Avro Lancaster PA278 disappearance

The Avro Lancaster PA278 disappearance involved Avro Lancaster Mk.I PA278, F for Freddie, operated by No. 103 Squadron RAF (103 Sqn) of Bomber Command just after the end of the Second World War.

It disappeared over the Mediterranean, probably near Corsica, on 4 October 1945 with its crew of 6 airmen and 19 female service personnel - the worst loss of female British and Commonwealth service personnel from the Second World War to date.

Disappearance

On 3 October 1945 the weather was poor and low cloud base precluded flying for much of the day. Eight Lancasters of 103 Sqn were available for Operation Dodge and took off for Italy starting at 23:30 hours GMT. Two aircraft returned with engine trouble, one crew borrowed an aircraft from No. 100 Squadron RAF and took off again at 01:30 hours GMT. Two aircraft, including PA278 "F for Freddie", landed at RAF Glatton near Huntingdon to embark passengers who were commencing service in Italy or were returning from leave.

PA278 was flown by Geoffrey Taylor's experienced crew who had flown together on some of the last bombing attacks of World War II during April 1945, although obviously their bomb aimer was not required and on this occasion the rear gun turret was manned by the squadron gunnery leader Flight Lieutenant John Wymark, who had been decorated with the Distinguished Service Order and Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery in three tours of duty.

PA278 took off from RAF Glatton at 00:30 hours GMT on 4 October 1945 flown by Flight lieutenant Geoffrey Taylor (pilot), aided by Sergeant Richard Steel (flight engineer), leading the second transport aircraft into the air. It carried its crew of six and was scheduled to fly to Naples with 17 female soldiers of the Auxiliary Territorial Service under Staff Serjeant Jessie Ellen Semark, Senior Matron Gertrude Irene Sadler of the South African Military Nursing Service and Nursing Sister Jane Simpson Annand Curran, of Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service.

The passengers sat in canvas folding seats down the length of the fuselage beneath where Sergeant William Kennedy sat in his sling seat in the "Mid-Upper" gun turret, but no heating or parachutes were available for them and there was no oxygen supply for passengers so the aircraft flew at 2000 ft.

The prescribed route was directly across France and over the Mediterranean coast west of Marseille. Flight Sergeant Jack Reardon (navigator) gave the correct course out over the sea but sometime afterwards, approximately 30 miles north-north-west of Cap Corse, Corsica, Flight Sergeant Norman Robbins (wireless operator) radioed the other aircraft reporting some engine problems and advising that F for Freddie would be turning back to land at Marseille. The partner aircraft continued onwards for Naples but noted a flash of flame at 04:40 hours GMT.

Nothing further was heard of PA278 or her crew and passengers and no wreckage was sighted during the air-sea rescue operations. On the outward flight every aircraft reported poor weather in the vicinity of Corsica.