419 Squadron RCAF 1941 to 1945 Crew of Lancaster KB753

Crew of Lancaster KB753

The Adam Crew and KB753

It was the Adam crew's sixth operation on Lancaster KB753, and seventeenth operation together.
Their first operation with 419 Squadron on October 14/15th had been on KB753. On that sortie a number of bombs became hung up in the bomb racks. They managed to dislodge a few but ended up coming back to base with a large number of incendiaries and four pound bombs stuck in their racks.

KB753 proved to be more reliable through the other operations when the crew used her. The crew also used a number of other Lancasters during this time.

December 29th 1944 - Scholven-Buer

On this night the report given by WO Rogers gives the only know details of what happened to the crew and their Lancaster.

Everything OK till we were on the bombing run, a flak burst was predicted to happen on the port quarter by one of the crew. P/O Adam juggled the throttles to avoid the now expected blast of the upcoming flak.
At this point Rogers was blown out of his turret, all he could see as he fell was that the Lancaster was a mass of flames.
His parachute brought him down near Essen. Landing badly on his right angle he was unable to move. He was picked up by civilians who took him to a nearby air raid shelter. Then as the danger from the raid ended he was taken to the local police station.
The next day he was sent to a French POW camp near Dusseldorf, where he remained for about a month.
From there he was sent to Frankfurt, following that to a transit camp.

Crew of Lancaster KB753

The Adam Crew and KB753

December 29th 1944 - Scholven-Buer

Pilot Officer

Raymond Francis Adam

Pilot Age 20
KIA December 29th 1944
From Windsor Ontario
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

Leo Paul Wakely

Navigator Age 21
KIA December 29th 1944
From Toronto Ontario
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

Herbert Chester Tarzwell

Bomb Aimer Age 23
KIA December 29th 1944
From Grandview Manitoba
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

Frederick Stanley Dennis

Wireless Op. Age 22
KIA December 29th 1944
From Fort Saskatchewan Alberta
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

John Campbell Rhind

Air Gunner Age 19
KIA December 29th 1944
From Toronto Ontario
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Sergeant

Robert Edward Eratt

Flight Engineer Age 21
KIA December 29th 1944
From Sheffield England
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Warrant Officer

R.G. Rogers

Rear Gunner
POW until Liberated

Crew of Lancaster KB753

The Adam Crew and KB753

December 29th 1944 - Scholven-Buer

Pilot Officer

Raymond Francis Adam

Pilot Age 20 KIA December 29th 1944 From Windsor Ontario Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

Leo Paul Wakely

Navigator Age 21 KIA December 29th 1944 From Toronto Ontario Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

Herbert Chester Tarzwell

Bomb Aimer Age 23 KIA December 29th 1944 From Grandview Manitoba Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

Frederick Stanley Dennis

Wireless Op. Age 22 KIA December 29th 1944 From Fort Saskatchewan Alberta Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

John Campbell Rhind

Air Gunner Age 19 KIA December 29th 1944 From Toronto Ontario Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Sergeant

Robert Edward Eratt

Flight Engineer Age 21 KIA December 29th 1944 From Sheffield England Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Warrant Officer

R.G. Rogers

Rear Gunner POW until Liberated

Pilot Age 20
KIA December 29th 1944
From Windsor Ontario
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Navigator Age 21
KIA December 29th 1944
From Toronto Ontario
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Bomb Aimer Age 23
KIA December 29th 1944
From Grandview Manitoba
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Wireless Op. Age 22
KIA December 29th 1944
From Fort Saskatchewan Alberta
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Air Gunner Age 19
KIA December 29th 1944
From Toronto Ontario
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Flight Engineer Age 21
KIA December 29th 1944
From Sheffield England
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Rear Gunner
POW until Liberated