Gerald Thomas Canterbury Photo: Mogens Jeppesen Updated: 28 JAN 2023
                                                                          
Airman: a113039.htm Surname: Canterbury Init: G T Rank: Sgt Service: RAF Sqdn: 103

P_link: p127.htm Plane: LAN W4786 Operation: Minelaying Crash_site: Gejlbjerg

Crash_d: d171242 Buried_d: b221242 C_link: c113.htm At_Next: Aabenraa, R 2-7

"Under en mineudlægningsoperation til Storebælt, ved Nyborg, (omkring her) blev et Lancaster fly skudt ned af en tysk natjager over Sønderjylland.

Flyet styrtede ned ved Gejlbjerg (som er her) nordøst for Skærbæk den 17. december 1942. Flere beboere såredes, og der skete skade på 13 ejendomme, da en af minerne eksploderede. Hele flybesætningen omkom.

De øvrige 5 omkomne flyvere (G.T. Canterbury, F.R. Collins, N. Frater, S.T. Hewitt og J.A. Hollinsworth)
blev begravet den 22. december 1942 af pastor Carl Beuck. Tyske soldater bar kisterne til fællesgrave,
hvor et tysk æreskompagni afskød salut. Fra dansk side overværedes højtideligheden bl.a. af politimester
G. Schack, Toftlund." (FAF)

Sergeant (Wireless Operator / Air Gunner) Gerald Thomas Canterbury, 22 år, var søn af
Sidney Thomas Canterbury og Beatrice Canterbury, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, United Kingdom. (CWGC)
Se Fotos.

Se LAN W4786 om alle de 7 flyvere, der blev begravet i Aabenraa.
Se Lancaster fotos * Minelægningsområder * p127MACR. 7 flyvere.

This Lancaster was shot down by a German night fighter during a minelaying operation to the
Great Belt (about here).
LAN W4786 crashed at Gejlbjerg (which is here) on 17 December 1942. Several residents were injured
and at least 13 houses were damaged, when one of the mines exploded. All of the crew perished.

G.T. Canterbury, F.R. Collins, N. Frater, S.T. Hewitt and J.A. Hollinsworth  were buried on 22 December
1942 by Vicar Carl Beuck. German soldiers carried the coffins to collective graves, where a German
company as guard of honour fired a salute. Chief Constable G. Schack from Toftlund and other Danes
attended the ceremony. (Source: FAF)

Sergeant (Wireless Operator / Air Gunner) Gerald Thomas Canterbury, 22, was the son of
Sidney Thomas Canterbury and Beatrice Canterbury, of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, United Kingdom.
(Source: CWGC) Se Photos.
He is remembered on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre, Phase 1, P17.

See No. 103 Squadron RAF - Wikipedia * Lancaster photos * Minelaying areas.
Lancaster I W4786 PM- took off from RAF Elsham Wolds at 17.35 hrs on 17 DEC 1942.
(Source: Aircrew Remembered has this.)  p127MACR  7 airmen.