Laurence Edward Arthars                                                                   Updated: 17 JAN 2023

Airman: e777861.htm Surname: Arthars Init: L E Rank: P/O Service: RAF Sqdn: 235

P_link: p475.htm Plane: MOS RF617 Operation: Anti ship Crash_site: The Kattegat

Crash_d: d050445 Buried_d: e777 C_link: e777.htm At_Next: NO KNOWN

Pilot Officer Laurence Edward Arthars var fra United Kingdom.
Hans navn er på Panel 268 på the Runnymede Memorial blandt mere end 20.000 navne på flyvere, der ikke har en kendt grav. (Kilde: CWGC)

Den 5. april 1945 styrtede MOS RF617 i Kattegat omkring her. Flyvehistorisk Tidsskrift skriver:
"5. april 1945 (kl. 17.12). Kattegat SØ for Anholt. Mosquito F.B. VI, RF617 (LA-U). 235 Squadron, 18 Coastal Group, Banff Strike Wing, Banff, Banffs.
(Anti shipping patrol i Kattegat). 2 MIA

Lidt over kl. 14.00 lettede 39 Mosquitoes fra Banff og efter to timers flyvning nåede styrken den jyske vestkyst. En time senere opdagede de tre konvojer i farvandet
syd for Anholt, og under det efterfølgende angreb kolliderede RF617 med skibsmasten på M902 »Hans Sachse« og fik højre vinge og hale beskadiget. Flyet ramte havoverfladen ca. 100 meter fra det tyske skib, og begge besætningsmedlemmer, P/O Laurence Edward Arthars (pilot) og F/Sgt Francis Graham Richardson
(navigator) omkom." (FT 91-9-50)

I formationen var også MOS RS619 der nødlandede med
Raymond Harington og Bert Winwood. Se Kort - Map of Visit to Denmark.
Se også Mosquito fotos og
Google Map 14 Mosquitoes DK2 flyvere.

Pilot Officer Laurence Edward Arthars was from the United Kingdom.
He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 268, among more than 20,000 airmen who have no known grave. (Source: CWGC)

On 5 April 1945 MOS RF617 crashed into the Kattegat about here. (Danish) Aviation Historical Review writes:
"5 April 1945 (17:12). The Kattegat SE of Anholt. Mosquito F.B. VI, RF617 (LA-U). 235 Squadron, 18 Coastal Group, Banff Strike Wing, Banff, Banffs.
(Anti shipping patrol in the Kattegat). 2 MIA

Shortly after 14.00 hours 39 Mosquitoes took off from Banff and after a flight of two hours the formation reached the west coast of Jutland. One hour later they
discovered 3 convoys in the waters south of Anholt. RF617 collided with the mast of the ship M902 »Hans Sachse« in the attack that followed. Its starboard wing
and the tail were damaged. The plane ditched about 100 m from the German ship, and both crew members, Pilot, P/O Laurence Edward Arthars and Navigator
F/Sgt Francis Graham Richardson perished." (FT 91-9-50)

In the formation was also MOS RS619 which crash landed with Raymond Harington and Bert Winwood. See the Map of Visit to Denmark.
See also Mosquito Photos and
Google Map 14 Mosquitoes DK.

This Mosquito took off from RAF Bannf. See also Secret Scotland - RAF Banff  and RAF Coastal Command. 2 airmen.