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Extract from Bomber Command Losses: 16/17.12.43

This first one was lost over the target. The others were lost trying to land back at base at Bourn.

Lancaster III JA963 OF Q. Op Berlin. T/O 1655 Bourn. Four are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial and four are buried in Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. Their average age was 23. F/L Handley had previously flown Wellingtons in the Middle East with 37 Squadron, his DFM being gazetted on 4 November 1941. P/O Little RCAF came from Lorain in Ohio.

F/L D.J.Brill(+), F/L R.E.Handley DFM(+), Sgt J.Stone(+), P/O N.G.McIntyre RAAF(+), P/O R.Butler(+), Sgt H.Chappell(+), P/O G.J.Little RCAF(+), F/S E.J.Battle RAAF(+).

Lancaster III JB117 OF C. Op Berlin. T/O 1650 Bourn. Crashed 0101 just over one mile to the NE of Graveley airfield, Hunts, and not far from the Cambridgeshire village of Papworth St Agnes. Sgt Peek¹s DFM was published on 15 February 1944. The Commonwealth airmen are buried in Cambridge City Cemetery; their comrades lie in other parts of the UK.

F/S I.M.Scott RAAF(+), Sgts C.W.Collishaw(+), S.J.Peek DFM(+), D.R.Irvine RCAF(+), K.E.Foxcroft RAAF(+), C.L.Hope RCAF(+), S.G.Parrott(+).

Lancaster III JB119 OF F. Op Berlin. T/O 1645 Bourn. Crashed 0042 on return to base. Details of P/O Pratt's award were published in the London Gazette on 19 October 1943, while that for F/O Colson had appeared on 18 May 1943. S/L MacKenzie is buried in Cambridge City Cemetery; the others who died were taken to their home towns.

S/L D.F.MacKenzie DFC(+), P/O J.T.Pratt DFM(+), F/S R.F.Marshall(inj), F/O W.A.Colson DFM(+), F/S A.Hunter(inj), F/S W.A.Lang RAAF(inj), F/S
K.L.Kirby(inj)

Lancaster III JB176 OF K. Op Berlin. T/O 1655 Bourn. Crashed 0159 on return to base. P/O Grant RCAF and Sgt Lawrence lie in Cambridge City Cemetery. F/O Thackway rests at Killinghall (St Thomas) Churchyard; fellow Yorkcshitemen, Sgt Grundy, is buried in Bradford (Undercliffe) Cemetery, while Sgt Powell lies in Wakefield Cemetery; he was a chartered accountant.

F/O E.Thackway(+), Sgt G.Grundy(+), Sgt J.Powell(+), P/O L.K.A.Grant RCAF(+), Sgt P.H.Mack(inj), Sgt R.A.Lawrence(+), Sgt L.N.Laver

Lancaster III JB219 OF R. Op Berlin. T/O 1650 Bourn. Crashed 0145 just to the S of Gransden, Cambridgeshire. All rest in various cemeteries in the UK.

P/O J.Kirkwood(+), F/S E.G.Hubbard(+), Sgt R.C.Stewart(+), F/O G.A.Wigley(+), Sgt R.G.Cleeve(+), Sgt L.Madeley(+), Sgt J.Killen(+).

Lancaster III JB243 OF P. Op Berlin. T/O 1645 Bourn. Crashed 0120 near Graveley airfield, Hunts. W/O Benbow who had gained his DFM while serving with the squadron was admitted to RAF Hospital Ely. F/S Crossgrave RNZAF, whose DFM was won with 57 Squadron and gazetted on 11 June 1943, lies in Cambridge City Cemetery. W/O Penfold¹s award was published the same day, but for service with 50 Squadron. That for S/L Deverill had appeared on 9 July 1940. The dead, apart from F/S Crossgrave already mentioned, were conveyed to their home towns.

S/L E.A.Deverill DFC, AFC, DFM(+), F/S A.Russell(+), P/O J.T.Brown(+), F/S F.R.Farr(+), F/S R.Crossgrave DFM, RNZAF(+), W/O J.Benbow DFM(inj), W/O D.J.Penfold DFM(+).

Lancaster III JB482 OF S. Op Berlin. T/O 1705 Bourn. Abandoned 0035 out of fuel in the vicinity of Wyton airfield, Hunts, after which the aircraft crashed in the North Sea. No injuries reported.

F/O R.L.Mooney, Sgt F.B.Gray, Sgt G.A.Johnson, F/S J.Worsdale, Sgt N.D.Cameron, F/S G.Woolf, F/S L.Smith.

Lancaster III JB531 OF Y. Op Berlin. T/O 1700 Bourn. On return to base the crew baled out, as instructed, in the vicinity of Ely, Cambs. Soon afterwards their Lancaster came down 4 miles NW of Orford Ness, Suffolk, and not far from the village of Sudbourne. No injuries reported.

P/O F.Smith, Sgt F.E.Durn, P/O J.W.Arthurson, F/S J.A.Wilson, Sgt G.H.Townend, Sgt N.Stewart, Sgt C.A.Bradshaw. Note.

This had been the worst night in the wartime history of 97 Squadron and amounted to around one sixth of the Squadron's total losses in 1943.

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Becky Barugh of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Des Evans and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

See more of Des’s stories:

• Bale out!
• Missions from Woodhall Spa
• Tracers coming through the thatch
• I didn’t quite get the chop
• Little humour in adversity
• Ted Porters Crew
• The ‘Augsburg Raid’
• S/L Sherwood’s recommendation for the Victoria Cross
• The worst night of the War…
• The worst night of the War (Part 2)
• The worst night of the War (Part 3) - Crew
• The worst night of the War (Part 5) — Extract from ‘the Berlin’ Raids’
• The worst night of the War (Part 6) — Bombers over Berlin
• The worst night of the War (Part 7) — Combat Report
• A Dedication to Skipper Wing Commander Ted Porter - Pause for Thought
• A Dedication to Skipper Wing Commander Ted Porter — A Navigators View of the Route to Heaven
• Did you know?
• Flight Operations carried out with Sgt. D.C Plaunt
• Flight Operations carried out by Sgt. J.J Johnson
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ after baling out on 9th — 10th June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ after baling out on the 9th - 10th June 1944 - Continued
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ - 11th June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ - 12th — 15th June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ - 16th - 18th June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ - 19th — 23rd June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ — 24th August 1044
• ‘Our Heroes’

For further stories read ‘ACHIEVE YOUR AIM’ by Kevin Bending

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