On the night of May 9th 1943, the Lancaster W4236 toke off from base of Sierston for a mission of bombing over Manheim. 157 Lancaster and Halifax toke part to the mission.
Arrived near the point of bomb droping, the aircraft was attaked by a German night fighter which hit the Lancaster. Sgt Gardiner had to open the bomb bay manually to release the bombs in an emergency, as a fire had started on board the aircraft.
Few crew members could escape fron the plane in fire and jumped with parachute.
Sgt Holmes, F/Sgt Kendal and Sgt Spring where killed in the incident. The rest of the crew was and hiden intercepted by Belgian resistance.
They could return home by escape line Possum thanks to the help of Belgian resistance.
* To read more, click here to get the "Fred Gardiner's Story"
* To read more, click here to get the "Peter Smith'evasion story", by Ken Welsh"
* To read more, click here to get the "Peter Smith'evasion story", by himself" courtesy Mrs Liz Smith, his daughter
The crew of W4236 (Coll. Fred Gardiner-Possum escape Line)
