New Memorial to be unveiled in The Netherlands. (Lancaster Aircrew Memorial)
The society has been cooperating with Dutch Historian Jaap Geensen for many years. In 2014 our chairman David King was able to identify items recovered by Jaap on the Dutch coast-line, as coming from a Lancaster aircraft. A memorial to the crew of this Lancaster II, LL720 408 Sqdn, will now be unveiled on the 9th November 2019. The relatives of two of the crew members have been located, those of F/O J. Bonneville, RCAF and P/O E. Dramnitzki, RCAF. The search continues for relatives of the other five. Please contact the site if you are in anyway related or have any information that you feel may help in tracing them. Please contact David at, lanc424@yahoo.co.uk
Mission: Leipzig.
Date: 19/20th February 1944
Unit: No. 408 Squadron. (R.C.A.F.)
Type: Lancaster II.
Serial: LL720.
Code: EQ-R
Base: R.A.F. Linton-on-Ouse.
Location: Paal the Netherlands.
Pilot: F/Lt Elmer Stanley Winn J/8840 R.C.A.F. Age 23. (Killed)
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Ellis William Bolt 642443 R.A.F. Age 24. (Killed)
Nav: F/O. James Richard Leaman J/24215 R.C.A.F. Age 21. (Killed)
Air/Bmr: F/O. John Raymond Bonneville J/25732 R.C.A.F. (Killed)
W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O Reginald Herbert Wade J/86403 R.C.A.F. Age 26. (Killed)
Air/Gnr: T/S. Norman H. H. Brown 10601604 U.S.A.A.F. (Killed)
Air/Gnr: P/O. Eldore Dramnitzki J/88338 R.C.A.F. Age 22. (Killed)
The society has been cooperating with Dutch Historian Jaap Geensen for many years. In 2014 our chairman David King was able to identify items recovered by Jaap on the Dutch coast-line, as coming from a Lancaster aircraft. A memorial to the crew of this Lancaster II, LL720 408 Sqdn, will now be unveiled on the 9th November 2019. The relatives of two of the crew members have been located, those of F/O J. Bonneville, RCAF and P/O E. Dramnitzki, RCAF. The search continues for relatives of the other five. Please contact the site if you are in anyway related or have any information that you feel may help in tracing them. Please contact David at, lanc424@yahoo.co.uk
Mission: Leipzig.
Date: 19/20th February 1944
Unit: No. 408 Squadron. (R.C.A.F.)
Type: Lancaster II.
Serial: LL720.
Code: EQ-R
Base: R.A.F. Linton-on-Ouse.
Location: Paal the Netherlands.
Pilot: F/Lt Elmer Stanley Winn J/8840 R.C.A.F. Age 23. (Killed)
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Ellis William Bolt 642443 R.A.F. Age 24. (Killed)
Nav: F/O. James Richard Leaman J/24215 R.C.A.F. Age 21. (Killed)
Air/Bmr: F/O. John Raymond Bonneville J/25732 R.C.A.F. (Killed)
W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O Reginald Herbert Wade J/86403 R.C.A.F. Age 26. (Killed)
Air/Gnr: T/S. Norman H. H. Brown 10601604 U.S.A.A.F. (Killed)
Air/Gnr: P/O. Eldore Dramnitzki J/88338 R.C.A.F. Age 22. (Killed)
REASON FOR LOSS:
Sister aircraft Avro Lancaster B Mark II, LL725 'EQ-C', of No. 408 Squadron RCAF, on the ground at Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire. Armourers are backing a tractor and trolley loaded with a 4,000 lb HE bomb ('Cookie') and incendiaries under the open bomb-bay. LL725 was lost over Hamburg on 28/29 July 1944.
Took-off at 2348 hrs from Linton-on-Ouse to attack Leipzig. Crashed in the Netherlands in the area off Paal close to the Belgium boarder near the port of Antwerpen.
The crash site was located by Dutch Historian Jaap Geensen. In 2014 Jaap had contacted the society to see if we could help in identifying wreckage he had located on the coast-line near the small village off Paal, our chairman David King was able to identify these parts in particular a wing section as from a Avro Lancaster.
(Above) The wing section as found by Jaap and identified as the Aileron hinge attachments by David King.
(Below) Illustrations of the fitting on the aircraft and line drawing.
(Below) Further investigation by Jaap revealed the remains of a Frazer Nash front gun turret as used on the Lancaster.
F/Lt Elmer Stanley Winn and F/O. James Richard Leaman
F/O. John Raymond Bonneville
P/O Reginald Herbert Wade
P/O. Eldore Dramnitzki
Grave of T/S. Norman H. H. Brown
Burial details:
Flight Lieutenant (Pilot) Elmer Stanley Winn J/8840 R.C.A.F. Age 23.
Schoonselhof Cemetery Plot IVa. Row C. Grave 34.
Son of Fred L. and Edna M. Winn, of Stouffville, Ontario, Canada.
Sergeant (Flight Engineer) Ellis William Bolt 642443 R.A.F. Age 24.
Schoonselhof Cemetery Plot IVa. Row C. Grave 35.
Son of Leslie and Polly Bolt, of Northampton.
Flying Officer (Navigator) James Richard Leaman J/24215 R.C.A.F. Age 21.
Schoonselhof Cemetery Plot IVa. Row C. Grave 32.
Son of Richard Ernest and Florence May Leaman, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Flying Officer (Air Bomber) John Raymond Bonneville J/25732 R.C.A.F.
Schoonselhof Cemetery Plot IVa. Row C. Grave 31.
Pilot Officer (Wireless Op./Air Gunner) Reginald Herbert Wade J/86403 R.C.A.F. Age 26.
Schoonselhof Cemetery Plot IVa. Row C. Grave 41.
Son of Timothy Wade, and of Violetta L. Wade, of Aurora, Ontario, Canada.
Technical Sergeant (Air Gunner) Norman H. H. Brown 10601604 U.S.A.A.F.
Ardennes American Cemetery Neupré, Belgium. Plot B. Row 29. Grave 15.
Entered Service From New York
Pilot Officer (Air Gunner) Eldore Dramnitzki J/88338 R.C.A.F. Age 22.
Schoonselhof Cemetery Plot IVa. Row C. Grave 27.
Son of Gottlieb and Caroline Dramnitzki, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Page construction and research by David King and Alexander King. Special thanks to Jaap Geensen for crash site photos and site location details, and additional information from the Bonneville and Dramnitzki familys, Bill Chorley Bomber Command Losses and C.W.G.C.
Flight Lieutenant (Pilot) Elmer Stanley Winn J/8840 R.C.A.F. Age 23.
Schoonselhof Cemetery Plot IVa. Row C. Grave 34.
Son of Fred L. and Edna M. Winn, of Stouffville, Ontario, Canada.
Sergeant (Flight Engineer) Ellis William Bolt 642443 R.A.F. Age 24.
Schoonselhof Cemetery Plot IVa. Row C. Grave 35.
Son of Leslie and Polly Bolt, of Northampton.
Flying Officer (Navigator) James Richard Leaman J/24215 R.C.A.F. Age 21.
Schoonselhof Cemetery Plot IVa. Row C. Grave 32.
Son of Richard Ernest and Florence May Leaman, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Flying Officer (Air Bomber) John Raymond Bonneville J/25732 R.C.A.F.
Schoonselhof Cemetery Plot IVa. Row C. Grave 31.
Pilot Officer (Wireless Op./Air Gunner) Reginald Herbert Wade J/86403 R.C.A.F. Age 26.
Schoonselhof Cemetery Plot IVa. Row C. Grave 41.
Son of Timothy Wade, and of Violetta L. Wade, of Aurora, Ontario, Canada.
Technical Sergeant (Air Gunner) Norman H. H. Brown 10601604 U.S.A.A.F.
Ardennes American Cemetery Neupré, Belgium. Plot B. Row 29. Grave 15.
Entered Service From New York
Pilot Officer (Air Gunner) Eldore Dramnitzki J/88338 R.C.A.F. Age 22.
Schoonselhof Cemetery Plot IVa. Row C. Grave 27.
Son of Gottlieb and Caroline Dramnitzki, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Page construction and research by David King and Alexander King. Special thanks to Jaap Geensen for crash site photos and site location details, and additional information from the Bonneville and Dramnitzki familys, Bill Chorley Bomber Command Losses and C.W.G.C.