Report on crash of aircraft of 10 Squadron in Denmark on the night of 14th/15th February 1945, and subsequent escape of certain members of the crew to Sweden

SMaddockLyonR2205669v10014.jpg

Title

Report on crash of aircraft of 10 Squadron in Denmark on the night of 14th/15th February 1945, and subsequent escape of certain members of the crew to Sweden

Description

A detailed report on the flight over Denmark, the explosion on the aircraft and evacuating the damaged aeroplane. The subsequent evasion to Sweden is also described.

Date

1945-02-22

Temporal Coverage

Spatial Coverage

Language

Format

Two typewritten sheets on an album page

Rights

This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.

Identifier

SMaddockLyonR2205669v10014

Transcription

From: Sgt. F. Maddock-Lyon (2205669), No 10 Squadron, R.A.F..
To: [indecipherable word] Air Attache, Stockholm.
Date: 22nd February, 1945.
[Underline] Report on crash of 10 Squadron in Denmark on the night of the 14th/15th February, 1945, and subsequent escape of certain members of the crew to Sweden.[/underlined]

Sir,
I have the honour to submit the following report.
2. On the night of the 14th/15th February we were detailed for a special operation which entailed crossing Denmark. The crew consisted of:-
P/O. J. GRAYSHAN (Pilot)
F/S. A.J. BERRY (navigator)
P/O. S. [indecipherable] (Bomb aimer)
F/S. P.F. ANDREWS (W/T. operator)
F/S. N.L. MILLS (Mid upper gunner)
Sgt. R. MADDOCK-LYON (Engineer)
F/S. J. PAYNE (Rear gunner)
3. We set course from base (10 Squadron) at 1010 hrs. for Flamborough Head at 1000 ft.. This height we maintained until 0060N was reached and we then climbed to 15,000 ft. to the Danish Coast, when we again climbed to 16,000 ft., which we maintained over Denmark to Point ‘A’. At the time I was making my log out when suddenly there was blinding flash, followed by a terrible bang. I immediately looked through the astrodome to see what damage had been done and I saw a fire begin on the port wing in the centre and rear behind the inboard engine. Before [deleted][indecipherable word][/deleted] I could feather the inboard engine the flames had enveloped the whole wing, so the pilot gave the order to “Prepare to bale out”. I put the pilot his parachute on and put my own on. Then he gave the order “Bale out”. During this time he had put the plane into an almost vertical descent. I

Roy’s initial interrogation report (a,b,c.) from Malmo.
[page break]
went down to the front escape hatch (under the navigator’s table) and found that the door was jammed or frozen. Then there was a tearing of metal and the next I remember is floating down to earth with my parachute open, [underline] minus [/underlined] flying boots, gloves and helmet. On landing in about 6” of mud I collected my parachute and Mae West and harness and covered them with mud as best I could as I was very dazed and headed for the road which was about 160 yards away. I went to Point ‘B’, where they washed and fed me and put me to bed.
4. Next morning I awoke and outside the house were about 12 German soldiers studying parts of the plane, especially [underline] Article ‘N’ [/underlined]. At 1600 hrs. person ‘Z’ arrived and told me he would come for me at 2000 hrs. to take me to point ‘C’. I told him about article ‘N’ and next morning he told me it had been taken care of. (During this or future time I did not see any of the crew except one body which was carried on a stretcher covered up, so I could not see his face.) ‘Z’ then told me we were going to point ‘D’ and I was to go in civilian clothes, which I did. At ‘D’ I was shown by [sic] room (16th February) and taken care of by person ‘Y’.
5. Next day, 17th February, person ‘X’ came for me and I was taken to contact ‘N’ at point ‘E’, where I got article ‘N’. Person ‘Y’ came for me and took me to ‘F’, where I remained until 1715 hrs. on 19th February. During this time ‘V’ took me round and showed me various places taken over by the Gestapo and military authorities and told me of sabotage done by the Resistance Movement. Details of these places will be given when required.
6. At 1715 on the 19th February I left ‘F’ and returned to point ‘E’ where at 1815 I was taken to point ‘G’. ‘U’ then took me to point ‘N’, where I remained until 2115, when I was taken for some food by ‘T’ as ‘U’ had left. The boat was going from ‘E’ to point ‘J’ but I left at point ‘K’, which is in Sweden,
7. I promise the statement here is the truth of my activities in Demark from 2030 on the night of the 14th February to the morning of the 20th February 1945.
(Sd.).. Maddock-Lyon (R.A.F.)
[signature]
Sergeant.

Citation

Roy Maddock-Lyon, “Report on crash of aircraft of 10 Squadron in Denmark on the night of 14th/15th February 1945, and subsequent escape of certain members of the crew to Sweden,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed March 19, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/10468.

Item Relations

This item has no relations.