on Ashop Moor, Derbys when trying to get a position fix returning from a raid on Frankfurt in bad weather, 2 of the crew survived.’ (Source: Airmen died in WW2)

HR727 had seven crew, two were injured and survived: Sgt VH Garland RAF, flight engineer, and Sgt JB Mack RAF, rear gunner. Both probably survived the war.

The other four members of the crew who died were:

658569 Sgt. Ernest Hatfield Fenning RAF (Pilot), 51 Sqdn. Died 5 October 1943, age 24. Buried Clacton Cemetery, Essex, Plot X, grave 145. CWGC Additional information: Son of Thomas William and Lilian Maud Fenning. Husband of Lucy Maud Fenning, of Clacton. CWGC headstone personal inscription: ‘To the glorious memory of Ernest, who lost his life returning from Operations.’

117476 WOII Jean Gilbert Felix Fortin RCAF (Navigator), 51 (RAF) Sqdn. Died 4 (sic-CWGC) October 1943, age 25. Buried Oxford (Botley) Cemetery, Plot 1/2 Grave 86A. CWGC Additional information: Son of Joseph A Fortin and Georgiana Fortin, of Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, Canada. CWGC headstone personal inscription: ‘R.I.P.’

1398053 Sgt. Boris Karl Short RAFVR (Air Gunner), 51 Sqdn. Died 5 October 1943, age 20. Buried Buxton Cemetery, Derbyshire grave 4258. Additional information: Son of Karl Charles and Mabel Florence Short, of St. Pancras, London.

1411892 Sgt Frank Owen Squibbs RAFVR (Wireless Operator, Air Gunner), 51 Sqdn. Died 5 October 1943. Buried Newport (St Woolos) Cemetery, Monmouthshire, Con. D.81 grave 256.

Note: on-line request to CWGC to confirm Fortin's date of death on 4 October as, apart from CWGC/Canadian Veterans website, other RAF/website records give 5 October 1943. Response January 2026: 'The information we hold on our records was given to us by the service authorities, and to the best of our knowledge, the information is correct. There may be variances between the official record of death, as recorded by CWGC for commemorative purposes, and other contemporary sources. This may be the result of the lack of certainty about precisely when an individual died, the time taken to process casualty reports, or additional information received during the final verification process.CWGC records include a date range of up to three days, or reflect a ‘not after’ date, e.g. because that is when burial took place. An amendment to the records of Warrent Officer Class II Jean Gilbert Felix Fortin would only be considered if the date recorded by the Commission was more than three days from the date suggested, or evidence was given on a death certificate.' See CWGC website 'About our Records|Commonwealth War Records|CWGCCasualty Amendment Form'

International Bomber Command Centre Memorial: Lane, Eric George.

RAF Snaith Memorial Gardens, Pollington, East Yorkshire, memorial plaque to the crew of HR727 MH-V. Inscription: 'In Memory of Sgt. E. Fenning Pilot. F/Sgt. G. Fortin Navigator. Sgt. F. Squibbs W/Operator. Sgt. E. Lane Flight Engineer. Sgt. B. Short M/U Gunner".

St. John the Baptist Church, Pollington, East Yorkshire, Roll of Honour (Book).

CWGC Additional information: Son of George Thomas Lane and Alice Agnes Lane, of Nottingham, husband of Ida May Lane, of Hyson Green, Nottingham.

Private choice of headstone, inscription: 'In loving memory of Sergt Flt. Eng. Eric Lane who died for his country Oct. 5, 1943'

Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 8 October 1943: ‘Lane. Sgt. Flt. Eng. Age 20, killed on operations duty, darling husband of Ida and only son of Mr and Mrs Lane. Never was so much owed by so many to so few. Good-night and God bless. Interment Nottingham. Broken-hearted wife and family.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Nottingham Evening Post, 9 October 1943: Photograph with caption, ‘Sgt.Flt.Eng. Eric Lane of 8 Aston-terrace, Randal-street, Nottingham, killed on active service.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Acknowledgements, 12 October 1943: ‘The Wife and Family of the late Sgt. Flt. Engr. Eric Lane wish to thank relatives, friends and neighbours for kind letters and floral tributes in their great loss.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Additional research RF, Jan. 2026