419 Squadron RCAF 1941 to 1945 Crew of Lancaster KB713

Crew of Lancaster KB713

The story of the crew of KB713 is truely lacking information on the details of the men's lives and what exactly heppened to them on that last operation.
P/O Burdel F. Edwards and his men arrived at 419 Squadron at a time when the Halifax were the workhorse of this squadron, and the entry of their replacements, the new Lancaster X's was close at hand.
He and his crew would fly a few operations on the Halifax, then be posted for training on the Lancasters, then return again back to 419.
Burdel Edwards was one of many American's who crossed over the border and joined the RCAF, born in Bloomington Wisconsin and was just twenty when he began training as a Pilot.
(During the year 1943 eight American's who wore the uniform of the RCAF in 419 Squadron were killed.)

The completion of Edward's two 2nd. Pilot sorties on March 29/30 1944 opened the way for only two operations on Halifax with his crew. On the evenings of April 9/10 and April 10/11 P/O Edwards and crew flew on ops to Lille and the Ghent.
The crew during the two Halifax sorties included two men who would not be part Edwards Lancaster crew.
The MU/G on the Halifax sorties was Sgt. L.G. Turner and the Bomb Aimer was F/O John Neal. F/O John Neal would become one of 419 Squadron's Evaders after Halifax HX189, the aircraft he was the Bomb Aimer on was brought down on April 22nd 1944.
Listed as M/U gunner for the Edwards Lancaster crew was P/O Joseph Webber, in his place during the two Halifax operations was Sgt. L.G. Turner, who had arrived at the squadron with three other Air Gunners without designated crews.

The Edward's crew of Halifax sorties during April 1944:
Navigator F/O Robert R Campbell
B/A F/O John A. Neal
WAG F/S R.S. Smith
F/E Sgt. John R. Carruthers RAF
UG Sgt. L.G. Turner
R/G P/O H.E. Oddan

A Rough Beginning

From April 11th until the night of May 9/10 P/O Edward and his crew would have appeared to have been on training on the Lancaster X.
The crew now had Sgt. Peter Dewar as Bomb Aimer and P/O Joseph Webber back as Air Gunner.
The operation started out badly right at the start, shortly after take off as they climbed to 2,500 feet they lost the Port Outer Merlin engine. The other three engines began to badly over heat and Edwards turned out to sea to dump the fuel. As much as they tried they could not successfully dump the fuel load. VR-P was in a situation where the only thing left was to jettison the bomb load. Which they did successfully, then landed without further incident back at base.

May 12/13 th 1944
With the situation of the prior night's still on thrit minds, P/O Edwards and his crew took off for their next operational target at 22.00 on May 12th. on VR-X, KB713 for the Marshalling Yards at Louvain. The only information available was that the Lancaster was brought down at Coxyde (Koksijde Belgium) near the channel coast. That is what little is know of the events of that night.

The Edward's crew of May 12/13th 1944:
F/O Burdel Frank Edwards 4ops.
Navigator F/O Robert R Campbell 2 Ops.
B/A P/O Peter Dewar
WAG F/S R.S. Smith 2 ops.
F/E Sgt. John R. Carruthers RAF 2 ops.
UG P/O Joseph A. Webber
R/G P/O H.E. Oddan 2 ops.

Crew of Lancaster KB713

A Rough Beginning

May 12/13 th 1944

Flying Officer

Harold Engman Oddan

Air Gunner Age 20
Killed in Action
May 12th 1944
From Chamberlain Saskatchewan
Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Flying Officer

Burdel Frank Edwards

Pilot age 22
Killed in Action
May 12th 1944
From Blommington Wisconsin
Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Flying Officer

Robert Roy Campbell

Navigator age 21
Killed in Action
May 12th 1944
From Montreal Quebec
Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Flying Officer

Joseph Alexander Webber

Air Gunner Age 37
Killed in Action
May 12th 1944
From Calgary Alberta
Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Sergeant

John Robert Carruthers RAF

F/E
Killed in Action May 12th 1944
From Not noted
Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

Peter Dewar

Bomb Aimer age 29
Killed in Action
May 12th 1944
From Moose Jaw Saskatchewan
Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

Roy Stanley Smith

WAG
Killed in Action May 12th 1944
From Hamilton Ontario
Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Crew of Lancaster KB713

A Rough Beginning

May 12/13 th 1944

Flying Officer

Harold Engman Oddan

Air Gunner Age 20 Killed in Action May 12th 1944 From Chamberlain Saskatchewan Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Flying Officer

Burdel Frank Edwards

Pilot age 22 Killed in Action May 12th 1944 From Blommington Wisconsin Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Flying Officer

Robert Roy Campbell

Navigator age 21 Killed in Action May 12th 1944 From Montreal Quebec Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Flying Officer

Joseph Alexander Webber

Air Gunner Age 37 Killed in Action May 12th 1944 From Calgary Alberta Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Sergeant

John Robert Carruthers RAF

F/E Killed in Action May 12th 1944 From Not noted Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

Peter Dewar

Bomb Aimer age 29 Killed in Action May 12th 1944 From Moose Jaw Saskatchewan Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Pilot Officer

Roy Stanley Smith

WAG Killed in Action May 12th 1944 From Hamilton Ontario Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Air Gunner Age 20
Killed in Action
May 12th 1944
From Chamberlain Saskatchewan
Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Pilot age 22
Killed in Action
May 12th 1944
From Blommington Wisconsin
Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Navigator age 21
Killed in Action
May 12th 1944
From Montreal Quebec
Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Air Gunner Age 37
Killed in Action
May 12th 1944
From Calgary Alberta
Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

F/E
Killed in Action May 12th 1944
From Not noted
Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Bomb Aimer age 29
Killed in Action
May 12th 1944
From Moose Jaw Saskatchewan
Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

WAG
Killed in Action May 12th 1944
From Hamilton Ontario
Burial Adegem Canadian War Cemetery