We reached Dortmund with no sign of the enemy. No fighters, no searchlights and even the heavy flak barrage left us untroubled.
Sgt Lee put the bombs down on the markers and we turned for home.
At that point the whole world fell apart as shells from some unseen assailant tore into the starboard wing root and inner fuel tank. With no way of controlling the resulting fire we all bailed out.
On the ground we were quickly rounded up and the body of Sgt Lee was recovered from the crashed Lanc by the Germans.
P/O Ron Wood
[pilot: Lucky Louise in notes smuggled out of POW transit camp]