419 Squadron RCAF 1941 to 1945 Crew of Lancaster KB765

Crew of Lancaster KB765

F/O Reginald McVicar’s crew had completed their HCU training at Base No.61 and were posted to 419 squadron on September 7th of 1944. It would not be until September 14th that McVicar could be sent on his 2nd Pilot operation.
By the end of September the crew were flying missions together over Germany. From squadron records it appears as if the next nine operations were straight forward affairs with no major problems reported by F/O McVicar.
The very next operation proved to be different, when 50 of the small incendiary bombs become hung up in the racks and would not come loose with all the efforts applied to getting them to release. Flying back to base with the bomb doors open and slowing their pace, until finally they became loose and dropped over the channel coast.
The crew by November monopolized the use of KB765 for the next ten operations, KB765 coded VR-Q was their transportation to and from the dangerous skies over Germany.

December 24th 1944

The operation on Christmas Eve of 1944 brought another tense and dangerous situation to the crew of VR-Q. While over their target, Dusseldorf, heavy flak was everywhere. The aircraft was hit in the tail section very near the tail gunner F/S McLeod. Damage to the starboard tail plane and rudder forced McVicar to head for a base nearer than Middleton St. George. Eventually the crew landed safely at Charterhall.
It would be five more days before the KB765 was ready for another operation. And the crew again flew off to dark December nights of Germany just prior to the arrival of the New Year.
The skies over Scholven were especially dangerous for the crews of two 419 Lancasters. One of them was KB765, flak took both Moose squadron aircraft in the exact same way. Direct hits causing the aircraft to explode when hit. And by some twist of fate the rear gunners of both Lancasters were thrown from their aircraft.
The only survivor of VR-Q, rear gunner F/S McLeod made a report on what happened to the aircraft and himself when later interrogated by MI9 on his return from captivity after the war.

McLeod’s report

"Hit by flak during bombing run, glimpsed fighter far astern. Aircraft blew up immediately, blowing me well clear. Did not see it go down. Upon capture, the German guards informed me that I was shot down at 1901 by the 105th Flak Regiment. They also showed me the pilot’s, navigator’s, and bomb aimers “1250”’s. They stated the rest of the crew were dead. The aircraft landed in a street in Bottrop 5 to 6 miles southwest of the target. When they showed me the pilots “1250”’s they also showed me those of P/O Adam, WO Dennis and F/S Tarzell (members of the other 419 crew shot down that same night) They asked if I knew them, but I professed ignorance."

A "1250" was a paper ID card carried by all RCAF
KB765 came down twelve miles north-east of Essen. All those killed were originally buried at Gelsenkirchen/Buer and later reburied at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

Crew of Lancaster KB765

December 24th 1944

McLeod’s report

Flight Sergeant

William George Eaton Morgan

Bomb Aimer Age 22 15th Op.
Killed in Action December 29,1944
From Fort William Ontario.
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

Jacob Feldman

Flight Engineer Age21, 16th Op.
Killed in Action December 29,1944
From Toronto Ontario Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Flying Officer

Vincent Andrew Sorrenti

Navigator age 21, 16th Op.
Killed in Action December 29,1944
From Winnipeg Manitoba
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Flying Officer

Reginald Archibald McVicar

Pilot age 21, 17th Op.
Killed in Action December 29,1944
From North Vancouver B.C.
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

Thomas Joseph Maloney

WAG age 21, 16th Op.
Killed in Action December 29,1944
From Marmora Ontario
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

Roy Clifford Conley

Air Gunner age 21, 16th Op.
Killed in Action December 29,1944
From Frankford Ontario
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Flight Sergeant

W. H. McLeod

Air Gunner
Believed to be Stalag Luft I

Crew of Lancaster KB765

December 24th 1944

McLeod’s report

Flight Sergeant

William George Eaton Morgan

Bomb Aimer Age 22 15th Op. Killed in Action December 29,1944 From Fort William Ontario. Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

Jacob Feldman

Flight Engineer Age21, 16th Op. Killed in Action December 29,1944 From Toronto Ontario Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Flying Officer

Vincent Andrew Sorrenti

Navigator age 21, 16th Op. Killed in Action December 29,1944 From Winnipeg Manitoba Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Flying Officer

Reginald Archibald McVicar

Pilot age 21, 17th Op.Killed in Action December 29,1944 From North Vancouver B.C. Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

Thomas Joseph Maloney

WAG age 21, 16th Op.Killed in Action December 29,1944 From Marmora Ontario Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

Roy Clifford Conley

Air Gunner age 21, 16th Op.Killed in Action December 29,1944 From Frankford Ontario Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Flight Sergeant

W. H. McLeod

Air Gunner Believed to be Stalag Luft I

Bomb Aimer Age 22 15th Op.
Killed in Action December 29,1944
From Fort William Ontario.
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Flight Engineer Age21, 16th Op.
Killed in Action December 29,1944
From Toronto Ontario Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Navigator age 21, 16th Op.
Killed in Action December 29,1944
From Winnipeg Manitoba
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Pilot age 21, 17th Op.
Killed in Action December 29,1944
From North Vancouver B.C.
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

WAG age 21, 16th Op.
Killed in Action December 29,1944
From Marmora Ontario
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Air Gunner age 21, 16th Op.
Killed in Action December 29,1944
From Frankford Ontario
Burial Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Air Gunner
Believed to be Stalag Luft I