The story
On Tuesday, 20 March 1945, (a part of) the aircraft of the 419 squadron (RCAF), took off for a mission to Heide in Germany from a station (airfield) in or near Middleton St George.
One of the crew members was Flight Lieutenant H B Rubin DFC RCAF. He departed for his mission at 1:51.
He flew with a Avro Lancaster (type X, with serial KB786 and code VR-P). His mission and of the other crew members was planned for Wednesday, 21 March 1945.
The aircraft was intercepted and destroyed by a German night fighter. All but one of the crew perished in the explosion and subsequent crash. Tail gunner F/Sgt John W. Aitken service number R/214118 was thrown clear when his aircraft exploded. He parachuted to the ground, was captured and spent the last few months of the war in a POW camp.
There's more to discover
You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.