Crew of Halifax JD257

Halifax JD257, VR-F took off at 22.47 on a mission to Mannheim in the Ruhr Valley. Nothing definite was heard from the aircraft after take-off. There is mention of Halifax JD257 colliding with a Lancaster and crashing near Mutterstadt 5 miles SW of Ludwigshafen.
This collision is mentioned by the only witness to the crash. He did not see the actual collision but was of the opinion that it was how the Halifax was lost.
The witness mentioned that the crash area was then sealed off by police and no one was allowed near the aircraft. The German Army arrived and took over control of the area. The bodies were removed and the witness believed they were buried in Mannheim.

Recovering the Crew

The records for the cemetery at Mannhiem showed three graves of RAF airmen being buried there during the date of the loss of JD257. It appears that none of these three men were part of the Ludlow crew, however a fourth grave marked as unknown was found to contain the body of F/O Wright.
The Missing research team also was aware of a number of "British" airmen graves in a cemetery across the river in Ludwigshafen. Six adjoined graves were located which the records show the men were buried at the approximate time of the loss of JD257. It was here that the graves of F/O Ludlow and Sergeant de Molitor were found along with airmen of another crew.
The final resting place of those of those could not be identified was a collective grave beside that of F/O Ludlow, F/O Wright, and F/S De Molitor in Durnbach War Cemetery. In all the fourteen men of the two aircraft were found and buried close to one another.
Only one of the Lancaster bomber lost on this night also lists the crew as being buried at Durnbach War Cemetery. Serial number ED882, PM-A of 103 Squadron. The crew's burial plots are also the ones which were mentioned as being in the same location at the cemetery. No other crews lost that night were buried at Durnbach.
It would seem highly unlikely that two heavy bombers could have been shot down the same night with the crashes being so close to each other. A mid-air collision seems very probable.
F/S Douglas See page.