Lancaster I RA524 AR-V 460 Sqn. Operation: Köln. Take off 07.03 Binbrook. A report of the Lancaster I RA524 AR-V which states that the crews of four accompanying aircrafts stated that they saw that the Lancaster I RA524 AR-V shot down over the target.
During the run up to the target, the aircraf was seen to be hit by bursts of heavy flak, and black smoke trailed from the aircraft but no flames were visible.
The bomb doors closed, the aircraft dived steeply and then levelled at 15.500 feet and the smoke ceased.
Four parachutes were seen to open in quick succession and then the aircraft went into a slow left hand spin with great volumes of smoke re-issuing.
After losing 2.000 more feet, it again levelled out, turned to starboard, came back across the target climbing slightly with flames appearing in starboard wing and fuselage. Then flew straight and level for 30 seconds before making a straight steep dive and crashed in the West end of Hohenzollern Bridge.
The aircraft had a full bomb load and exploded on impact. There were no traces of an aircraft crash on the West end of the Hohenzollern Bridge.
No one (German civilians) had heard ore seen anything, the bombing was very intense and everyone was either killed or in shelters.
Records at the American Cemetery show that many bodies of airmen were picked up in the streets and wrecks of houses of Köln on the 13th and 14th March, some were identified and others buried as unknown. It is most probable that the four identified members of this crew were the parachutists and that the three missing were those who went down with the aircraft and were blown to bits on crashing.
All 5 Australians and Sgt. Devlin were initially buried at Henri Chapelle, though their graves are now in Hotton War Cemetery.
F/S Parkinson, however, is buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery.
