Lancaster ME441 took off from RAF Skellingthorpe at 2353 hours on the night of 220/21st March 1945 to bomb a synthetic oil plant at Bohlen, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base.
It was later established that the aircraft crashed at Asbach, 20 miles east of Bonn, Germany. Six of the crew were killed and Sergeant Friend successfully baled out and evaded capture.
In a later report Sergeant Friend stated “the aircraft was on its return journey when hit by anti-aircraft fire.
The bale out order was given. At the time the plane was on its correct homeward course and had nearly reached allied lines.
I landed near the bank of the Rhine between Remagen and Rheinbruhl, respectively 12 and 20 miles south east of Bonn.”
