Avro Lancaster III JB534 Memorial Timberland Fen
On the day of seeking out the memorial at Timberland Fen in July 2021, dark skies hung over the open, flat Lincolnshire landscape, and upon arrival, the rain began. It was a Sunday, and looking to the southeast, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's Dakota ZA947 could be seen and just about heard in the circuit at Coningsby. The memorial here is in a very lonely spot, but this adds to its poignancy and provokes thought as the observer pays respects to the crew of Lancaster III JB534 ZN-K.
JB534 was built at Chatterton as one of a batch of 550, with deliveries taking place between June 1943 and the following December. It was taken on charge by No. 61 Squadron on 30 October 1943, at Syerston, from where one operation was completed to Modan on 10 November. The aircraft was then transferred to No. 106 Squadron at Metheringham and flew four trips to Berlin in the last two weeks of November. In total, JB534 participated in twelve operations with No. 106, including nine to the 'Big City. Category Ac damage (Repair is beyond unit capacity but can be repaired on-site by another unit or contractor) was sustained on 21 December. However, there is no comment on what caused the bomber to be temporarily grounded. Whatever occurred took the Lancaster out of service until 15 January 1944.
On the night of December 16/17 1943, Plt Off. Reginald Dickerson, just after joining No. 106 Squadron from No. 1660 HCU, flew his first operation to Berlin as second pilot aboard Lancaster III JB567 ZN-E. Three days later, he was in command of the same Lancaster, with his crew, Sgts George Boffey (flight engineer), Felix Pauley (bomb aimer), Walter Hills (w/op), B Krukowski RCAF (air gunner), Flg Off. Ronald Lewis (navigator) and Plt Off. William Ramsey (air gunner) on a sortie to Frankfurt. They were to fly six further operations together, all to Berlin, the last of which was to end in disaster on 16 February 1944.
At 17:20hrs on 15 February, Plt Off. Dickerson, assisted by Boffey, opened the throttles on JB534, corrected the swing and set about getting his bomber loaded with 9,520Ib of ordnance into the air. A course was established to take him and his crew to Berlin, a target with which they were now quite familiar. The trip had been successful as Dickerson was in Metheringham's circuit at around 1,000ft and was preparing to land just after midnight. The crew were undoubtedly relieved to have survived another night over the Big City, whose defences were particularly ferocious. However, the ORB Record states the following: 'Aircraft returned to base presumably completed mission. When in the circuit at about 1000 feet, the air bomber called out, "Aircraft just in front" – pilot dived to avoid it, hit ground, and the aircraft broke in two. All crew killed except Sgt Krukowski and Plt Off. Ramsay who have been admitted to hospital. Full investigation being held".
Plt Off Ramsey later returned to operations but was lost on a sortie to St-Leu while flying onboard Lancaster I ME832 ZN-J. On 5 July 1944, the aircraft crashed at St-Germain-la-Poterie, with only a single crew member surviving to evade. From the records, it appears Sgt B. Krukowski survived the war.
Today near the crash site, a wooden memorial has been created by the Friends of Metheringham Airfield and attached to a farm gate post on Timberland Drove. It features details of the event on the night and is a fitting tribute to the young crew who flew on dangerous operations during the Battle of Berlin only to be lost due to an accident.
JB534 was built at Chatterton as one of a batch of 550, with deliveries taking place between June 1943 and the following December. It was taken on charge by No. 61 Squadron on 30 October 1943, at Syerston, from where one operation was completed to Modan on 10 November. The aircraft was then transferred to No. 106 Squadron at Metheringham and flew four trips to Berlin in the last two weeks of November. In total, JB534 participated in twelve operations with No. 106, including nine to the 'Big City. Category Ac damage (Repair is beyond unit capacity but can be repaired on-site by another unit or contractor) was sustained on 21 December. However, there is no comment on what caused the bomber to be temporarily grounded. Whatever occurred took the Lancaster out of service until 15 January 1944.
On the night of December 16/17 1943, Plt Off. Reginald Dickerson, just after joining No. 106 Squadron from No. 1660 HCU, flew his first operation to Berlin as second pilot aboard Lancaster III JB567 ZN-E. Three days later, he was in command of the same Lancaster, with his crew, Sgts George Boffey (flight engineer), Felix Pauley (bomb aimer), Walter Hills (w/op), B Krukowski RCAF (air gunner), Flg Off. Ronald Lewis (navigator) and Plt Off. William Ramsey (air gunner) on a sortie to Frankfurt. They were to fly six further operations together, all to Berlin, the last of which was to end in disaster on 16 February 1944.
At 17:20hrs on 15 February, Plt Off. Dickerson, assisted by Boffey, opened the throttles on JB534, corrected the swing and set about getting his bomber loaded with 9,520Ib of ordnance into the air. A course was established to take him and his crew to Berlin, a target with which they were now quite familiar. The trip had been successful as Dickerson was in Metheringham's circuit at around 1,000ft and was preparing to land just after midnight. The crew were undoubtedly relieved to have survived another night over the Big City, whose defences were particularly ferocious. However, the ORB Record states the following: 'Aircraft returned to base presumably completed mission. When in the circuit at about 1000 feet, the air bomber called out, "Aircraft just in front" – pilot dived to avoid it, hit ground, and the aircraft broke in two. All crew killed except Sgt Krukowski and Plt Off. Ramsay who have been admitted to hospital. Full investigation being held".
Plt Off Ramsey later returned to operations but was lost on a sortie to St-Leu while flying onboard Lancaster I ME832 ZN-J. On 5 July 1944, the aircraft crashed at St-Germain-la-Poterie, with only a single crew member surviving to evade. From the records, it appears Sgt B. Krukowski survived the war.
Today near the crash site, a wooden memorial has been created by the Friends of Metheringham Airfield and attached to a farm gate post on Timberland Drove. It features details of the event on the night and is a fitting tribute to the young crew who flew on dangerous operations during the Battle of Berlin only to be lost due to an accident.