Bomber Command Memorial Register

Cloot Drove Lancaster Mid-Air Collision Memorial

Cloot Drove, Deeping Fen, Lincolnshire

Complete Record
Approximate location?

Help us verify this location. This memorial's position is not yet precisely confirmed. If you have local knowledge, photographs, or documentary evidence of the exact site, we'd love to hear from you.

Photographs

lancaster mark iiis
lancaster mark iiis, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
crew me625
crew me625, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
me625 map
me625 map, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
memorial service picture me625 2
memorial service picture me625 2, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
plaque gathering cloot house soft
plaque gathering cloot house soft, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
the plaque
the plaque, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
maurice durn soft
maurice durn soft, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
david gethin williams soft
david gethin williams soft, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
alfred lambert
alfred lambert, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
lambert new clip
lambert new clip, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
arnold news clip
arnold news clip, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
j d fletcher soft
j d fletcher soft, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
cambridge city cemetery soft
cambridge city cemetery soft, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
st martholomews marsden 2
st martholomews marsden 2, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
treorchy cemetery soft
treorchy cemetery soft, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
perkins crew smaller version
perkins crew smaller version, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
e l j perkins
e l j perkins, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
lancaster b mark iiis of 619 sqn 3
lancaster b mark iiis of 619 sqn 3, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
map nd981 1
map nd981 1, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
perkins funeral
perkins funeral, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
memorial service picture me625 3
memorial service picture me625 3, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
plaque gathering cloot house soft 1
plaque gathering cloot house soft 1, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
the plaque 1
the plaque 1, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
edward perkins and his moter
edward perkins and his moter, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
frank ernest coxhead b
frank ernest coxhead b, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
coxhead 1st left 2nd row from front
coxhead 1st left 2nd row from front, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
frank ernest coxhead d 1 w800 1
frank ernest coxhead d 1 w800 1, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
frank ernest coxhead e
frank ernest coxhead e, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
5bab311a31d08 DSCF0718 547x410
5bab311a31d08 DSCF0718 547x410, Credit: Charles J Anderson / War Memorials Online
5bab311aa7276 DSCF0721 547x410
5bab311aa7276 DSCF0721 547x410, Credit: Charles J Anderson / War Memorials Online
5bab311b0c40a DSCF0724 547x410
5bab311b0c40a DSCF0724 547x410, Credit: Charles J Anderson / War Memorials Online
5bab311b617d4 DSCF0726 547x410
5bab311b617d4 DSCF0726 547x410, Credit: Charles J Anderson / War Memorials Online

Location

Cloot Drove, Deeping Fen, Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire

what3words: ///indulges.speeded.herds

Narrative

Six Lancasters of 97 Squadron took off from RAF Coningsby on the afternoon of 23 June 1944 for formation flying practice. Fl/Lt Van Raalte's Lancaster ME625 (OF-O) became trapped in the slipstream of the lead aircraft during a gentle turn. The turbulence threw ME625 into collision with Lancaster ND981 (OF-T), tearing the tail clean off. Both Lancasters spun out of control. All eight crew in ME625 were killed. In ND981, which broke apart at 1,000 ft, Sgt Joseph Coman managed to bail out and survived; the remaining five crew perished.

Aircraft & Operation Details

97 Squadron badgeAchieve your aim
Aircraft Type
Lancaster III
Serial Number
ME625 and ND981
Squadron
97 Squadron
Station
RAF Coningsby
Date of Loss
1944-06-23
Operation Type
Training
Cause of Loss
Mid-air collision; ME625 trapped in slipstream of lead aircraft, struck ND981 removing its tail

Crew (14 members)

RankNameRoleAgeNationalityFateBurial / Status
Fl/LtHenry Stewart "Jim" Van Raalte
Aus/415220 RAAF
Pilot (ME625)31AustralianKilledCambridge City Cemetery, Grave 13766CWGC
F/SgtMaurice Durn
1622745 RAFVR
Flight Engineer (ME625)21BritishKilledMarsden (St Bartholomew's) Churchyard, Row 7, Grave 17CWGC
P/ODavid Gethin Williams
78568 RAFVR
Navigator (ME625)22WelshKilledTreorchy Cemetery, Plot T, Grave 168CWGC
W/OAlfred Leonard Lambert
Aus/409318 RAAF
Air Bomber (ME625)25AustralianKilledCambridge City Cemetery, Grave 14166CWGC
F/OAlan Arnold
Aus/410136 RAAF
Visual Air Bomber (ME625)26AustralianKilledCambridge City Cemetery, Grave 13966CWGC
F/SgtEric Henry Peace
1434302 RAFVR
W/Op Air Gunner (ME625)22BritishKilledCambridge City Cemetery, Grave 14366CWGC
F/SgtRoyston George Davies
1315090 RAFVR
Air Gunner Mid Upper (ME625)22WelshKilledTreorchy Cemetery, Row R.1, Grave 17CWGC
Fl/LtJohn David Fletcher
115198 RAFVR
Air Gunner Rear (ME625)24BritishKilledCambridge City Cemetery, Grave 14566CWGC
Fl/LtEdward Leslie John Perkins
RAFVR
Pilot (ND981)—BritishKilledCambridge City Cemetery, Grave 14766CWGC
SgtFrank Ernest CoxheadFlight Engineer (ND981)—BritishKilledAlfreton (Lea Brooks) Cemetery, Section B, Grave 641CWGC
Fl/LtWilliam James HuntNavigator (ND981)—BritishKilledRomford Cemetery, Section C.C., Grave 22CWGC
F/SgtJohn FairbairnAir Bomber (ND981)—BritishKilledKnottingley Cemetery, Grave 5224CWGC
W/ODenis Gilbert PartosW/Op Air Gunner (ND981)—BritishKilled
DFM
New Southgate Cemetery, Sec G, Joint Grave 1662CWGC
SgtJoseph Paul ComanW/Op Air Gunner (ND981)—BritishSurvived—

About the Crew

Fl/Lt Henry Stewart "Jim" Van Raalte(age 31)Pilot (ME625)

Fl/Lt 'Jim' Van Raalte was a 31-year-old Australian serving with the RAAF.

Memorial Details

Type
Plaque at Cloot House Farm

Further Reading

Aircrew Remembered (Perkins)Retrieved 2026-03-23

Account of ND981 OF-T. Tail removed by collision. Sgt Coman sole survivor.

Tail section completely removedSgt Coman only survivor

War Memorials OnlineRetrieved 2026-03-23

Memorial plaque at Cloot House Farm, unveiled 23 June 2014.

70th anniversary unveiling

IWM War Memorials RegisterRetrieved 2026-03-23

13 crew commemorated.

IWM memorial reference 88630

Sources

Credits & Acknowledgements

Record compiled by
Keith Binley
Heritage sources
Aircrew Remembered (Van Raalte) (retrieved 2026-03-24)
Aircrew Remembered (Perkins) (retrieved 2026-03-23)
War Memorials Online (retrieved 2026-03-23)
IWM War Memorials Register (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Last updated 2026-03-23

Nearby Memorials

Crowland (mid-air collision) Lancaster Memorial
Crowland (mid-air collision), LincolnshireLancaster1944-06-23
2.2 km
away
Bicker Lancaster Memorial
Bicker, LincolnshireLancaster1944-04-10
24.1 km
away
Bury Halifax Memorial
Bury, CambridgeshireHalifax1944-04-18
28.8 km
away
Scredington Lancaster Memorial
Scredington, LincolnshireLancaster1943-06-18
32.0 km
away
Manea Halifax Memorial
Manea, CambridgeshireHalifax1944-04-25
32.6 km
away

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