In a poignant discovery, the remains of British airmen who were shot down by the Nazis over Dutch waters during World War II may have been found. The salvage operation, funded by a €15 million national plane-wreck rescue fund, focuses on the wreckage of the British Lancaster ED603. This aircraft never returned from a mass bombing mission targeting Bochum, Germany, on June 13, 1943.
The Lancaster ED603, a “Pathfinder” that led 503 bombers, was tracked as it headed home but was ultimately shot down and crashed into the blue Dutch waters of the IJsselmeer. Four men’s bodies washed up within days and were eventually buried in the Netherlands. However, three airmen—27-year-old flight engineer Arthur Smart, 23-year-old mid-upper gunner Charles Sprack, and 21-year-old wireless operator Raymond Moore—remain officially registered as missing.
At the crash site, experts confirmed the discovery of skeletal remains presumed to be those of the missing British fighters. The recovery operation, which will also defuse explosive material, is expected to last five weeks. The aircraft’s remains are gradually revealed at a rate of 20cm a day, meticulously sifted through a mechanical sieve and sorted by hand. Further analysis will occur at the Dutch military laboratories (BIDKL), and decisions regarding the remains’ future will involve the Ministry of Defence and the British Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
This mission aims to provide closure to the families of the missing airmen, ensuring they receive a grave with a name. DNA tracing is unlikely to be used, as the primary goal is to establish the minimum number of individuals—three crew members unaccounted for.
