During the outward flight W5012 was attacked by a Bf 110 night fighter flown by Oblt W Telge with his radio operator/gunner Fw Telsnig of II/NJG1 based at St Trond, Belgium. The Lancaster was seen on fire and flying very low towards the village of Gesves and lost a wing shortly before crashing in the fields close to the village at 0142 Belgian time.
Sadly there were no survivors. 6 members of the crew were found in the wreckage of the Lancaster and 1 member of the crew was found in the wood nearby with his parachute partially open.
The Lancaster had crashed in an area called the Bois del Hez very near the village of Gesves and on the morning of the 4th July a German Berungkommando unit arrived to remove the wreckage and the remains of the crew which were buried at the cemetery of Florennes on the 6th July.
