Lancaster Bomber (ED450)
The Lancaster Mk III heavy bomber ED450 (EA-G) crashed on the breakwater in Plymouth Sound on 13th February 1943. ED 450 was from
49 Squadron based at Fiskerton in Lincolnshire and had just returned from a raid on the U-boat pens at Lorient in France.
ED450 was one of 620 Lancasters ordered from A.V.Roe (Chadderton) in 1941 and was delivered to 49 Squadron on 8th January 1943. On 13th February the aircraft left Fiskerton on a clear moonlit night as one of 466 heavy bombers sent to destroy the U-boat base at Lorient. Seven aircraft were loat in the raid including 2 Lancasters. Flight Sargeant Gifford Miller piloted the severely damaged aircraft back from the raid aiming for an emergency landing at RAF Harrowbeer to the north of Plymouth.
but unfortunately she collided with the steel cable of a barrage balloon. The Lancaster came down on the western end of the breakwater, disintegrating as it fell into the sea. The crews final moments have never
been established for sadly they all perished in the crash and their bodies were never recovered (1,2,3,4,5).
F/Sgt G.B.C. Miller Pilot (Missing)
F/O R. Allin NAV (Missing)
Sgt K. Hands W/AG(Missing)
Sgt W. Noble B/A (Missing)
Sgt S. Young F/E (Missing)
Sgt W. Halsall A/G (Missing)
Sgt F.H. Allen A/G (Missing)
The Site Today
The well scattered remains of ED450 were found on the south side of the Breakwater at the western end in a depth of 15m. The engines and pieces of airframe were visible in the sand amongst the boulders that make up the breakwater but are now mostly gone, some buried by the recent addition of more blocks.
One of the propellers and some other items were recovered by divers in 1982, see picture below.
All aircraft in UK waters that have crashed during military service are protected by the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.
If you have any more information about this ship then please contact us.
Images
A Lancaster bomber |
Propeller recovered from Lancaster ED450 |
References
(1) Mitchell P., 1986, The Wreckers Guide to South West Devon, Sound Diving Publications
(2) McDonald K., 1997, Fort Bovisand, Wreckwalker Books, ISBN 0 9528637 1 5, P85
(3) Lost Bombers, Accessed Dec 11
(4) Bomber History - Miller, Accessed Dec 11
(5) Submerged - Lancaster Bomber, Accessed Dec 11
