LL754
Crashes > of the R.A.F.
This flight was not under a good star. It was Flight Sergeant Fothergill's first combat mission. And it was the Lancaster LL754's first ever mission; at take-off from Mildenhall it had just 19 flying hours under its belt.
Over Cologne, the Lancaster came under very heavy flak from several anti-aircraft batteries and crashed on fire in Cologne-Nippes near the Josef Church.
The entire crew perished in the burning aircraft and were buried in Cologne's South Cemetery.
Despite all efforts, I still do not know the exact crash site, as it is not mentioned in the police reports either. Allegedly, there is a KE report 8313 on this crash, but I have not been able to find it until today.
above:
Death certificate for
Fl/Lt Funnell
above right:
Grave site of the dead crew
at the Cologne South Cemetery
bottom right:
the assumed crash site
in Cologne-Nippes/near the
Josef Church.