Ivan Wildman Lineker

Essen

Lancaster I W4134 took off 1705 3 Jan 1943 from Langar. Homebound shot down by a night- fighter flown by Hptm Manfred Meurer 1. Sergeant W H Moger (FE), Sergeant K H Pugh (W/Op), Sergeant I W Lineker (AG), Sergeant W J Harris (AG): killed; Sergeant G K Marwood (N), Sergeant J K Banfield (BA): prisoners of war; Flight Sergeant J B Chaster (P) (RCAF): evaded capture; aircraft failed to return from an operational flight. (rafcommands.com)

JONKERBOS WAR CEMETERY 16. D. 4.

According to Chris Ward, Manfred Meurer attacked W4143 three times, firstly setting fire to a starboard fuel tank, then knocking out its port inner engine before destroying both starboard engines and the cockpit instruments and sending the Lancaster into an uncontrollable dive.

Captain Chater deployed his parachute inside the aircraft ‘before feeding it into the airflow and being snatched out like a cork from a bottle.’ The Lancaster came down between Asselt and Roermond in south eastern Holland.

Marwood and Banfield were soon captured but helped by ‘the selfless courage of Dutch civilians and the Resistance’, Chater made it back to the UK via Spain and Gibraltar. Returning to Langar, he was able to describe his experiences but was ‘dismayed to find almost no-one he recognised.’

This was an oboe experimental raid carried out by 3 Pathfinder Mosquitoes and 19 5 Group Lancasters. 3 Lancasters were lost (including W4134). Property was damaged and 6 civilians killed.

Sources: Chris Ward with Raymond Glynne Owen, 207 Squadron (Merthyr Tydfil: Mention the War Ltd, 2000) page 152. Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt, Bomber Command War Diaries p.341.

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