Bomber Command Memorial Register

Halam Lancaster ED823 Memorial

Halam, Nottinghamshire

Complete Record
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Location

Halam, Nottinghamshire, Nottinghamshire

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Narrative

A training tragedy. The Lancaster was brand new — only 12 hours on the airframe, engines installed just two weeks prior. The crew were partway through their Heavy Conversion Unit course, learning to fly four-engine bombers. Taking off from Winthorpe for a night navigation exercise, the aircraft barely made it 8 miles before crashing. Sqn Ldr W.H. Orchard's investigation found the aircraft "struck the ground flat and on an even keel with all engines under power" — but the most likely cause was contact with high-tension cables. The crew was truly multinational: two Australians, one Canadian, and four British, aged 20 to 34. Three Commonwealth airmen were buried together at Newark Cemetery; the others returned to their home towns.

Aircraft & Operation Details

Aircraft Type
Avro Lancaster Mk.III
Serial Number
ED823
Squadron
1661 Heavy Conversion Unit
Station
RAF Winthorpe
Date of Loss
1943-04-10
Operation Type
Training
Target
Night navigation exercise
Cause of Loss
Aircraft flew into high-tension power cables

Crew (7 members)

RankNameRoleAgeNationalityFateBurial / Status
Fl/SgtLeonard Wentworth Lean
411919 RAAF
Pilot22AustralianKilledNewark CemeteryCWGC
SgtFrank Dunkin
14855 RAAF
Flight Engineer21AustralianKilledNewark CemeteryCWGC
F/OEdward Lambert
127064 RAF
Navigator34BritishKilledFleetwood Borough CemeteryCWGC
SgtHenry Utley Oxspring
1087359 RAF
Bomb Aimer27BritishKilledHoyland Nether CemeteryCWGC
SgtWilliam Shearer Lyndsay Graham
1345277 RAF
Wireless Operator20BritishKilledGlasgow Western NecropolisCWGC
Fl/SgtRaymond David Lewis
R/115799 RCAF
Air Gunner22CanadianKilledNewark CemeteryCWGC
SgtWilliam George Stephenson
1231524 RAF
Air Gunner21BritishKilledGilroes Cemetery, LeicesterCWGC

About the Crew

Fl/Sgt Leonard Wentworth Lean(age 22)Pilot

A 22-year-old Australian pilot from the RAAF, Lean was partway through his Heavy Conversion Unit course learning to fly four-engine bombers.

F/O Edward Lambert(age 34)Navigator

From Fleetwood, Lancashire

Sgt William Shearer Lyndsay Graham(age 20)Wireless Operator

From Glasgow, Scotland

Memorial Details

Type
Stone memorial
Erected By
Andrew Paris and Tony Denyer (local residents)
Dedication Date
2011-04-10
Condition
Good

Memorial Care

parish council
Organisation
Halam Parish Council

Memorial erected by local residents Andrew Paris and Tony Denyer. Parish council area.

Local Contacts

These local organisations are connected to this memorial and may be able to help with information or visits.

Southwell Royal British Legionbritish legion

Local remembrance and memorial support

Halam Parish Councilparish council

Local authority responsible for memorial upkeep

Further Reading

Nottinghamshire Roll of HonourRetrieved 2026-03-23

Nottinghamshire County Council Roll of Honour entry for the Halam Air Crash memorial. Records the memorial to the seven crew of Lancaster ED823 from 1661 HCU who died on 10 April 1943.

Memorial reference 1972. Multinational crew: two Australians, one Canadian, four British. Crash site now part of Norwood Park Golf Course.

IWM War Memorials RegisterRetrieved 2026-03-23

Imperial War Museum register entry for the Lancaster ED823 memorial at Halam. Stone memorial bearing all seven names was dedicated on 10 April 2011 (68th anniversary). Over 200 people attended including relatives from Australia and Canada.

Memorial reference 68377. Dedicated 10 April 2011. Attended by 200+ people including RAAF, RCAF representatives. Erected by local residents Andrew Paris and Tony Denyer.

Halam Village WebsiteRetrieved 2026-03-23

Halam village's own account of the Lancaster ED823 crash. The aircraft was brand new with only 12 hours on the airframe. Investigation by Sqn Ldr Orchard found it struck the ground flat and level with all engines under power, suggesting contact with high-tension cables.

Aircraft had only 12 hours on the airframe. Engines installed just two weeks before the crash. Investigation found aircraft struck ground flat with all engines under power. High-tension cables the most likely cause.

Sources

Credits & Acknowledgements

Record compiled by
Keith Binley
Heritage sources
Nottinghamshire Roll of Honour (retrieved 2026-03-23)
IWM War Memorials Register (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Halam Village Website (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Last updated 2026-03-23

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Bleasby (2) W.4232 Memorial
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Bleasby (4) Lancaster Memorial
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