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205710 F/O. Ian Melville "Kiwi " Campbell Royal Air Force 61 Squadron (d.23rd Sep 1944) My great uncle, Ian Melville Campbell flew a Lancaster with 61 Squadron and was killed on the 23rd of September 1944. I'm trying to find information on the only survivor, Sgt H.Lea who was put into Stalag Luft 7. I'd like to know if he is still alive. The crew were: F/O Ian Melville Campbell RNZAF 426213 Sgt John Norman Hoad 1175274 23/09/1944 Sgt R.D.Cole F/S M.J.Milne RNZAF Sgt John McCabe 1348047 RAF Volunteer Reserve Flt/Sgt Samuel Vernon Wickland 640170 Sgt H.Lea Lancaster ED470 took off at 19:07 on 23rd of Septemeber 1944 to bomb the Dortmund-Ems Canal at Ladbergen near Munster. It crashed at 23:30 at Wechte, 3km from Tecklenburg. Those killed are now buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Additional Information: The crashside at Wechte near Tecklenburg is questionable. For a couple of years ago i investigated all the 14 crashsides of the raid of 23/24 sept. 1944 and found all of them. According a source in Germany (F. Saatkamp Ladbergen page 205) : At the beginning of the Attack crashed an enemy bomber with a full bombload NE of the village Ladbergen on the farmhouse Schulte and exploded. The farmhouse and surrounding buildings were destroyed and all the cattle died. The family Schulte did hidden in the cellar and stayed with great luck unharmed. I have from an unknown source in Ladbergen, a foto from the destroyed farmhouse. From the Op. rec. book of 467 Squadron R.A.A.F Lancaster NF 910 : Immediately after bombing an A/C blew up on port bow very close. Pilot did steep turn to stbd. to avoid parts of this A/C which desintegrated after being on fire in P/O and a bomb blowing up. I do have a note which said that 6 of the campbell crew were buried in the evangelical cemetery of Lengerich till 31 March 1947 and were reburied then on the Reichswald Forests War Cemetery near Kleef (vak 24 F13) Sergeant Lea an air gunner is missing and probably escaped. I suppose that the aircraft was hit by flak which was situated around the target area. I would be pleased to know from which source came the information of the crash at Wechte (Tecklenburg) Gerard Bekke Reply

Thank you for the information posted Gerard! its great to hear such news. I have a copy of the original RAF report made in 1946 by an investigation team that was sent out to locate and identify lost aircraft. The report has eye witness accounts from locals who witnessed the crash and the events that took afterwards such as the burial which Russian pows were used as labour. mike Smythe Reply

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