Ronald George Evans

Ronald was born in 1922 in Walsall, Staffordshire, England.

Son of George Henry and Maude Edith Evans, of Walsall, Staffordshire. Husband of Edna May Evans, of Walsall.

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My brother - Sgt. Ronald George Evans - was KIA 12/13 September 1944. He and his crew mates are buried in Sessenheim Alsace France.. Just after the war ended - 3/11/45 - my parents received a letter from a Mr Eugene Willig who lived in Sessenheim explaining how he and friends found the bodies of airmen in the local forests on 13/9/44.

I and my son's visited Mr and Mrs Willig in the 1980's, and I later took my brother's wife Edna to visit Mr. Mrs Willig and to also visit Ron's grave in Sessenheim. 

On each occasion we were made very welcome.

I have been very interested in 625 Squadron for many years and have visited Kelstern on a number of occasions.

Great to see this website.

I see that there is a photograph of my brother with a friend - I note that it wasn't provided by a family member - is it possible that I can get the address of the provider.

Thank You Malcolm Evans  

Find A Grave record

The target was Frankfurt, Germany.  Lancaster LM512 (CF-M) was hit by flak and collided in the air with a 622 Squadron Lancaster NF965 GI-S.  Both crashed on west bank of the Rhine River between Stattmatten and Roeschwoog.

At approximately 16:30 hours, Lancaster LM 512 along with other 625 squadron Lancasters took off RAF Kelstern as part of an operational sortie over Frankfurt.  The bomb aimer on LM512 that evening was Sgt. Ron Evans who had recently returned from Canada after completing his aircrew training.  Prior to his posting to Kelsten, he had spent leave with parents and family in Walsall Staffs.  Sadly this would be the last time they saw him.  At 22:50 hours, on 12/9/44 it was reported LM512 had collided with Lancaster NF965 from 622 Squadron over Sessenheim as a result of flak.  Both crews were killed, 15 in total as LM 512 was carrying a spare pilot that evening.  It was Ronald's first ‘op’ and why he was substituted at the last minute for F/O Cornish’s regular crew member. is not known.

Ronald is buried in Sessenheim Communal Cemetery.

Provided by Malcolm Evans (brother of Ronald George Evans)

12 SEPTEMBER 1944

(From information as of 23/02/2025)

At 1834h 12/09/44 Lancaster LM512 No. 625 squadron Royal Air Force took off from RAF Kelstern Lincolnshire, along with over 300 Lancasters from Nos. 1 and 3 Groups Bomber Command, and 70 Lancasters and Mosquitos of No. 8 Group, on a mission to bomb Frankfurt am Main .

Time over target for 8 Group aircraft – the pathfinders – was 2250h until 2314h.

1 Group aircraft timings were from 2252h until 2312h, and 3 Group 2258h until 2308h

The group of aircraft made their way over the Channel, and into France, keeping fairly low so as to avoid detection by German radar.

However by 2100h the Luftwaffe were very aware of the various groups of RAF aircraft that night, and a nightfighter (Nachtjagd) unit at Gross Sachsenheim airfield -Stab1/NJG6 – was getting ready to take off. This airfield was some 12 miles north of Stuttgart, and about 60 miles east of Sessenheim. Stab1/NJG6 comprised of 19 aircraft – 18 Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4, and one Ju 88. The Bf 110 G-4 was operated by three crew members – pilot – navigator/radar, and a gunner in the rear seat. This gunner operated a twin automatic canon, slanted at about 80 degrees, and operated the `Schrage Musik’ system of attacking the bombers, by this time in the war a well used system of Luftwaffe night fighterattack. Some of these aircraft took up a position on FF 61 CHRISTA – a Luftwaffe radio beacon some 70 miles south of Frankfurt am Main, and close to Strasburg. On this evening Hauptman Gerhard Friedrich, who had been circling close to FF CHRISTA, flying at 5100m (16700ft.) made radar contact with LM512, and flew under Lancaster LM512 which was then approaching the turn point to Frankfurt. No one in LM512 could see the Bf 110, and so it did not take any evasive action. LM512 would have been clearly silhouetted above the Bf 110. At 2246h the Bf110 strafed the underside of the Lancaster with canon fire, aiming for the engines, or petrol tanks, it must have been badly damaged. As it fell LM512 then collided with another Lancaster NF965 ( RAF Mildenhall -3 Group), both aircraft crashing in the woodland around Sessenheim, Alsace, France.

To be completed