Avro Lancaster III ED470 QR-W lost at Zelhem (Hummeloseweg 39) on 23-09-1944

NOTE: The recovery of the Lancaster is almost ready, see some pictures here. Among other things which identify the remains as a Lancaster they found the serialnumber of the engine. This number does not fit with the number of the engine of the ED470 as registrated. But there is still a chance that the crashed Lancaster is the ED470 because many times engines were changed without adjusting the registrationlogs. 

The record:

At the date of 23-09-1944, time: H 22:30, the aircraft type Lancaster has been lost. The location of the plane was found at: Zelhem (Hummeloseweg 39). The unit of crew and plane is: 61 Sqdn. First flyer rank: Flying Officer, name: A.K. Hornibrook. The plane belonged to the Allied forces.

The plane left from Skellingthorpe at 1920 for a mission to Münster. 

Lancaster ED470 (61 Squadron RAF). This is one of two Lancasters who crashed near the village on 23 September 1944.

The crew:

Flying Officer Albert Keith Hornibrook (RAAF)
Sergeant Tegwyn Roberts
Flying Officer John James Condon (RAAF)
Flying Officer Derek Cecil Heather

Photo: Flying Officer Derek Heather

Sergeant Robert Stanley Meachen

Photo: Wirless Operator Robert Stanley Meachen (thanks to David Hulse)

Sergeant Thomas Brown

The Crew Lancaster ED470 are now commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Photos:

Family is visiting the crash location.Photos of the Flying Log Book.

Studio portrait of 412056 Sergeant (later Flying Officer) (FO)) John James Condon, 61 Squadron RAF of Lismore, NSW. A truck driver before enlisting on 21 June 1941 in Sydney, NSW. He undertook pilot training before joining 61 Squadron. FO Condon was killed on operation flying a Lancaster LD470 over Germany on 23 September 1944.

Source: Australian War Memorial

With thanks to Peter Monasso involved with the Crashmuseum at Lievelde and initiator of the recovery and Harrie Somsen involved with a project for schoolchildren.