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Service on Worthing promenade honours the crew of a Lancaster bomber to mark the 80th anniversary of it crashing on the beach
SussexWorld
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17/12/2024
Service on Worthing promenade honours the crew of a Lancaster bomber to mark the 80th anniversary of it crashing on the beach
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00:00
As you can remember, the crew of Lancaster TB355, who tragically lost their lives when
00:18
they crashed onto Worthington 80 years ago.
00:23
The crew of the 49 Squadron took off from R.F.
00:27
Forbeck in Lincolnshire at 4.15 on Sunday 17 December 1944.
00:35
Heading for a bombing mission over the southern city of Munich, they joined 280 Lancasters
00:44
over the skies of Reading as they turned south-southeast to head towards coast and
00:52
the channel crossing.
00:54
During this part of the journey, the heavy laden Lancaster struggled to maintain height
01:00
and lost contact with the formation.
01:04
They broke radio silence and were ordered to fly to the channel, release their bombs
01:12
and return to base.
01:15
The crew continued to lose height and took the aircraft towards Worthing, where they
01:22
narrowly missed the Plaza Cinema in Rolands Road, now the Bingo Hall, scaring the cinema
01:29
goers as loud engine noise roared overhead.
01:33
The Lancaster continued towards the sea, missing Burlington Hotel before coming over
01:41
the sea defences and crash landing onto the beach.
01:47
Large explosions, I mean bombs and ammunition going off meant that the rest of the crews
01:53
could not get close to the Lancaster.
01:57
But they did, they recovered one body from the wreckage, that of High Sergeant Gordon
02:04
Callum, who was the tail gunner.
02:08
He was buried in a cemetery in Little Hampton, but they could not find the other members
02:15
of the crew.
02:18
It was a tragic loss, but a tragedy averted because of their bravery that the Lancaster
02:26
did not crash onto Worthing Hilltop area.
02:29
And so today, 80 years on, we remember the crew.
02:35
They're in tears.
02:38
Of the Lancaster.
02:40
We know that the pilot was due to get married just a few days after the incident.
02:48
We knew one of the crew had only married four months earlier.
02:54
So this young great man, who in their duty, paid the ultimate sacrifice, died 80 years
03:02
ago.
03:03
He's joined with me for a moment of silence.
03:07
A bit of silence.
03:18
Edward Esenheim.
03:22
High Nut James Thompson.
03:27
Flight Sergeant Frederick Rees.
03:32
Flight Sergeant Gordon Callum.
03:36
Sergeant Leonard Bourne.
03:40
Sergeant James Moore.
03:42
Sergeant Harry Corry.
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