The bodies of Flight Sergeant Archibald. Sergeant McLaren, and Sergeant Francis, were recovered and are buried at Stavne Cemetery inTrondheim .The rest of the crew, were never found.
Far Left. Parts of L9496 washed ashore at Vikan.
Left:Life raft pump, now in the care of Kristian Steinsvik
Rørvik.Sør Trøndelag 9.August 2003/ November 2012
View from the ferry deck
at Rørvik.
The mark indicates where the
piece of metal was found.
35.Squadron RAF R9496 TL-L 30/31st March 1942
A total of 33 Halifax bombers took off from RAF Kinloss in Scotland, to participate in an attack on the German Battleship Tirpitz, moored at Fættenfjord north of Trondheim. R9496 was hit by German flak and caught fire. At 02.15 the aircraft crashed into the Trondheimsfjord at Vikan, and exploded killing all onboard.
Pilot.Sgt W.B.Archibald. 2nd Pilot.Sgt.L.J. Nelmes. Navigator F/Sgt. G.H.G. Murray. W/Op Air Gunner Sgt. A.M. Mclaren. W/Op Air Gunner Sgt. J.F. Staff. Tail Gunner Sgt. D. Francis. Flight Engineer Sgt. S. Palmers.
Six Halifaxes with 42 men were lost in this attack. R9438 and R9453 crashed at Shetland. W1015 crashed at Remmingskjæret, W1043 and W1044 crashed into the Hemnefjord.
Full story at Linzee Druce web site:here
