North Rauceby T.2834 Memorial
5.8 miles away
Lincolnshire
Scredington Lancaster Memorial
Scredington, Lincolnshire
Comprehensive Record
The Memorial
It is maintained by Scredington Parish Meeting.
Type
Memorial stone
Inscription
Royal Air Force No 83 (pathfinder) SQN to the Memory of Those Airmen Killed in Aircraft No ED439 Ol-n Crashed During a Training Flight at Highgate Farm Scredington 18th June 1943 [crew Names Inscribed on Memorial] Lest We Forget
LocationApproximate Location
Scredington, Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire
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What Happened
On 18 June 1943, Pilot Officer Cummings took off from RAF Wyton at the controls of Lancaster ED439, carrying seven crew members and two passengers on a daytime bombing target exercise. The aircraft, assigned to 83 Squadron's Pathfinder Force, failed to complete the training detail, diving through heavy cloud before crashing near Highgate Farm, Scredington, Lincolnshire. All nine on board were killed. Cummings was 30 years old and had served with the Royal Australian Air Force; his son, Peter Harrold Cummings, had been born just three months earlier, on 12 March 1943. The crew — T.J. Bond, Harry William Cheshire, H.W. Luker, John Roughley, Francis Neville Sloss, Robert Allan Taylor, Francis William Wilcox, and Norman Woodcock — are commemorated at a stone of remembrance at Scredington.
Community Connection
Every memorial has a story — why it was built, who campaigned for it, and what it means to the local community. If you know the story behind this memorial, we would love to hear it.
Share this memorial's storyRemembrance
Training in Australia(1942)
Pilot Officer Max Keiran Cummings trained with No. 467 Squadron, RAF and later met and married Kathleen Harrold.
Four missions over Germany(May 1943)
Pilot Officer Max Keiran Cummings flew four bombing missions over Germany with No. 467 Squadron, RAF.
Posting to No. 83 Squadron RAF(June 1943)
Pilot Officer Max Keiran Cummings was posted to No. 83 Squadron RAF, part of the No. 8 Group Pathfinder Force based at RAF Wyton.
Aircraft & Operation Details
Crew (9 members)
Memorial Care
parish council
Organisation
Scredington Parish Meeting
Local Contacts
These local organisations are connected to this memorial and may be able to help with information or visits.
Sleaford & District Royal British Legionbritish legion
Local remembrance and memorial support
Scredington Parish Meetingparish council
Local authority responsible for memorial upkeep
Further Reading
Something Very Big (blog)Retrieved 2026-03-23
Detailed blog post about the Lancaster ED439 crash at Scredington. The aircraft dived out of cloud near Highgate Farm about 45 minutes after takeoff on 18 June 1943 and burnt on impact, killing all nine on board. The crew included an Australian pilot (PO Cummings RAAF), a Canadian rear gunner (FS Taylor RCAF), and two RAF Corporals believed to be wireless technicians.
What you'll find: Explore detailed blog post about Lancaster ED439 crash at Scredington, including fatal details from 18 June 1943 incident near Highgate Farm.
Crashed near Highgate Farm, ScredingtonDived out of cloud 45 minutes after takeoffAircraft burnt on impactPilot PO Max Keiran Cummings was RAAFTwo passengers were wireless technicians
Australian War MemorialRetrieved 2026-03-23
Australian War Memorial collection entry for Lancaster Mk I fragments from PO Max Keiran Cummings RAAF. Records the Australian connection to this loss and preserves physical fragments of the aircraft.
What you'll find: Australian War Memorial's poignant collection of Lancaster Mk I fragments, honoring PO Max Keiran Cummings RAAF and preserving history.
Physical aircraft fragments held by Australian War MemorialRAAF service number 408904Demonstrates Commonwealth dimension of the loss
Imperial War MuseumsRetrieved 2026-03-23
IWM War Memorials Register entry for 'The Crew of RAF Lancaster ED439 OL-N' memorial. National register record documenting the stone of remembrance at Scredington.
What you'll find: Explore the poignant "Crew of RAF Lancaster ED439 OL-N" memorial's stone of remembrance at Scredington in this IWM War Memorials Register entry.
IWM memorial reference 67597Aircraft code OL-NStone of remembrance
Virtual War Memorial AustraliaRetrieved 2026-03-23
Virtual War Memorial Australia page for No. 83 Squadron (RAF) Pathfinder Force. Lists PO Cummings among Australian casualties serving with this elite Bomber Command pathfinder unit.
What you'll find: Explore the memorial dedicated to Australian pilot PO Cummings at Scredington Lancaster Memorial on Virtual War Memorial Australia.
83 Squadron was a Pathfinder Force unitAustralian casualties recorded in VWMA
Nearby Memorials
Sources
Something Very Big (blog) (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Australian War Memorial (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Imperial War Museums (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Virtual War Memorial Australia (retrieved 2026-03-23)
Geograph (website)
Credits & Acknowledgements
Record compiled by
Keith Binley
Last updated 2026-04-09
Do you have additional information, photographs, or corrections for this record? We welcome contributions from researchers, families, and local communities.
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