Avro Lancaster LM720
0.1 miles away
Norfolk
Salthouse Lancaster Memorial
Salthouse, Bard Hill, Norfolk
Comprehensive Record
Photographs
The Memorial
It is maintained by Salthouse Parish Meeting.
Type
Memorial stone
Inscription
Could you help us fill in the inscription?
LocationApproximate Location
Salthouse, Bard Hill, Norfolk, Norfolk
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What Happened
Lancaster LM720 of 61 Squadron departed RAF Skellingthorpe on a bombing operation to the Leuna/Merseburg synthetic oil plant in January 1945. Flying Officer William George Corewyn, aged 23, was at the controls when the aircraft struck a 200-foot Type 54 CHEL radar mast on Bard Hill, near Salthouse on the north Norfolk coast, in poor visibility. Misunderstood wireless telegraphy messages are believed to have contributed to the crew's fatal disorientation. All seven men aboard were killed: Corewyn, navigator Flight Sergeant Ronald Charles Battersby, bomb aimer Flight Sergeant Edward James Boakes, flight engineer Sergeant Peter Richard Earl, wireless operator Flight Sergeant Sidney Joseph James, mid-upper gunner Sergeant John Douglas, and rear gunner Sergeant Richard Richardson — the youngest of the crew, aged just 19. The crew are commemorated at St Nicholas' Church in Salthouse, close to where they fell.
Community Connection
The Avro Lancaster LM720 is a memorial dedicated to the crew of a World War II bomber. This memorial likely represents a personal connection or community tribute to the fallen airmen.
Remembrance
The crew of this aircraft are remembered at the annual No. 50 & No. 61 Squadrons Association memorial service at Skellingthorpe, near their wartime base. The 2026 service takes place on 7 June — Birchwood memorial at 11:30, village memorial at 14:00.
Commissioning as Coast defence (CD)/Chain Home Low radar station(Not specified in the text)
Bard Hill was sited on the hill to the south of Salthouse on the north Norfolk coast for this purpose.
Takeover by RAF(21st January 1942)
Bard Hill was included in the first batch of army radar stations used for coast watching to be taken over by the RAF and became immediately operational under its new masters.
Transition from Chain Home Low (CHL) to Chain Home Extra Low (CHEL)(1942)
German jamming of the CHL rendered the CHL stations less effective. Research allowed a change from metric to centimetric wavelengths, resulting in a pencil beam that was difficult for Germans to jam and enabling the RAF to 'look lower'.
Last known event: 2026
Aircraft & Operation Details
Per purum tonantesAircraft Type
Lancaster
Serial Number
LM720
Squadron
61 SquadronStation
Skellingthorpe
Date of Loss
1945-01-15
Operation Type
Operational
Target
Bombing operation to Leuna/Merseburg synthetic oil plant
Cause of Loss
Aircraft flew into 200ft Type 54 CHEL (Chain Home Extra Low) radar mast on Bard Hill in poor visibility; misunderstood W/T messages may have contributed
Crew (7 members)
About the Crew
Fg Off William George Corewyn(age 23)Pilot
Killed instantly when the Lancaster struck the 200ft radar mast on Bard Hill at 01:21 hours on the return from Leuna.
Pilot serving with the RAFVR, aged 23. Led the crew on a dangerous mission to the heavily defended Leuna synthetic oil complex.
F/Sgt Ronald Charles Battersby(age 23)Navigator
Killed instantly in the collision with the radar mast.
Navigator serving with the RAFVR, aged 23.
F/Sgt Edward James Boakes(age 21)Bomb Aimer
Initially survived the crash and was pulled from the wreckage alive but badly injured. Died in hospital at 06:25 hours the same morning.
Bomb aimer serving with the RAFVR, aged 21. The only crew member to initially survive the crash, but succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
Sgt John Douglas(age 24)Mid-Upper Gunner
Killed instantly in the collision with the radar mast.
Mid-upper gunner serving with the RAFVR, aged 24.
Sgt Peter Richard Earl(age 21)Flight Engineer
Killed instantly in the collision with the radar mast.
Flight engineer serving with the RAFVR, aged 21.
F/Sgt Sidney Joseph James(age 20)Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Killed instantly in the collision with the radar mast.
Wireless operator and air gunner serving with the RAFVR, aged 20.
Sgt Richard Richardson(age 19)Rear Gunner
Killed instantly in the collision with the radar mast. At 19, the youngest crew member.
Rear gunner serving with the RAFVR, the youngest crew member at just 19 years old.
Memorial Care
parish council
Organisation
Salthouse Parish Meeting
Local Contacts
These local organisations are connected to this memorial and may be able to help with information or visits.
Sheringham & District Royal British Legionbritish legion
Local remembrance and memorial support
Salthouse Parish Meetingparish council
Local authority responsible for memorial upkeep
Further Reading
Aircrew RememberedRetrieved 2026-03-24
Detailed aircrew memorial page for Fg Off. William G. Corewyn and the crew of Lancaster III LM720 QR:D. Took off at 16:30 from Skellingthorpe for Leuna, Germany, and struck the 200ft CHEL radar mast at Bard Hill at 01:21 on the return. The radar station operators were tracking E-boats when the collision occurred.
What you'll find: Explore detailed aircrew memorial page for Fg Off. William G. Corewyn's Lancaster III LM720 QR mission.
Aircraft code QR:DTook off 16:30, crashed 01:21Radar operators were tracking E-boats at time of collisionMisunderstood W/T messages contributed
Imperial War MuseumsRetrieved 2026-03-23
IWM War Memorials Register entry for the crew of Lancaster LM720 memorial at St Nicholas' Church, Salthouse. National memorial register record with reference WMR-56361.
What you'll find: Explore the Imperial War Museums' detailed entry on the crew of Lancaster LM720 Memorial in Salthouse's St Nicholas' Church.
IWM memorial reference 56361Memorial inside St Nicholas' Church
Geograph Britain and IrelandRetrieved 2026-03-23
Photographic record of the memorial to Lancaster III LM720 at Bard Hill crash site. Shows the memorial marker placed at the location where the aircraft struck the radar mast.
What you'll find: Photographic documentation of Lancaster III LM720's memorial at Bard Hill crash site on Geograph Britain and Ireland.
Photographic documentation of crash site memorial
Subterranea BritannicaRetrieved 2026-03-23
Technical and historical details of the Bard Hill Chain Home Low radar station that the Lancaster struck. Documents the Type 54 CHEL installation and its role in coastal defence, providing context for why the 200ft masts were present.
What you'll find: Explore technical and historical details of Bard Hill Chain Home Low radar station's role in Lancaster strikes on Subterranea Britannica.
Type 54 CHEL radar station200ft steel masts for coastal defenceStation was operational tracking enemy vessels at time of crash
Nearby Memorials
Sources
Aircrew Remembered (retrieved 2026-03-24)
Imperial War Museums (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Geograph Britain and Ireland (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Subterranea Britannica (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Geograph Norfolk (website)
Aircrew Remembered - Corewyn William (website)
Credits & Acknowledgements
Record compiled by
Keith Binley
Last updated 2026-04-09
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