419 Squadron RCAF 1941 to 1945 Crew of Lancaster KB845

Crew of Lancaster KB845

Lancaster KB845 VR-L and thirteen other 419 aircraft took off on the night of March 5/6 1945 headed for Chemnitz. Icing was a problem starting slightly after take off but Reitlo and the other 419 Lancasters went on to the target. The raid on Chemnitz was successful and the Reitlo crew headed to home base. Icing conditions worsened as heavy icing began.

There are two theories on why the Lancaster crashed. This is the information found in several different sources.

Eye Witness Accounts

Witnesses stated that the Lancaster came into the crash site at 250 mph and at a 20 degree angle with wheels, flaps up and all four engines were running.
The crew were found wearing their parachutes, as if preparing to bail out. None of the instruments were recovered. The instruments could have given some ideas as to why the crash occured. Main control surfaces were reported to have been intact and in working condition when inspected after the crash, "despite the fire" ! Which I would presume to have meant a fire on crash landing. No mention of damage from enemy fire was reported.

S/L Brown's Hospital Report

RCAF Bomber Command Hospital record for P/O Poole by S/L R. Brown written on May 3rd 1945, advises "Aircraft hit by enemy cannon fire. This information was found on record cards from sick quarters at Middleton St. George. No mention of how this conclusion was arrived at.

Court of Inquiry

At the Court of Inquiry opened on March 29th 1945 there were six witnesses including only one from 419 Squadron, P/O J.E. Taylor.
F/L Frank Lynch DFC was in charge of the inquiry. The conclusion he wrote on the report was "Aircraft apparently lost control due to icing. Non evidence of structural or engine failure".
Base Commanding Officers Report

Report of Commanding Officer G/C MacDonald written on April 18th 1945 presented four thoughts on the cause. 1/ Engine failure during let down 2/ Loss of control due to poor instrument flying. 3/ Loss of some blind flying aids due to icing 4/ Pilot failure to strap himself into seat would account for his inability to regain control in time to avoid crash.
The eye witness accounts stated that the engines were running when the crash occurred, which throws out MacDonald's first thought. Since it was found that the crew were wearing parachutes his fourth thought may seems out of place. If as it was stated the crew were getting ready to bail. Reitlo would have had his chute on. There is no mention of any violent movements of the aircarft reported other then the crash that would have thrown Reitlo out of his seat.
His other two thoughts fall into the idea of failures caused by icing.

Letter to Family by W/C Ferguson 419 CO

A letter to the family of Norman Poole, from W/C Ferguson on March 24th 1945,states that his aircraft was hit by cannon fire which could be the reason for the crash. ( Again no mention of the source of this conclusion.)

What is known is that they had flown back to Drayton Parslow in Buckinghamshire 10 miles NNE of Aylesbury. This would be about an hours flying time to Middleton St. George further North and to the East of this location.
RAF Base Halton is located at Aylesbury. Was the crew hoping to land there and was fooled by incorrect readings from iced up Pitot tubes. (Used to feed information on speed, altitude)

P/O Poole

For P/O Norman Poole this was his second crash landing within two months. While a gunner on KB772 on January 5/6th. "Hecklin Hare" VR-A was shot up and forced to land in France. F/S Poole and the crew were fortunate that this area of France had already been a liberated area.

He had a sprained ankle from that crash but he and the other injured men from KB772 were looked after by a US Army hospital unit before being flown back to England.

Was there a mix up of the original Poole crash landing in regards to the Lancaster being shot at. As the RAF board stated about the crash .... cause obscure.

Crew of Lancaster KB845

Eye Witness Accounts

S/L Brown's Hospital Report

Court of Inquiry

Base Commanding Officers Report

Letter to Family by W/C Ferguson 419 CO

P/O Poole

Flying Officer

Clifford Lester Reitlo

Pilot Age 23 6 Ops.
Killed in Action March 6th 1945
From Preeceville (Moosejaw) Saskatchewan
Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Pilot Officer

John Edwin Hanley

Navigator Age 33 4th Op.
Killed in Action March 6th 1945
From London Ontario
Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Flying Officer

William Norton
De Witt

Bomb Aimer Age 20 4th Op.
Killed in Action March 6 1945
From St. Andrews Point Quebec
Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Pilot Officer

Finley Ralph Leet

Wireless Op. Age 20 4th Op.
Killed in Action March 6 1945
From Lachine Quebec
Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Pilot Officer

Jack Alexander King

F/E Age 27 2nd Op
Killed in Action March 6 1945
From Toronto Ontario
Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Flying Officer

Gregory Joseph Hollinger

Rear gunner Age 23 4 Ops.
Killed in Action March 6 1945
From Kirkland Lake Ontario
Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Pilot Officer

Norman Roland Poole

Mid/Upper Gunner Age 19 5 Ops.
Killed in Action March 6 1945
From Brockville Ontario
Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Crew of Lancaster KB845

Eye Witness Accounts

S/L Brown's Hospital Report

Court of Inquiry

Base Commanding Officers Report

Letter to Family by W/C Ferguson 419 CO

P/O Poole

Flying Officer

Clifford Lester Reitlo

Pilot Age 23 6 Ops. Killed in Action March 6th 1945 From Preeceville (Moosejaw) Saskatchewan Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Pilot Officer

John Edwin Hanley

Navigator Age 33 4th Op. Killed in Action March 6th 1945 From London Ontario Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Flying Officer

William Norton De Witt

Bomb Aimer Age 20 4th Op. Killed in Action March 6 1945 From St. Andrews Point Quebec Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Pilot Officer

Finley Ralph Leet

Wireless Op. Age 20 4th Op. Killed in Action March 6 1945 From Lachine Quebec Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Pilot Officer

Jack Alexander King

F/E Age 27 2nd Op Killed in Action March 6 1945 From Toronto Ontario Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Flying Officer

Gregory Joseph Hollinger

Rear gunner Age 23 4 Ops. Killed in Action March 6 1945 From Kirkland Lake Ontario Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Pilot Officer

Norman Roland Poole

Mid/Upper Gunner Age 19 5 Ops. Killed in Action March 6 1945 From Brockville Ontario Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Pilot Age 23 6 Ops.
Killed in Action March 6th 1945
From Preeceville (Moosejaw) Saskatchewan
Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Navigator Age 33 4th Op.
Killed in Action March 6th 1945
From London Ontario
Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

William Norton
De Witt

Bomb Aimer Age 20 4th Op.
Killed in Action March 6 1945
From St. Andrews Point Quebec
Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Wireless Op. Age 20 4th Op.
Killed in Action March 6 1945
From Lachine Quebec
Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

F/E Age 27 2nd Op
Killed in Action March 6 1945
From Toronto Ontario
Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Rear gunner Age 23 4 Ops.
Killed in Action March 6 1945
From Kirkland Lake Ontario
Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England

Mid/Upper Gunner Age 19 5 Ops.
Killed in Action March 6 1945
From Brockville Ontario
Burial Brookwood Military Cemetery Surrey England