RAF Coningsby February 1945

Header Image: RAF Coningsby is now home to the BBMF Lancaster, PA474, but 80 years ago it was the base for the Lancasters of 83 and 97 (Pathfinder) Squadrons.

RAF Coningsby is home to BBMF Lancaster PA474, one of only two of the famous four-engine bombers in the world that are currently airworthy. Eighty years ago, in February 1945, many more Lancasters were dispersed around Coningsby’s perimeter when the airfield was the base for the 5 Group Pathfinders of 83 and 97 Squadrons.

In February 1945 the station’s Lancasters flew on several operations marking targets for the Main Force bombers of 5 Group, including two raids against the Dortmund-Ems canal, an attack on a synthetic oil plant at Politz (now in the Czech Republic), the infamous raid on Dresden and others against Rositz, Bohlen and Dortmund.

Inevitably, there were losses and five of the Coningsby-based Lancasters failed to return home from their missions that month alone, with the deaths of 34 of the station’s aircrew. Amongst those losses were two Lancasters, one from 83 Squadron and one from 97 Squadron, which tragically collided over the Netherlands on the night of 8th February, returning from an operation to mark the Dortmund-Ems canal. Both aircraft plunged to the ground and 15 of their crews were killed; only the pilot of the 83 Squadron aircraft, who was blown clear, survived to become a POW.

The following day, 9th February, death and destruction came to Coningsby. During the loading of bombs onto the Lancasters for the night’s operations, a bomb fell from its trolley and detonated under one of the aircraft. The explosion and ensuing fuel fire destroyed two Lancasters of 83 Squadron and badly damaged a third. Tragically, two of the station’s groundcrew, LAC Thomas Graves and AC2 Ronald Mures, who were close to the explosion, were both killed. They are buried in Coningsby cemetery. The Station Fire Party were subsequently commended for their actions in controlling and eventually quelling the fuel fire, in extremely dangerous circumstances with bombs all around.

Amongst the casualties suffered by Coningsby in February 1945, the loss of one crew stands out as being particularly hard for the station. The RAF Coningsby Station Commander, Group Captain Anthony Caron Evans-Evans DFC, who had been born in Cardiff in 1902, was a larger than life character who was much liked and respected. Having briefly served in the Army, he had joined the RAF in 1924 and became a bomber pilot. By the time that the Second World War began he was a squadron leader. In 1941, as a wing commander, he commanded 115 Squadron which was equipped with the twin-engine Vickers Wellington, based at Marham. He led from the front and flew on many operations. On 11th February 1941, exceptionally bad weather prevented him from landing at base or any other airfield when he returned from a raid against Bremen, and, out of fuel, he had to order his crew to abandon the Wellington near Saffron Waldon. All the crew parachuted safely to earth, although Evans-Evans injured his ankle on landing. With promotion to group captain, Evans-Evans commanded three different RAF stations and an Operational Training Unit in Nova Scotia, Canada, before becoming the RAF Coningsby Station Commander in December 1943.

As the station commander and at the age of 43 there was no requirement for Evans-Evans to fly on operations, but he often did, sometimes with new crews. On 16th February 1945, it was announced that he had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with the citation including the words: “This officer has participated in operational missions against heavily defended enemy targets. As Station Commander, Group Captain Evans-Evans has set a splendid example to the operational crews of his squadrons. This fine leadership has been largely responsible for the outstanding successes achieved by the squadrons on his Station.”

Five days later, on 21st February 1945, Evans-Evans flew on an operation to mark the Mittelland Canal near Gravenhorst, Germany, for the bombers of 5 Group to attack. He captained an experienced and highly-decorated eight-man Pathfinder crew, flying an 83 Squadron Lancaster, NE165, with the code letters ‘OL-Y’. Between them the crew boasted a George Medal, a DSO, four DFCs and a DFM. Just over three and a half hours after taking off from Coningsby, the Lancaster was shot down by a German night fighter over the Netherlands. Seven of the eight-man crew, including Evans-Evans were killed; only the Australian rear gunner, Pilot Officer E H Hansen RAAF, survived to become a POW.

At 43 years old, Evans-Evans was one of the oldest senior officers to be lost on bombing operations during the war. In contrast, his highly decorated Scottish navigator on this operation, Squadron Leader William Wishart DSO, DFC & Bar, was one of the youngest squadron leaders to be killed, aged only 22. He had flown on at least 80 operations.

Even though the end of the war was less than three months away, losses of this order were being suffered at many other RAF bomber stations at this time, even greater at some, but Coningsby suffered some sad incidents 80 years ago this month.