Now alone, he searched for a place to land. With the Lancaster trailing flames from the starboard wing, Bazalgette made a textbook forced landing near Senantes. But the aircraft was almost immediately engulfed by a huge explosion as the remaining fuel ignited, killing all three men on board. 🧵6/10
All 4 crewmen who did bale out, however, survived despite the low altitude and evaded capture with the assistance of the French resistance. This has been their pilot’s 58th operation, yet his entire crew had already agreed to volunteer for a rare third tour with ‘Baz’. 🧵7/10
The bodies of the bomb aimer, Flt/Lt Hibbert and the mid upper gunner, Flt/Sgt Vernon Leeder were recovered by the French and taken to the church at Senantes. They were then removed by the Germans and buried at Marissel, near Beauvais, despite the objections of the locals. 🧵8/10
