In the night of 4 to 5 May 1943, the RAF carried out a massive bombing raid on Dortmund in the Ruhr area. The largest number of bombers ever sent to a single target in a single night. A total of 596 aircraft take off from the various bases in England.

German abwehr
The German interception service on the Channel has noticed the busy radio traffic over East England and has drawn its conclusion. The crews of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 and 2 prepare themselves at their bases in Leeuwarden, Bergen, Twente, Deelen, Venlo and Gilze-Rijen to intercept the enemy bombers.

At 10:05 pm the Avro Lancaster Mk. I W4784 of No. 101 Squadron up from RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor in Yorkshire.

The aircraft has only flown for 12 hours and then it goes wrong. Around midnight Ofw. Fritz Kruse from 3./NJG1 radar contact. Cautiously, he creeps up and fires on the Stirling W4784. The aircraft crashed into the IJsselmeer at 00.10, 1 km north of Spakenburg. All crew members are killed.

Thirty-one aircraft do not return to their base after the mission.
(Source: Flevoland Heritage)

Type: Avro Lancaster Mk. I serienummer W4784, rompcode SR-E 
Gebouwd: Metropolitan Vickers

Complement:
piloot Sgt. William Nicholson, die deze nacht zijn eerste missie vliegt als Captain.
Boordwerktuigkundige Sgt. Bernard William Squires,
navigator F/O Norman Ainsworth,
bommenrichter F/O Harold Keith Wainer,
radiotelegrafist/boordschutter Sgt. Geoffrey Eastwood,
boordschutter Sgt. Dennis William Rowley, Sgt. George Brick.

• Flevoland Erfgoed.
  Avro Lancaster Mk. I W4784.