Did you know that a World War II heavy bomber was recently recovered in the Netherlands?
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An Avro Lancaster during World War II
(Photo: Imperial War Museums)
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Europe still holds numerous lost pieces of World War II-era military equipment as a grim memento of the war. Most recently, over September and October 2023, a British Avro Lancaster heavy bomber had been recovered from the sea in the Netherlands, along with the mortal remains of three crewmen.
The plane participated in a nighttime bombing raid against the German industrial heartland of the Ruhr valley on June 12-13, 1943, but was shot down by a German night fighter on the way back to Britain and crashed in a bay. The bodies of four of the seven crewmen were washed ashore and buried in nearby cemeteries, but three men remained unaccounted for.
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Aerial view of the cofferdam around the wreck
(Photo: Royal Air Force)
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The plane’s wreckage was found in 1996 by fishermen who took the serial number plate of one of the engines and brought it to the Dutch Aircraft Recovery Group 1940-45, a foundation dedicated to recovering downed World War II planes. In 2023, the plane was recovered by the Joint Aircraft Recovery and Transport Squadron of the Royal Air Force and its Dutch counterpart. The process began with the construction of a “cofferdam,” a structure around the wreck which seawater was pumped out of. The remains of the three lost crewmen were also recovered and may now rest in a more appropriate location.
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Recovery work inside the cofferdam
(Photo: Royal Air Force)
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Save 10% with our Christmas promotion
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Soldiers decorate a Christmas tree in Germany, December 1944
(Photo: U.S. Army)
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Get a 10% discount on our tours by paying only the registration fee by December 26, 2023, and transferring the rest of the list price until January 31, 2024. Note that this offer applies only in case of new bookings, and it cannot be combined with other special promotions. If you have any questions related to this promotion or our tours, please contact our travel consultants at info@beachesofnormandy.com or by calling our toll-free number: +1 855-473-1999.
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