Bomber Command Memorial Register

North Thoresby Lancaster Memorial

North Thoresby, 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

100 squadron lancaster iii ed583 hw k crew
100 squadron lancaster iii ed583 hw k crew, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
100 squadron lancaster iii ed583 hw k
100 squadron lancaster iii ed583 hw k, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
100 squadron lancaster iii ed583 hw k
100 squadron lancaster iii ed583 hw k, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
theprovince1943101514
theprovince1943101514, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
chesterchronicleandcheshireandnorthwalesgeneraladvertiser194310098
chesterchronicleandcheshireandnorthwalesgeneraladvertiser194310098, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
100sqn ed583 memorial
100sqn ed583 memorial, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
combined graves ar 1
combined graves ar 1, Credit: Aircrew Remembered
5cee8008cdccc Crew of ED583 547x410
5cee8008cdccc Crew of ED583 547x410, Credit: John Readman / War Memorials Online
5cee82ad76c2e Mian heading decoration and names 547x410
5cee82ad76c2e Mian heading decoration and names 547x410, Credit: John Readman / War Memorials Online
5cee82adc3594 Mian heading 547x410
5cee82adc3594 Mian heading 547x410, Credit: John Readman / War Memorials Online
5cee82ae1130d decoration 547x410
5cee82ae1130d decoration 547x410, Credit: John Readman / War Memorials Online
5cee82ae510ea Inscription on Larg Plaque 547x410
5cee82ae510ea Inscription on Larg Plaque 547x410, Credit: John Readman / War Memorials Online
5cee80085fa3e Lancaster ED583 plaque 547x410
5cee80085fa3e Lancaster ED583 plaque 547x410, Credit: John Readman / War Memorials Online

Location

North Thoresby, Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire

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Narrative

Lancaster ED583 took off from RAF Grimsby (Waltham) on 4 October 1943 on what should have been a routine aircraft test flight. All eight crew members had volunteered for the flight. Over the village of North Thoresby in the Lincolnshire Wolds, the aircraft suffered catastrophic structural failure and broke apart in mid-air. The wreckage fell in a south-easterly direction towards the neighbouring village of Grainsby. A large piece of fuselage crashed into the centre of North Thoresby, demolishing part of the village chapel. Remarkably, no civilians on the ground were killed despite debris striking buildings. Among the dead was F/O Thomas Morgan of the United States Army Air Forces, a 23-year-old exchange pilot gaining operational experience with RAF Bomber Command -- a reminder that Americans served and died alongside their British and Commonwealth allies in Bomber Command aircraft. The youngest was 19-year-old air bomber John Hill Rogers.

Aircraft & Operation Details

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Aircraft Type
Lancaster
Serial Number
ED583
Squadron
100 Sqdn.
Station
Waltham/Grimsby
Date of Loss
1943-10-04
Operation Type
Training
Cause of Loss
Aircraft broke up in the air (structural failure)

Crew (8 members)

RankNameRoleAgeNationalityFateBurial / Status
F/OThomas H. Morgan
T-190798 USAAF
Pilot23AmericanKilled
DFC
Cambridge American CemeteryCWGC
W/OJohn Thomas Goozee
552903 RAFVR
Pilot22BritishKilled
Islington Cemetery & CrematoriumCWGC
SgtRalph Frederick Worsey
1392269 RAFVR
Pilot22BritishKilled
Woolwich CemeteryCWGC
SgtCharles Alexander Green
1622553 RAFVR
Flight Engineer20BritishKilled
Hull Eastern CemeteryCWGC
SgtWalter Edward James Giles
1194020 RAFVR
Flight Engineer—BritishKilled
Oxford (Rose Hill) CemeteryCWGC
SgtJohn Alexander Baker
1395957 RAF
Navigator—BritishKilled
Lambeth (Tooting) CemeteryCWGC
SgtJohn Hill Rogers
1545048 RAFVR
Air Bomber19BritishKilled
Upton (Holy Ascension) ChurchyardCWGC
SgtWilliam Frederick Bristow
1268417 RAFVR
W/Op Air Gunner22BritishKilled
Camberwell New CemeteryCWGC

About the Crew

F/O Thomas H. Morgan(age 23)PilotDFC

American exchange pilot serving with the USAAF, aged 23. Was gaining operational experience with RAF Bomber Command -- a reminder that Americans served and died alongside their British allies in Bomber Command aircraft.

W/O John Thomas Goozee(age 22)Pilot

Warrant Officer serving with the RAFVR, aged 22. Second pilot aboard the aircraft.

Sgt Ralph Frederick Worsey(age 22)Pilot

Sergeant serving with the RAFVR, aged 22.

Sgt Charles Alexander Green(age 20)Flight Engineer

Flight engineer serving with the RAFVR, aged 20.

Sgt Walter Edward James GilesFlight Engineer

Flight engineer serving with the RAFVR.

Sgt John Alexander BakerNavigator

Navigator serving with the RAF.

Sgt John Hill Rogers(age 19)Air Bomber

Air bomber serving with the RAFVR, just 19 years old -- the youngest aboard. Born 1924.

Sgt William Frederick Bristow(age 22)W/Op Air Gunner

Wireless operator/air gunner serving with the RAFVR, aged 22.

Memorial Details

Type
Memorial plaque

Memorial Care

parish council
Organisation
North Thoresby Parish Council

Local Contacts

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

Louth & District Royal British Legionbritish legion

Local remembrance and memorial support

North Thoresby Parish Councilparish council

Local authority responsible for memorial upkeep

Further Reading

War Memorials OnlineRetrieved 2026-03-23

WMO entry for the North Thoresby memorials for Lancaster Bomber ED583, documenting the village green memorial and its condition.

WMO memorial reference 263918

Imperial War MuseumsRetrieved 2026-03-23

IWM War Memorials Register entry for the Lancaster ED583 of 100 Squadron memorial plaque at North Thoresby.

IWM memorial reference 54038

Find a GraveRetrieved 2026-03-23

Find a Grave memorial for Sgt John Hill Rogers (1924-1943), the youngest crew member at age 19, buried at Upton (Holy Ascension) Churchyard.

Rogers born 1924, died 4 October 1943Buried at Upton Holy Ascension Churchyard

Sources

  • Geograph(website)

Credits & Acknowledgements

Record compiled by
Keith Binley
Heritage sources
Aircrewremembered.com (retrieved 2026-03-24)
War Memorials Online (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Imperial War Museums (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Find a Grave (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Last updated 2026-03-23

Nearby Memorials

Waithe (1) Lancaster Memorial
Waithe (1), LincolnshireLancaster1943-12-17
2.4 km
away
Waithe (2) Lancaster Memorial
Waithe (2), LincolnshireLancaster1943-12-17
2.4 km
away
Waithe (4) Lancaster Memorial
Waithe (4), LincolnshireLancaster1943-12-16
2.4 km
away
Scallows Hall Lancaster Memorial
Scallows Hall, Wold Newton, LincolnshireLancaster1943-12-05
5.6 km
away
Hatcliffe Top Lancaster Memorial
Hatcliffe Top, LincolnshireLancaster1943-12-17
7.1 km
away

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