Personnel Index - Detail

Name
SELBY-LOWNDES
First Names
Richard Montacute William
Rank
Sgt
Service
RAF
Service Number
1585667
Crew Position
Air Gunner
Age
20
Date of Death
17/06/1943
Cemetery

 

Photographed by Malcolm Brooke

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There is a memorial to the crew near to the crash-site. Click this link to view the details.


Parts of ED497

Parts of ED497
 

16/17 June, 1943; COLOGNE:

The squadron contributed 9 aircraft to the total force of 202 bombers sent to attack Cologne. The Pathfinders used H2S to place sky markers over a cloud covered target. Only half the Main Force managed to bomb with the remainder being turned back due to the adverse weather. The cost to Bomber Command was 14 Lancasters... and their crews. Those aircraft that did get through caused widespread damage to the housing areas of the city.
Seven Lancasters landed safely back at Fiskerton, each crew having completed successful trips; but as W/Cmdr Peter Johnson, still in his flying gear, scanned the operations board he realised that 2 more of the squadron's aircraft had failed to come home.

F/Lt Charles Dunnet (ED497) and crew were one of those who failed to return, shot down by a night fighter (Hptm Manfred Meurer I./NJG1). The Lancaster crashed near Helmond in Holland. They are all buried in Eindhoven (Woensel) Cemetery.
 

Lancaster ED497
F/L C.W. Dunnet Pilot (Killed)
Sgt R.F. Middlebrook F/E (Killed)
Sgt R.G. Smith NAV (Killed)
Sgt M.F. Haley W/AG (Killed)
P/O C.A. Edwards A/G (Killed)
Sgt W.A. Dutton B/A (Killed)
Sgt R.M.W.Selby-Lowndes A/G (Killed)

Crew on their 3rd operation