Page 4 - Eric Ewan

Flight Sergeant Eric Ewan was from Wolverhampton and posted to RAF Fiskerton in
1943. He along with the rest of his crew failed to return from operations during the
rd
raid on Mannheim on the 23 September 1943. Eric had previously served with 617
Squadron and this crew took part in the ‘Dams raid’ in the May of 1943.

On the evening of the 23/24 September 1943, Bomber Command undertook
th
a main force operation against the German city of Mannheim. The Northern
part of the city underwent extensive bombing from 628 aircraft.
It cost Bomber Command 18 Lancasters, 7 Halifaxes and 7 Wellingtons.

After their mid-afternoon bus trip from Fiskerton to near bye Dunholme Lodge
(Fiskertons main runway was under repair), 13 crews had climbed away from
Dunholme Lodge’s main runway by 18.56hrs. Once over the target, fighters
were again much in evidence. The use of searchlights in co-ordination with
fighters accounted for many of the losses.

Sadly, the luck of two other 49 Squadron crews did not hold out.
One, the crew of Cyril Anderson and his 'Dambuster' crew flying in the Wing
Commanders aircraft, D-Donald, failed to return and were all later reported
killed, this would have been their 21st operation.

The Lancaster came down between the villages of Offenbach and der Queich and
Ottersheim bei Landau in Rhineland-Palatine, Germany.

Avro Lancaster ED702 (EA-D- Donald)

Pilot Officer C.T. Anderson - Pilot
Sergeant J.P. Paterson - Flight Engineer
Flight Sergeant J.P. Nugent - Navigator
Flight Sergeant G.J. Green - Air Bombardier
Flight Sergeant W.D. Bickle - Wireless Operator
Sergeant A.W. Buck - Air Gunner
Flight Sergeant E. Ewan - Air Gunner

There is a memorial tree planted at Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre at East
Kirkby, Lincolnshire in remembrance of this brave crew.

Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre