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Those known to have served at RAF Scampton during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Ainger Stanley R.J.. Sgt.
- Armstrong Thomas. P/O. (d.5th May 1943)
- Bell Andrew. Ft/Sgt
- Carpenter John Alexander. Sgt. (d.13th Jul 1943)
- Convery John.
- Crocker George William Osborne. F/Sgt
- Crocker George William Osborne. Flt.Sgt.
- Farrow Dorothy.
- Feirn John Rowland. P/O. (d.13th Mar 1942)
- Fisk George Charles. Flight Sergeant (d.9th April 1942)
- Gaunt Philip Henry. WO.
- Gellatly Charles Dewitt. Flight Sergeant (d.9th April 1942)
- Gibson VC, DSO, DFC. Guy Penrose. Wg. Cdr. (d.19th Sept 1944)
- Heard Kenneth William. Sgt. (d.12th Feb 1942)
- Hitchings Sydney James. Sgt.
- Hutchinson Geoffrey Douglas. Flight Sergeant (d.9th April 1942)
- Hutchinson Geoffrey Douglas. Flight Sergeant (d.9th April 1942)
- Irving Frederic Cleveland. F/Sgt. (d.16th January 1945)
- Lovegrove Peter Anthony. Flying Officer (d.12th November 1942)
- McCrea DFC.. William Ernest. Sqd Ldr.
- Morphett Jack Heathcote. Pilot Officer (d.9th April 1942)
- Morphett Jack Heathcote. Pilot Officer (d.9th April 1942)
- Muir MID. Iain Menzies. PO
- Nash MID. Reginald Morris.
- Pimlott DFC.. John Austin. Sqd.Ldr.
- Powley DFC, AFC. Francis Sidney. Wing Commander (d.5th April, 1945)
- Rainford DFC & Bar.. John Rawsthorn. Sqn Ldr. (d.21st Feb 1942)
- Ramey G. H.. WO2 (d.10th December 1942)
- Ritch Aliston Rank Gray. F/O (d.5th Feb 1943)
- Robertson Sam.
- Rushton Thomas.
- Salter Albert Henry. Flight Sergeant (d.9th April 1942)
- Salter Albert Henry. Flight Sergeant (d.9th April 1942)
- Simpson Albert. Sgt. (d.22nd/23rd Jan 1945)
- Smith Donald. W/O.
- Snooke Dudley Delacourtte. (d.28th Sep 1940)
- Stace John Alan. Flt.Sgt.
- Sutherland Thomas.
- Vowles Peter Adrian. F/Sgt.
- Waller Ronald Leslie.
- Webb Robert John.
- Whibley Leonard Garth. Sgt. (d.12th Feb 1942)
- Williams Reginald Stanley. Sergeant (d.9th April 1942)
- Williams Reginald Stanley. Sergeant (d.9th April 1942)
- Williamson Gladis Sarah.
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
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The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
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Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our
Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. |
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Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to WW2. We would like to obtain digital copies of any documents or photographs relating to WW2 you may have at home. If you have any unwanted
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Did you know? We also have a section on The Great War. and a
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Want to know more about RAF Scampton? There are:82 items tagged RAF Scampton available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Pilot Officer Jack Heathcote Morphett 83 Squadron (d.9th April 1942) RAF 83 Squadron operation: Avro Manchester Mk.I on mission to Hamburg, the 8th of April 1942. It was last heard from just after midnight on the 9th of April, thought to be in the Lastrup area of Germany. It crashed northeast of Cloppenburg. The crew killed are buried at Sage War Cemetery. The only survivor was P A Lovegrove who later died in captivity and is buried in grave 6 A 14 Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland.
Pilot:P/O 67046 Jack Heathcote Morphett RAFVR killed.
Pilot:P/O 62324 Peter Anthony Lovegrove 22 RAFVR PoW, died in captivity 12Nov42.
Obs:Flt/Sgt 402188 Geoffrey Douglas Hutchinson 27 RNZAF killed.
Wop/AG:Flt/Sgt 647009 Albert Henry Salter 20 RAF killed.
Wop/AG:Sgt 923926 Reginald Stanley Williams 22 RAFVR killed.
AG:Sgt R/66159 George Charles Fisk RCAF killed.
AG:Sgt R/69897 Charles Dewitt Gellatly RCAF killed.
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Flight Sergeant Geoffrey Douglas Hutchinson 83 Squadron (d.9th April 1942) RAF 83 Squadron operation: Avro Manchester Mk.I on mission to Hamburg, the 8th of April 1942. It was last heard from just after midnight on the 9th of April, thought to be in the Lastrup area of Germany. It crashed northeast of Cloppenburg. The crew killed are buried at Sage War Cemetery. The only survivor was P A Lovegrove who later died in captivity and is buried in grave 6 A 14 Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland.
Pilot:P/O 67046 Jack Heathcote Morphett RAFVR killed.
Pilot:P/O 62324 Peter Anthony Lovegrove 22 RAFVR PoW, died in captivity 12Nov42.
Obs:Flt/Sgt 402188 Geoffrey Douglas Hutchinson 27 RNZAF killed.
Wop/AG:Flt/Sgt 647009 Albert Henry Salter 20 RAF killed.
Wop/AG:Sgt 923926 Reginald Stanley Williams 22 RAFVR killed.
AG:Sgt R/66159 George Charles Fisk RCAF killed.
AG:Sgt R/69897 Charles Dewitt Gellatly RCAF killed.
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Sergeant Reginald Stanley Williams 83 Squadron (d.9th April 1942) RAF 83 Squadron operation: Avro Manchester Mk.I on mission to Hamburg, the 8th of April 1942. It was last heard from just after midnight on the 9th of April, thought to be in the Lastrup area of Germany. It crashed northeast of Cloppenburg. The crew killed are buried at Sage War Cemetery. The only survivor was P A Lovegrove who later died in captivity and is buried in grave 6 A 14 Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland.
Pilot:P/O 67046 Jack Heathcote Morphett RAFVR killed.
Pilot:P/O 62324 Peter Anthony Lovegrove 22 RAFVR PoW, died in captivity 12Nov42.
Obs:Flt/Sgt 402188 Geoffrey Douglas Hutchinson 27 RNZAF killed, age 20.
Wop/AG:Flt/Sgt 647009 Albert Henry Salter 20 RAF killed.
Wop/AG:Sgt 923926 Reginald Stanley Williams 22 RAFVR killed, age 22.
AG:Sgt R/66159 George Charles Fisk RCAF killed.
AG:Sgt R/69897 Charles Dewitt Gellatly RCAF killed.
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Flight Sergeant Albert Henry Salter 83 Squadron (d.9th April 1942) RAF 83 Squadron operation: Avro Manchester Mk.I on mission to Hamburg, the 8th of April 1942. It was last heard from just after midnight on the 9th of April, thought to be in the Lastrup area of Germany. It crashed northeast of Cloppenburg. The crew killed are buried at Sage War Cemetery. The only survivor was P A Lovegrove who later died in captivity and is buried in grave 6 A 14 Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland.
Pilot:P/O 67046 Jack Heathcote Morphett RAFVR killed.
Pilot:P/O 62324 Peter Anthony Lovegrove 22 RAFVR PoW, died in captivity 12Nov42.
Obs:Flt/Sgt 402188 Geoffrey Douglas Hutchinson 27 RNZAF killed, age 20.
Wop/AG:Flt/Sgt 647009 Albert Henry Salter 20 RAF killed, age 20.
Wop/AG:Sgt 923926 Reginald Stanley Williams 22 RAFVR killed, age 22.
AG:Sgt R/66159 George Charles Fisk RCAF killed.
AG:Sgt R/69897 Charles Dewitt Gellatly RCAF killed.
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Wing Commander Francis Sidney "Logger" Powley DFC, AFC B flight 166 Squadron (d.5th April, 1945)  My namesake Canadian uncle, W/C Francis (Frank) Sidney Powley, was posted CO of "B" Flight 166 squadron based at Kirmington in July 1943. He flew missions from Kirmington until Sept-Oct 1944 when he was promoted to W/C of the re-formed 153 squadron, which was moved to Scampton for the duration of the war. Many of the 166 crews and aircraft were attached to 153.
Following his initial flight training at RAF Depot Uxbridge in 1937, Powley was posted first to #4 Flying Training School at Abu Sueir in Egypt and later to 27 squadron in Kohat and other bases in the Northwest Frontier Province of British India. He also served as CO of the Advanced Training School of #1 Flying Training School at Ambala.
Powley was listed as missing on the night of 4-5 April 1945 when the Lancaster RA 544 he was piloting on a mine-laying mission off the coast of occupied Denmark was shot down by a German night-fighter.
As it happens, I have been living and working as a news journalist in Denmark for the past 30 years. My recent research into the uncle I never knew has turned up some interesting facts and anecdotes both from his time in India and later in Bomber Command in England. Naturally, I would very much appreciate any information, pictures or other material people might have about Powley and his activities at Kirmington.
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Flying Officer Peter Anthony Lovegrove 83 Squadron (d.12th November 1942) Peter Anthony Lovegrove died in German captivity on 12 November 1942 age 22. He was a Flying Officer (Pilot) with 83 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Service No: 62324. He was the son of Edward T and Hilda M Lovegrove of Thorpe Arnold, Leicestershire
The RAF 83 Squadron operation he was on involved an Avro Manchester Mk.I on mission to Hamburg, the 8th of April 1942. It was last heard from just after midnight on the 9th of April, thought to be in the Lastrup area of Germany. It crashed northeast of Cloppenburg. The crew killed are buried at Sage War Cemetery. The only survivor was P A Lovegrove who later died in captivity and is buried in grave 6 A 14 Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland.
Pilot:P/O 67046 Jack Heathcote Morphett RAFVR killed.
Pilot:P/O 62324 Peter Anthony Lovegrove 22 RAFVR PoW, died in captivity 12Nov42.
Obs:Flt/Sgt 402188 Geoffrey Douglas Hutchinson 27 RNZAF killed.
Wop/AG:Flt/Sgt 647009 Albert Henry Salter 20 RAF killed.
Wop/AG:Sgt 923926 Reginald Stanley Williams 22 RAFVR killed.
AG:Sgt R/66159 George Charles Fisk RCAF killed.
AG:Sgt R/69897 Charles Dewitt Gellatly RCAF killed.
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Pilot Officer Jack Heathcote Morphett 83 Squadron (d.9th April 1942) RAF 83 Squadron operation: Avro Manchester Mk.I on mission to Hamburg, the 8th of April 1942. It was last heard from just after midnight on the 9th of April, thought to be in the Lastrup area of Germany. It crashed northeast of Cloppenburg. The crew killed are buried at Sage War Cemetery. The only survivor was P A Lovegrove who later died in captivity and is buried in grave 6 A 14 Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland.
Pilot:P/O 67046 Jack Heathcote Morphett RAFVR killed.
Pilot:P/O 62324 Peter Anthony Lovegrove 22 RAFVR PoW, died in captivity 12Nov42.
Obs:Flt/Sgt 402188 Geoffrey Douglas Hutchinson 27 RNZAF killed.
Wop/AG:Flt/Sgt 647009 Albert Henry Salter 20 RAF killed.
Wop/AG:Sgt 923926 Reginald Stanley Williams 22 RAFVR killed.
AG:Sgt R/66159 George Charles Fisk RCAF killed.
AG:Sgt R/69897 Charles Dewitt Gellatly RCAF killed.
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Flight Sergeant Geoffrey Douglas Hutchinson 83 Squadron (d.9th April 1942) RAF 83 Squadron operation: Avro Manchester Mk.I on mission to Hamburg, the 8th of April 1942. It was last heard from just after midnight on the 9th of April, thought to be in the Lastrup area of Germany. It crashed northeast of Cloppenburg. The crew killed are buried at Sage War Cemetery. The only survivor was P A Lovegrove who later died in captivity and is buried in grave 6 A 14 Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland.
Pilot:P/O 67046 Jack Heathcote Morphett RAFVR killed.
Pilot:P/O 62324 Peter Anthony Lovegrove 22 RAFVR PoW, died in captivity 12Nov42.
Obs:Flt/Sgt 402188 Geoffrey Douglas Hutchinson 27 RNZAF killed.
Wop/AG:Flt/Sgt 647009 Albert Henry Salter 20 RAF killed.
Wop/AG:Sgt 923926 Reginald Stanley Williams 22 RAFVR killed.
AG:Sgt R/66159 George Charles Fisk RCAF killed.
AG:Sgt R/69897 Charles Dewitt Gellatly RCAF killed.
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Sergeant Reginald Stanley Williams 83 Squadron (d.9th April 1942) RAF 83 Squadron operation: Avro Manchester Mk.I on mission to Hamburg, the 8th of April 1942. It was last heard from just after midnight on the 9th of April, thought to be in the Lastrup area of Germany. It crashed northeast of Cloppenburg. The crew killed are buried at Sage War Cemetery. The only survivor was P A Lovegrove who later died in captivity and is buried in grave 6 A 14 Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland.
Pilot:P/O 67046 Jack Heathcote Morphett RAFVR killed.
Pilot:P/O 62324 Peter Anthony Lovegrove 22 RAFVR PoW, died in captivity 12Nov42.
Obs:Flt/Sgt 402188 Geoffrey Douglas Hutchinson 27 RNZAF killed, age 20.
Wop/AG:Flt/Sgt 647009 Albert Henry Salter 20 RAF killed.
Wop/AG:Sgt 923926 Reginald Stanley Williams 22 RAFVR killed, age 22.
AG:Sgt R/66159 George Charles Fisk RCAF killed.
AG:Sgt R/69897 Charles Dewitt Gellatly RCAF killed.
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Flight Sergeant Albert Henry Salter 83 Squadron (d.9th April 1942) RAF 83 Squadron operation: Avro Manchester Mk.I on mission to Hamburg, the 8th of April 1942. It was last heard from just after midnight on the 9th of April, thought to be in the Lastrup area of Germany. It crashed northeast of Cloppenburg. The crew killed are buried at Sage War Cemetery. The only survivor was P A Lovegrove who later died in captivity and is buried in grave 6 A 14 Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland.
Pilot:P/O 67046 Jack Heathcote Morphett RAFVR killed.
Pilot:P/O 62324 Peter Anthony Lovegrove 22 RAFVR PoW, died in captivity 12Nov42.
Obs:Flt/Sgt 402188 Geoffrey Douglas Hutchinson 27 RNZAF killed, age 20.
Wop/AG:Flt/Sgt 647009 Albert Henry Salter 20 RAF killed, age 20.
Wop/AG:Sgt 923926 Reginald Stanley Williams 22 RAFVR killed, age 22.
AG:Sgt R/66159 George Charles Fisk RCAF killed.
AG:Sgt R/69897 Charles Dewitt Gellatly RCAF killed.
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Flight Sergeant George Charles Fisk 83 Squadron (d.9th April 1942) RAF 83 Squadron operation: Avro Manchester Mk.I on mission to Hamburg, the 8th of April 1942. It was last heard from just after midnight on the 9th of April, thought to be in the Lastrup area of Germany. It crashed northeast of Cloppenburg. The crew killed are buried at Sage War Cemetery. The only survivor was P A Lovegrove who later died in captivity and is buried in grave 6 A 14 Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland.
Pilot:P/O 67046 Jack Heathcote Morphett RAFVR killed.
Pilot:P/O 62324 Peter Anthony Lovegrove 22 RAFVR PoW, died in captivity 12Nov42.
Obs:Flt/Sgt 402188 Geoffrey Douglas Hutchinson 27 RNZAF killed, age 20.
Wop/AG:Flt/Sgt 647009 Albert Henry Salter 20 RAF killed, age 20.
Wop/AG:Sgt 923926 Reginald Stanley Williams 22 RAFVR killed, age 22.
AG:Flt/Sgt R/66159 George Charles Fisk RCAF killed.
AG:Sgt R/69897 Charles Dewitt Gellatly RCAF killed.
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Flight Sergeant Charles Dewitt Gellatly 83 Squadron (d.9th April 1942) RAF 83 Squadron operation: Avro Manchester Mk.I on mission to Hamburg, the 8th of April 1942. It was last heard from just after midnight on the 9th of April, thought to be in the Lastrup area of Germany. It crashed northeast of Cloppenburg. The crew killed are buried at Sage War Cemetery. The only survivor was P A Lovegrove who later died in captivity and is buried in grave 6 A 14 Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland.
Pilot: P/O 67046 Jack Heathcote Morphett RAFVR killed.
Pilot: P/O 62324 Peter Anthony Lovegrove 22 RAFVR PoW, died in captivity 12Nov42.
Obs: Flt/Sgt 402188 Geoffrey Douglas Hutchinson 27 RNZAF killed, age 20.
Wop/AG: Flt/Sgt 647009 Albert Henry Salter 20 RAF killed, age 20.
Wop/AG: Sgt 923926 Reginald Stanley Williams 22 RAFVR killed, age 22.
AG: Flt/Sgt R/66159 George Charles Fisk RCAF killed.
AG: Flt/Sgt R/69897 Charles Dewitt Gellatly RCAF killed.
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Sgt. John Alexander Carpenter 57 Squadron (d.13th Jul 1943) My Mum would not talk about her brother John Carpenter, all I know is his Lancaster went missing on the 13th of July 1943.
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Sgt. Sydney James Hitchings 49 Squadron My father Sgt Sidney Hitchings was POW number 276 in Stalag Luft 1
WR Chorley’s RAF Bomber Command Losses of Second World War (vol 1939 – 40) states: Night of 4/5 Set 1940 49 Squadron Hampden mk 1 P 1347 EA-D Op: Stettin
- Pilot F/O LM Hodges POW escape report WO 208/3304 S/PG 345
- Observer Sgt SJ Hitchings POW 276
- WOp/AG Sgt JH Wyatt POW escape report WO 208/3303 S/PG 280
- Wop/AG Sgt LC Turnbull POW 285
t/o Scampton. Strayed off course after being fired on by light flak from an airfield in Brittany, the Hampden was force landed in a field near St Brieuc. (Hodges and Wyatt escaped and arrived home via Gibraltar on 31 July 1941. Hodges rose in rank to become Air Chief Marshall Sir Lewis Hodges and was president of the RAF Escaping Society).
My father was one of the early pows in Stalag Luft 1 and the accompanying photos are from there. He was moved to several other camps including Stalag Lufts 3 and 4 and eventually after the forced marches of winter 1944 arrived at Camp 357 from which he was repatriated.
A group photo in front of what appears to be stage set. The reverse shows that it was posted from Stalag Luft 1 and I think the postmark is 1942-7-18. S.J.Hitchings is second from left front row
A propaganda “Christmas Spread” photo but my father told me all of the items were made of paper! SJH 3rd from right. 4th from left (with beard) is Sgt JC Shaw
Sgt JC Shaw (middle) and SJH back right. Others unknown. Sgt Shaw was shot while attempting to escape on the night of 2/3 Jan 42 (see Footprints in the Sands of Time, Clutton-Brock. p46.)
Sgt LC Turnbull
Sgt LC Turnbull (front) and SJH
6. S.J.Hitchings back left, others unknown.
In 2015 I visited Pordic and met members of the Association Bretagne de Sovenir Arien (www.absa3945.com) who took me to the site of the crash. One of the old men was a boy of seven at the time and he saw the two parachutes of my father and Sgt Turnbull, both of whom were subsequently captured. Photos of Hampden P1347 in which my father, Sgt SJ Hitchings, was observer on the raid to Stettin on the night of 4th Sept 1949, after it crash landed in a field near Pordic, Brittany, were sent to me by Rick of Historical-media.com to whom I am grateful.
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F/O Aliston Rank Gray Ritch 57 Squadron (d.5th Feb 1943) On the night 4-5 February 1943, an Avro Lancaster I, serial ED352, code DX-Q, of squadron n°57 of 5 Bomber Group, Royal Air Force, based at Scampton Lincolnshire took off for a bombing raid on Turin. In terrible weather the plane crashed on the slopes of Belleface in the mountains of the Massif de la Pointe de Terrasse opposite the small hamlet of Crêt Bettex, ten kilometres north of Bourg Saint Maurice, Savoie, France.All seven crew members were killed.
- F/O Aliston Rank Gray Ritch J/10305 RCAF, pilot
- Sgt Thomas Cosford 1244294, Flight Engineer
- Sgt Eric Atkins 1318855 RAF, Navigator
- Sgt D.G.Busby 1391156 RAF, Bombardier
- Sgt Douglas McNeil 1025811 RAF, Wireless Operator
- Sgt Eric Norman Perkins 1601353 RAF, Gunner
- F/Sgt Ronald Shears 542963 RAF, Gunner
There was thick snow covering the spot at the time but as the snow melted a search was set up by the Italian army of occupation. At the end of June 1943 two bodies and later three more were recovered from a snow drift in the area. On July 1st the Italian authorities requested the town council of Bourg Saint Maurice to make coffins and to dig graves to bury these airmen. Eight bodies enclosed in six coffins were carried from the village of Les Chapieux to Bourg Saint Maurice with the assistance of the Italian authorities. On July 5th July a religious service was held in the Parish church and the burial took place in the local churchyard in the presence of the local council, the local police officer and officers of the Italian Army who buried the dead with Military Honours. In 1950 the bodies were exhumed and transferred for burial to the British Military Cementry of Saint Germain au Mont d'Or, Rhône, France
Lancaster RAF of Bourg Saint Maurice, Memoire- Aeronautique.
To aid in the research any details would be most welcome from any of the families or friends of the airmen. Local interest has indicated that a historical group would like to erect a monument to commemorate these airmen.
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F/Sgt George William Osborne Crocker My Father, George Crocker was mid upper & tail end gunner in Lancaster bomers, and was stationed at Scampton. My mother Gladis was also in the WAAF, and they met at RAF Scampton. My father took part in droping food on Rotterdam to the starving Dutch. I am now married to a Dutch girl from Rotterdam. Due to my father's part during and after the war with dropping food to my wife's parents, they met and gave me my loving wife Ineke. Is that something to be very gratefull for, or was it meant to be? I would like to learn more about my father's RAF career.
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Robert John Webb 617 Squadron My father, Robert John Webb, will be 84 years old this year and we are taking him for a visit to RAF Scampton, Lincoln as a surprise where he was stationed in his teens in 1944-1945, as ground crew with 617 Squadron If you re-call my father could you please let me know.
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Reginald Morris Nash MID 57 Squadron My dad, Reginald Nash did not talk very much about his war time experiences but I inherited from my mother, who died recently, my dad's wartime 'stuff' including his flying log.He qualified as flight engineer with effect from 8th of October 1942 and as flight engineer with effect from 24th of May 1944. He began operational duties on the night of 13th of February 1943 from Scampton with a sortie on Lorient in France. Throughout his time with the 57 squadron during 1943 he flew 29 successful sorties with 1 abort mostly over German cities. Some of the sorties were recorded as eventfull: - 8th July 1943, aircraft attacked over target (Cologne) by junkers 88, mid upper gunner killed, enemy aircraft destroyed by rear gunner.
- 13th May 1943, Skoda arms works Pilsen, aircraft attacked by 2 Junkers 88s.
- 3rd Apr 1943 Duisberg, rear gunner unconcious.
- 12th May 1943 Duisberg, 'heaviest raid of war to date'.
My Dad's pilot on most of the ops was Flt Lt Greig but I note that he flew 3 ops with Flt Lt Astell in Feb 43 who, I believe, was killed on the Dambusters raid. My dad then flew a limited number of operations during 1944 with 50 squadron and his last sortie of the war was on the 6th of May 1945 'Operation Exodus' to Brussels to transport POW's. My dad was at 97 Squadron Woodhall Spa from Oct42 to Jan43. Then 57 Squadron Scampton to Aug43; then 1660 conversion unit Swinderby to Aug 1944 and finished the war with 50 squadron based at Skellingthorpe. The aircraft types flown seems to have been almost everything the RAF had in service, Lancaster, Halifax, Sterling, Manchester and Oxford. In total my Dad flew 228hrs at night and 174.25 daytime and he survived without a scratch or being a POW. He was released from service on the 4th of September 1945. He had met my mother whilst doing his leaders coarse at St Athan and they married in Penarth on the 30th of September 1944. After the War my Dad joined BOAC then BA based at their engine overhaul site in Treforest near Pontypridd, South Wales as a Production Engineer before his retirement in 1975. He was, as well, for a number of years, President of the Penarth RAFA and I remember one of their guests at an annual dinner was W/Comdr Barder.
There are many programmes on the TV these days about WW2 and now that I am custodion of some of my dad's wartime memories and know a lot more than I did I feel a real connection with those times. I am very proud of my dad's courage and achievements and I regret not finding out more of what it must have been like for him and thousands more of his generation when he was alive. Maybe he was embarassed with all the controversey over the tactics used by Bomber Command but I am pleased that at long last their sacrifice has finally been recognised and so would have my Dad.
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Dudley Delacourtte Snooke 83rd Squadron (d.28th Sep 1940) Dudley Snooke was a pilot with 83 Squadron, based out of Scampton.
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Ft/Sgt Andrew Bell 153 Sqn. I believe the picture of this Lancaster crew to have been taken at RAF Scampton in 1945. The pilot, I believe, was F/O Clark and the crew member on the extreme left was my father, Ft Sgt Andrew Bell whose role was that of Air Bomber.
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Flt.Sgt. George William Osborne Crocker 153 Squadron My father was George William Osborne Crocker. He was an air gunner during the second world war on Ansons, Wellingtons & Lancasters. On Lancasters he was Mid Upper & Tail End Gunner. He served at Bishopscourt, Wymeswold, Worksop, Scampton & Binbrook. I have my fathers log books that tell of his raids on Germany and his crew who were sent after training to their first operation unit at 153 Squadron at RAF Scampton, his first entry being 12th March 1945.
- His crew were:
- Pilot: A. West. Pilot Officer
- Bomb Aimer: G Cutting SGT
- Navigator: Mac Millan SGT
- Engineer: H. Brooks SGT
- WOP: W. Teagle SGT
- Rear Gunner: J. Adkin SGT
- Mid Upper Gunner: G.Crocker SGT
I have dates of his raids on Nordhawsen / Lutzkendorf / Keil Canal where the Admiral Scheer was sunk on 9th April 1945, Bremen and his attack on a daylight raid on Hitlers residence Berchesgaden on 25/04/1945, with his comment " If only he was there" This gives you some background information on my dad; however the most important fact being that he dropped food on Rotterdam in Holland on 1st May 1945, at 300 feet height.
I am now married to a Dutch girl from Rotterdam, we have been together for 38 years. The dropping of food by my dad on Rotterdam saved my wife's parents who lived in Rotterdam at the time. When they met they produced my beautiful wife Ineke. So thank you dad for giving Ineke to me by your deed of dropping this food on the starving Dutch.
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P/O. John Rowland Feirn 83 Sqdn. (d.13th Mar 1942) I am transcribing the 'Thomas Hedley ROH' book, the pre-runner of Procter and Gamble Ltd., and on page 47 of the book is an entry for a John Rowland Feirn. The entry reads: Missing Presumed Killed Pilot Officer. I would be interested in any other information on him. This book will be showing as a memorial on www.newmp.org.uk as a North East War Memorial.
Update: Pilot Officer John Feirn was the son of Arthur and Lillian Feirn and husband of Doris Ethel Feirn, of East Ham, Essex. John Feirn was responsible for the navigation for the mission from RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, to Cologne. The crew took off at 20:30, and were shot down by a night-fighter and crashed in Nijmegen, Netherlands. John Feirn was 34 years old when he was killed, and he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
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Sam Robertson Sam Robertson can remember sitting at home at Crawfordston Farm near Annbank, Ayrshire when war was declared — the whole family gathered round the wireless to listen to Chamberlain’s speech.
Sam’s twin brother joined the Navy and owing to colour blindness — could not become a member of aircrew (which was his ambition) so he became a mechanical engineer. Sam’s elder sister joined the ATS and became a member of an anti-aircraft battery near Newcastle. His other sister who was still a schoolgirl at this time became a nurse on leaving school, and spent her career in Ayrshire Central after training as a midwife.
Sam served in 5 Group Bomber Command and served from the world-renowned RAF base at Scampton, Lincolnshire. This base was previously occupied by the Dambuster Squadron lead by Guy Gibson VC.
Sam joined the RAF in February 1944 after being a member of Ayr Training Corp and his first posting was to the selection board in London where he was intrigued to discover that soldiers on guard duty outside the block of flats were armed solely with a pick axe handle! The building was opposite Regents Park — where the soldiers were fed in the Monkey House - and soldiers were marched up and down the road with a white light at the top and a red light at the rear.
Sam’s basic training took place at Bridgenorth, Shropshire. After a weary period there, he was posted to Andreans, Isle of Man for initial training as an air gunner. A training group was roughly 100 individuals. Air firing and flight training was carried out in old Avro Ansons where the crew, other than the turret gunner, had to wind the undercarriage up and down. The flying was all done in daylight and specialised training took place i.e. aircraft recognition (which had to be of a high standard and was a continuing process throughout aircrew flying careers). Here Sam met his first gunner mate - Len Smee, an older career RAF man (i.e. a regular)
Subsequently Sam was posted to RAF Bottesford, Nottingham where the training was on Wellingtons. Wellingtons were single tail units and the toughest things that ever flew. The construction was of geodetic aluminium strutting and the aircraft body was covered with fabric. Here was where Sam crewed up. Aircraft crewing was done like a cattle market in so much as there were pools of all the aircrew trades — pilot, navigator, radio operator, bomb aimer, flight engineer and mid, upper and rear gunners. Sam was a rear gunner. Sam crewed up with a Rhodesian pilot called Juggler Jones who was a well-known rugby player in his own country, all the other crew members were English other than Sam, the only Scot.
Sam was unlucky at RAF Bottesford as he spent double time there with his first crew. During a training flight, the Wellington crashed near Daventry — the plane was landed safely by the pilot, but ran into trees. The skipper was unable to continue flying so the crew were split up and put back into the melting pot. The skipper (a diamond miner to trade) felt he could better aid the war effort by returning home and continue to mine for diamonds - having previously lost an older brother, a gunner in bomber command.
The spirit in the first crew was tremendous but unfortunately this was lost when they were scattered all over the command to re-crew. The second crew was run of the mill in comparison. Sam stayed with this crew for the rest of his flying career. His next station was RAF Silverstone for further training in four engine aircraft i.e. Lancasters.
After completing his flying training he was posted to an operational squadron based RAF Scampton of Guy Gibson fame. This was followed by a lengthy training period of night and day flying. Night flying was introduced by the RAF in the early forties as the loss from daylight raiding was becoming unsustainable due to the numbers of German fighter planes (they had a quicker response time because of their proximity to the operational area). Lancasters had black undersides to minimise reflection if caught in searchlights.
When the war was drawing to a close and bombing commands reduced, the RAF together with the American Air Force were called upon by the Germans to try to feed the Dutch population particularly in the large cities as the condition there was drastic.
Sam remembers being involved in airlifting food parcels to Holland towards the end of the war. Supplies in canvas sacks consisted of tins, dried egg powder etc. The people in The Hague, Rotterdam, Amsterdam were absolutely starving — any crops grown in Holland were being sent to Germany for the people there. People in cities in particular were worst off as country people could benefit by hiding some of their own production for personal or family use. This rescue operation was mounted at the behest of the Germans — possibly in an attempt to mitigate their undoubted guilt.
RAF bomber command agreed to this procedure of low level. Low speed dropping of canvas sacking of food in pre-arranged areas in or adjacent to the cities. In some cases areas selected were near glass houses — which of course became almost targets. Sam says that it was so satisfying to know that he and his crew were doing something to help people who had been through years of hell and still suffering badly.
After the atomic bombs landed on Japan there was no need for the air activity in the Far East and a lot of aircrew were surplus to requirements and relocated to ground jobs. Many of them were sent to RAF Newquay (probably a typing error by the RAF) as drivers. Driver training was undertaken at RAF Weeton, Preston for those unable to drive. They learned to drive everything from private cars to Queen Marys — a long loader that could carry the hull of an aircraft. Sam went to Germany as a driver for the RAF
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Flt.Sgt. John Alan Stace 111th Sqd. My Dad, John Stace, served in the RAF Bomber Command on Lancasters. I believe his crew were:
- Johnny Brown Pilot Flight Engineer
- John Stace Wireless Operator
- Peter Bishop Mid Air Gunner
- Gordon Cox Rear Gunner
- Nobby Clark Observer or Bomb Aimer Hadfield
Dad joined the RAF in 1942 from school having been an Air Cadet. He left in 1946.
The only time he crashed was not whilst with his own crew but with another crew in 1946 he survived but the pilot died. I believe he was at Eastchurch and Feltwell amongst other bases. He flew with 115 Sqadron and also 44 Squadron. He was at Cranwell and also Scampton
I would love to know more about his life as sadly he died in 1977 so I didn't get time to ask him.
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F/Sgt. Peter Adrian "Chick" Vowles 103 Sqn My Uncle Peter Vowles was proud of his service with 103 Sqn as an Air Gunner (Tail and occasional Mid Upper), serving at Elsham Wolds as part of Taff Slee’s crew from late 1943 until converting to Lincolns transferring “en Bloc” to 57 Sqn at Scampton. He took part in Op Manna and Op Dodge but we know little about any other operations he was involved in and would love to hear from anyone who can fill in these gaps for us. I attach some photos from his Diary that may jog memories.
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Sqd Ldr. William Ernest "Paddy" McCrea DFC. 57 Squadron Bill McCrea flew with 57 Sqd. during the war, his memoirs " A Chequer Board of Nights", was published several years ago, Sadly he died in February but saw the rough cut of a short film I and the Granddaughter of his mid upper gunner made of chapter 6 of his book.
The film will be ready for the Squadron centenary next year.
The true accounts of one crew's tour in a Lancaster Bomber during WWII. We follow one raid, at a time when any raid could be their last.
The Crew are a team interdependant, but their gunners should be even closer, why doesn't Ace like Chris?, this could spell disaster.
For more information follow facebook.com/AChequerBoardofNights
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Gladis Sarah Williamson My mother Gladys Williamson met my father, George Crocker who was mid upper & tail end gunner in Lancaster bombers, when they were both stationed at Scampton.
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WO2 G. H. Ramey 57 Squadron RAF (d.10th December 1942) My father, WO2 G. H. Ramey, was a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force, serving in 57 Squadron, based at RAF Scampton. He was killed on 10th December 1942 when his damaged Lancaster W4250 crashed while attempting to land at Woodhall Spa after returning from a sortie to Turin. I would like to contact anyone who was in 57 Squadron at that time.
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F/Sgt. Frederic Cleveland Irving 153 Squadron (d.16th January 1945) My brother, Frederic Irving, was stationed with 153 Squadron at Scampton. He was last heard of on 16th January 1945 when he left on an operation to bomb an oil plant in Seitz and was reported lost without trace. All crew members were presumed dead.
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Wg. Cdr. Guy Penrose Gibson VC, DSO, DFC 627th Sqd. (d.19th Sept 1944) 109 Squadron is showing a Mosquito loss in 1944. In 1943 109 Sqn was merged to 627 Sqn. The loss of the Mosquito in 1944 you have is incorrect. The Mosquito loss in 1944 is one of the most famous and was September 18/19 1944. The Pilot Wing Commander Guy Gibson DFC DSO his navigator was Sqn Ldr Jim Warwick. They were on an operation as Pathfinder and Gibson was MASTER BOMBER when they crashed on the way home in Holland at Steenbergen where there is a memorial at the crash site and in a local park.
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Dorothy Farrow Bomber Command My mother, Dorothy Farrow, served as a WAAF radio operator in Bomber Command from 1941 to 1945. She served at Elsham Wolds, Binbrook, Scampton and Bawtry Hall. I believe she trained at Blackpool.
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WO. Philip Henry "Tubby" Gaunt 49 Squadron My late father, Tubby Gaunt flew with 49 Sqn. completing his first tour on Hampdens, out of Scampton, 1941 & 42, as wireless op air gunner, having trained in South Africa to be a pilot. Gaining his wings he moved on to Wellingtons at Foggia, with 37 & 70 Sqns.
After 23 operations, he iced up and force landed in Gorski Kotar. He and all his crew were safe and fairly sound, where they were helped by Titos partisans, and repatriated back to Tortorella, then back to Liverpool by troop ship. It was late April 1942, and thinking he had done his bit, they demobbed him in November 1945.
Starting in 1939 having a forced landing at Manston, and a little while later a mid air collision with a Lancaster, later to survive his crash in the mountains of Gorski Kotar, Croatia as it is now, he lived a charmed life indeed.
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PO Iain Menzies Muir MID 83 Sqd. Iain Muir took of from RAF Scampton on 8 Aug 1940 to attack Ludwigshafen. He was an RAF pilot with 83 Sqd flying a Hampden Mk 1 (OL-N, L4053). Crashed and became a POW in Stalag Luft III. Was part of the Great Escape team, but had to stay behind because of illness. He survived the war.
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Sgt. Leonard Garth Whibley 83 Squadron (d.12th Feb 1942) My father was 904882 Sgt. John Henry Allen - 83 Squadron, Bomber Command (later DFM & Bar, Pathfinder Force). His first operation was Operation Fuller - The Channel Dash - on board Manchester L7389 OL-M as MU/AG
The crew on board the Manchester were:
- P/O McFarlane Capt.
- F/S Partridge 2nd Pilot
- P/O Feirn Navigator
- P/O Hayes W/Op. A.G
- Sgt. Ridd 2nd W/Op. & Front Gunner
- Sgt. Leonard Garth Whibley RAAF Rear Gunner
- Sgt. Allen M.U. Gunner
It appears my dad and Len had become friends whilst they were billeted at South Carlton Manor and probably at Gunnery training.
On 12th February 1942 the RAF along with the Fleet Air Arm were sent after the Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and the Prinz Eugen who had left Brest Harbour to pass through the Channel back to Germany. The three German ships were escorted by enemy gun boats and M.E.109 fighter planes.
The weather was heavy cloud and rain.
According to dad's log book they took off from RAF Scampton on 12th February 1942 at 14.50 hrs.
The Battle Report states:
"At a position about 10 miles west of the Hook of Holland at 500 feet the Manchester was attacked by two enemy single engined fighters identified as M.E.109s, cannon and machine gun firing, all firing tracer.
The two enemy aircraft were first seen about 200 yards away in line astern, coming out of the cloud on the starboard quarter and slightly above the Manchester. The first machine opened fire immediately and came in dead astern behind the dorsal fin of the Manchester firing all the time, the rear gunner of the Manchester answered fire. The enemy aircraft then disappeared from view under the stern of the Manchester. The second enemy aircraft followed suit, but kept behind the port rudder of the Manchester and closed in to about 40 yards, then dived away underneath our aircraft. This attack was answered both by the rear gunner and the M.U. gunner, who fired about 30 rounds.
A few moments later a second attack developed by one enemy fighter, this time from the port quarter and slightly above, from a range of about 150 yards. By this time the hydraulic system of the Manchester had been made u/s and the gunners were unable to return fire. This enemy machine also swept underneath the Manchester. By this time the Manchester was in the midst of a very heavy barrage from both battleships and their escort and severe damage was inflicted on the aircraft especially in the fuselage between the M.U. turret and the rear turret. As soon as the Manchester entered this barrage the fighters pulled away and were not seen again.
The rear gunner Sgt. Whilbley sustained injuries which since unfortunately have proved fatal.
The Manchester aircraft landed at Bircham Newton at 17.15 hours. One J.U.88 was seen overhead at 16.00 hours by the crew, but did not attack."
My father spoke about this incident and told me that he had to pull his friend from the rear gunner position to render first aid and that Len had asked for a cigarette.
What the battle report doesn't mention is the Manchester flew back to the UK on one engine and because the hydraulics were not working the aircraft did a 'wheels up' landing with the bombs still on board with a hedge helping to slow their progress.
RAAF 407565 Sgt. Leonard Garth Whibley is buried in a family grave at Hebburn Cemetery, Hebburn, Tyne and Wear.
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Thomas Sutherland Thomas Sutherland was an engineer with the Royal Air Force at RAF Scampton
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W/O. Donald Smith A Flight 153 Squadron From 1944 to 1945, my dad Donald Smith, completed approximately 33 missions as Mid Upper Gunner mostly with Pilot Potter in Lancaster Bombers from Scampton, (153 Squadron - A Flight). He remembers Pilot Potter once passing out as they sped up the runway for take off, resulting in the Lancaster spinning several times on runway and grass with full fuel and bomb load and scattering ground crew, WAAFs, etc., who had lined up to see them off and wish them well. Lanc (letter 'I') eventually stopped and no one was hurt. Pilot Potter was taken to hospital and did not return to the Squadron.
Dad doesn't say much about his time in the air, other than it was very cold at times, but remembers the great breakfasts after missions and also catching rabbits around the airfield to sell to the local butcher. Now in 2017, Dad is doing well and will soon be 93.
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Sgt. Albert Simpson 153 Squadron (d.22nd/23rd Jan 1945) My dad Albert Simpson was stationed at Scampton with 153 Squadron. He was a rear gunner.
On the night of 22nd/23rd of January 1945 my dad's Lancaster took part in a raid on an oil refinery in Duisburg. Bomber Command lost two Lancasters that
night one was my dad's Lancaster and the other one his pal's Lancaster both
of 153 Squadron. A force of 286 Lancasters took part. My dad's Lancaster was never seen or heard of again. The other Lancaster was found crashed in
Germany with all their bodies. I don't think we will ever know what happened to my dad's Lancaster that night. The aircraft numbers were PB636 my dads the NG185 code P4D.
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Sqn Ldr. John Rawsthorn Rainford DFC & Bar. B Flt. 83 Squadron (d.21st Feb 1942)  In August 1939, John Rainford (my great uncle) was commissioned into the Royal Air Force and was graded as Pilot Officer on 18th February 1940. He then moved to Oakham, Rutland where he was based at 14 Operational Training Unit. In September or early October 1940, John joined 83 Squadron RAF and was based at Scampton, Lincolnshire. The Operations Record Book lists the flights made by John Rainford from October 1940. He flew Handley Page Hampden bombers with a crew of three.Operation Stavanger. 21st/22nd of February 1942 83 Squadron.
Airborne 03:48 21 Feb 42 from Scampton as one of a five aircraft attack. Shot down by ME109 and crashed into the sea near Sola Airfield, Norway. Both pilots, along with P/O Smith, are buried in Sola Churchyard; the rest of the crew are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. F/S Macgregor gained his DFM whilst serving with 44 Sqn. The award being Gazetted 22 Aug 41. This was the first Manchester lost by 83 Sqn since converting from Hampdens. Crew:
- Pilot: Sqn/Ldr 42436 John Rawsthorn Rainford 28 DFC & Bar ('B'Flt CO) RAF killed
- Pilot: P/O 115300 Eric Alfred Warren RAFVR killed
- Nav: P/O 106563 Trevor Hardy Smith 32 RAFVR killed
- Flt/Sgt 552535 John Chales Macgregor 20 DFM killed
- Sgt 979103 Thomas Rodie Riddell 32 RAFVR killed
- Sgt 999390 Robert Harold Taylor 20 RAFVR killed
- Sgt 1076959 Peter James Jordan 19 RAFVR killed
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Sqd.Ldr. John Austin "Pimbo" Pimlott DFC. My grandfather, John Pimlott, was at RAF Scampton flying ops in the North Sea, he was then sent as a trainer to a gunnery school in Scotland. I got his service record but large chunks of it are redacted. He flew Lancasters in Dambuster bomb testing, flew planes around the country once repaired, went to South Africa to help train their Air Force, back to England to fly Lancasters over Europe. I got a copy of service medals, I've seen his original ones and there was a DFC amongst them. If anyone knows more about him I would be keen to know more
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Thomas "Trouble" Rushton 102 Squadron  Tom Rushton did over 30 ops during his time with bomber command, and survived. He was actually on leave when the dambusters flew having been told to take leave. Other raids he was on were Tirpitze, Pedamunda, Berlin and Cologne, and more.
He flew in Mk1 Halifax’s and on one raid with only three engines working coming back from a raid then only two over the UK based at Pocklington with all New Zealand crew bailed out at five hundred feet into a ploughed field and survived with two broken legs at Barmby Moor. Only three survived all the rest buried at Barmby Moor Church near York.
I visited Scampton a few years ago and went into the shop and bought a souvenir newspaper from the time and my Dad was on the front with his air crew. He started training on Ansons in Canada then Pocklington 102 Squadron then 57 Squadron at East Kirkby then Scampton with 617 Squadron. Finished on HCU.
That’s all I can remember except he got into the caterpillar club pin for bailing out.
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P/O. Thomas Armstrong 57 Squadron (d.5th May 1943) Thomas Armstrong was based in RAF Scampton as a Navigator
Born in Belfast 15th April 1912 he was one of nine children of Robery Houston Armstrong and Jeannie Armstrong (nee Gamble)
Mentioned in the Supplement to the London Gazette 5th of January 1943 as a Leading Airman.
Operations Record Book,
Lancaster III (E.D. 390) Take off 2135 - Missing. Nothing heard after take-off.
Bomb Load: 1 x 4,000lb H.C. & 95 x 30lb I.B.
Crew:
- Sgt. Farmer, V.D. Pilot
- Sgt. Saunders, L.A.W. Navigator
- Sgt James, M.A. Flight Engineer
- P/O Armstrong, T. Bomb Aimer
- F/Sgt. Taylor, J.T. W/Op.
- Sgt. Leaney, L.H. Mid Upper Gunner
- Sgt. Long, N.G. Rear Gunner
18 aircraft departed that night, 1 limped home and landed safely only this aircraft crashed.
The crew were killed on 5th of May 1943 and are buried in Reichswald Commonwealth Cemetery, Germany.
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Sgt. Stanley R.J. Ainger No. 49 Squadron I'm currently carrying out research for a possible book about Stanley Ainger who served in No. 49 Squadron at RAF Scampton. He and his crew were shot down 6th of April 1942. Stanley, who was serving as an air gunner, bailed out of their Hampden bomber and managed to evade capture. I've seen at least one account of him as being killed and buried in a war grave in Belgium which is incorrect. He survived the war and took part in the Berlin Airlift, passing away in 2001.
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John Convery John Convery a postman from Ardglass, joined up in 1938 and served at RAF Aldergrove. He was transferred to RAF Scampton in 1939 and ran the Officer's Mess.
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Sgt. Kenneth William Heard 49 Squadron (d.12th Feb 1942)   Sgt Kenneth Heard was posted to 49 Squadron in January 1942, based at Scampton in Leicestershire, flying Hampden bombers. He flew as Navigator on Operation Fuller - the Channel Dash - the operation to prevent the breakout of the German warships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen from Brest.
His first mission in January was against the ships in Brest. He then attacked the ships in the Channel on 10th February, without success, and on his third mission on 1942-02-12 the aircraft and its crew, Pilot Sgt Phillips, W/OP Sgt Jackson, Sgt Toghill, Air Gunner and Sgt Kenneth Heard failed to return.
In recent months, Bomber Command had dropped over 3,000 tons of bombs on the battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the light cruiser Prinz Eugen as they resided in the French port of Brest. The two larger ships had both been badly damaged, and the threat of further damage had prevented the ships from sailing out into the Atlantic on another raid against allied shipping. In a daring and well-executed operation, the Germans sailed their 3 ships straight up through the English Channel to bring them back to the greater protection of a German port.
What followed on the part of the British Command has since been labelled as a catalogue of catastrophes, needless to say that the German warships achieved their destination unharmed. Heavily armed and protected by the Luftwaffe, the Germans exacted a heavy toll during the gallant British attempts to stop their breakout; Fighter Command lost 16 aircraft and the Fleet Air Arm had 6 Swordfish destroyed.
Bomber Command's part in the action involved 244 aircraft of which 15 were lost in action, and a further 2 crashing on return. Only 5 Group had been on a 4 hour stand by, as bomber Squadrons made frantic efforts to prepare their aircraft. Eventually, 5 Group contributed 64 Hampdens and 15 Manchesters to attack the German warships; 9 Hampdens were reported missing and one crashed on return.
49 Squadron's participation was prompted by a signal from Group received at 10.00hrs requesting 20 aircraft to attack the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at sea!
Cpl Trevor Simpson recalled the urgency with which the preparations were carried out, and he is almost certain that this was the occasion when the Hampdens were taxied into a hangar, bombed up and then taxied out!
In low cloud and rain with extremely poor visibility, only 3 of the squadron's aircraft found the primary target.
It is now believed that two of the aircraft were shot down by German fighters, AE132 piloted by F/Sgt Charles Pollitt and AE396 flown by Sgt Edward Phillips. What we do know for certain is that these two crews plus that of Sgt Mervyn Holt (AE240) disappeared into the dark waters of the North Sea without trace
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Ronald Leslie Waller 57 Squadron My Dad, Ronald Waller was an Armourer with 57 Squadron.
He was at Scampton when 617 Squadron was formed.
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Recomended Reading.Available at discounted prices.
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