Lancaster III JB734 - At Gunderup Hede                   Esbjerg - Varde                         Updated:12 JAN 2022

Airman Surname Init Rank Service Sqdn P_link Plane Operation Crash_site Crash_d Buried_d C_link At_Next
a014220.htm Boyce W G F/Sgt RAAF 460 p288.htm LAN JB734 Minelaying At Gunderup Hede d100444 b150444 c014.htm Esbjerg
a014221.htm Edwards S Sgt RAF 460 p288.htm LAN JB734 Minelaying At Gunderup Hede d100444 b150444 c014.htm Esbjerg
a014223.htm Martin D H F/Sgt RAAF 460 p288.htm LAN JB734 Minelaying At Gunderup Hede d100444 b150444 c014.htm Esbjerg
a014222.htm McKinstry T Sgt RAF 460 p288.htm LAN JB734 Minelaying At Gunderup Hede d100444 b150444 c014.htm Esbjerg
a014224.htm Oberhardt E F/Sgt RAAF 460 p288.htm LAN JB734 Minelaying At Gunderup Hede d100444 b150444 c014.htm Esbjerg
a014225.htm Proud R J P/O RAAF 460 p288.htm LAN JB734 Minelaying At Gunderup Hede d100444 b150444 c014.htm Esbjerg
a014226.htm Ryan L M F/O RAAF 460 p288.htm LAN JB734 Minelaying At Gunderup Hede d100444 b150444 c014.htm Esbjerg


"Natten til den 10. april 1944 foretog RAF en stor mineudlægningsoperation ved Danzig (Gdansk). I forbindelse med overflyvningen af dansk område blev mindst 7 britiske bombefly skudt ned, mens flere nedstyrtede i Nordsøen, i større eller mindre afstand fra Vestkysten. Fra 6 fly nedstyrtet i Midtjylland, og 2 i Nordsøen, ligger 35 omkomne flyvere begravet i Esbjerg. Samtlige flyvere begravedes den 15. april 1944." (FAF) Google Map Mine 10 APR 1944 * Minelægningsområder.

"JB734 var en af tre No.460 Sqdn Lancasters tabt under denne operation. Se: ME663; JB600. I luften 21.15 fra Binbrook for at lægge miner i Østersøen.
Blev afskåret af en natjager og skudt ned mellem 03.00 og 03.30 nær Gunderup, 10 km nordøst for Varde. Alle blev begravet 15. april 1944 i Esbjerg."
(Lost Bombers)

"Lancaster JB734 angrebet af natjager på hjemvejen og kl. 0355 skudt ned ved Bjærgmose nær Horne, omkring 12 km NNØ for Varde." (p288MACR - blanket om tabt besætning) Styrtet var måske omkring her. 

Airwar over Denmark har mere om dette fly og dets besætning.   Updated:  06 MAR 2026  7 flyvere. 

"On the night before April 10 1944, the RAF carried out a big minelaying operation near Danzig (Gdansk). At least 7 British bombers were shot down as they flew over Danish territory, and several crashed into the North Sea, off the west coast of Jutland. From 6 planes crashed in the central part of Jutland, and 2 in the North Sea,
35 airmen were buried in Esbjerg. All of the airmen were buried on April 15 1944." (FAF) Google Map Mine 10 APR 1944 * Minelaying areas.

"JB734 was one of three No.460 Sqdn Lancasters lost on this operation. See: ME663; JB600. Airborne 21:15 9Apr44 from Binbrook to lay mines in the Baltic. Homebound, was intercepted by a night-fighter and shot down between 03:00 and 03:30 near Gunderup. 10 km NE of Varde, Denmark. All were buried 15Apr44 in Esbjerg (Fourfelt) Cemetery." (Lost Bombers)

"Lanc. JB734 attacked by night fighter on return flight and at 03:55 shot down at Bjaergmose near Horne, about 8 miles NNE of Varde." (p288MACR - Missing Air Crew Report) The crash was maybe about here.

See No. 460 Squadron RAAF - Wikipedia. The website 460 SQUADRON also tells about Lancaster JB734. See also Lancaster photos.
Lancaster III JB734 AR-R2 took off from RAF Binbrook at 21:15 on 09 APR 1944. (Source: Aircrew Remembered has this.)

Airwar over Denmark has more about this plane and its crew.     Updated:  06 MAR 2026  7 airmen.