Avro Lancaster Serial Groups Specifications

Bombing Hanover Germany 1943-09-27 to 1943-09-28

405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) Gransden lodge

Battle of Berlin

Bombing Brest France 1944-08-05 to 1944-08-05

617 (B) Sqn (RAF) Woodhall Spa

The aircraft (KC-V), piloted by Flying Officer D Cheney RCAF, had left Woodhall Spa at 9:49 for a daylight raid on the U-boat pens at Brest, France . It had successfully dropped its Tallboy bomb when it was hit by flak and extensively damaged, and the navigator and wireless operator were severely injured. Cheney ordered the crew to bail out. The aircraft crashed into the sea at Douarnenez Bay . Three of the crew were killed.

There were two Canadians in the crew, Flying Officer Don Cheney and Warrant Officer 2nd Class KR Porter. Cheney landed in the water, and was picked up by a fishing boat manned by the Maquis who held off the Germans with machine-gun fire. Porter landed safely and was also collected by the Maquis. Both were later put in touch with the US 5th Armoured Division at the end of August and returned to England. Cheney then returned to Canada. The other members of the crew were all in the RAF. Pilot Officer R Welch was shot by the Germans as he descended by parachute, Flying Officer WN Watt and Flight Sergeant EH Pool were killed and Flight Sergeant J Rosher evaded capture and Flight Sergeant A Curtis was taken prisoner. He was released from a camp near Brest by the US 8th Infantry Division in September.

Bombing Dortmund-Ems Canal Germany 1943-09-15 to 1943-09-16

617 (B) Sqn (RAF) Coningsby

The aircraft, KC-N, piloted by Flight Lieutenant LG Knight, DSO MID, RAAF, was attempting to bomb the Dortmund-Ems Canal near Ladbergen, Germany but hit trees while in the target area and was seriously disabled. They hoped to be able to nurse the aircraft back to Britain, but its condition deteriorated and Knight held the aircraft steady while the crew bailed out but then the aircraft exploded when he attempted to crash land near den Ham, Netherlands .

Of the two Canadians in the crew, one, Flight Sergeant FE Sutherland evaded capture and the other, Flight Sergeant HE O'Brien was captured and became a PoW. Of the other crew members, Pilot Officer HS Hobday, Flying Officer EC Johnson DFC RAAF, Sergeant LC Woolard and Pilot Officer EG Kellow DFM RAAF evaded capture and Pilot Officer HE Grayston was taken prisoner.

With the exception of Woolard, this was the crew who dropped the UPKEEP bomb that broke the Eder Dam during the Dams Raid of 16/17 May 1943.

Bombing Berlin Germany 1943-11-24 to 1943-11-24

405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) Gransden Lodge

Battle of Berlin

Bombing Magdeburg germany 1944-01-21 to 1944-01-21

405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) Gransden Lodge

Battle of Berlin

648 aircraft - 42 I Lancasters, 224 Halifaxes, 3 Mosquitoes - on the first major raid to this target. The German controller again followed the progress of the bomber stream across the North Sea and many night fighters were in the stream before it crossed the German coast. The controller was very slow to identify Magdeburg as the target but this did not matter too much because most of the night fighters were able to stay in the bomber stream, a good example of the way the Tame Boar tactics were developing, 57 aircraft - 35 Halifaxes, 22 Lancasters - were lost, 8Ã"šÃ‚·8 per cent of the force; it is probable that three quarters of the losses were caused by German night fighters. The Halifax loss rate was I5.6 per cent!

The heavy bomber casualties were not rewarded with a successful attack. Some of the Main Force aircraft now had H2S and winds which were stronger than forecast brought some of these into the target area before the Pathfinders' Zero Hour. The crews of 27 Main Force aircraft were anxious to bomb and did so before Zero Hour. The Pathfinders blamed the fires started by this early bombing, together with some very effective German decoy markers, for their failure to concentrate the marking. No details are available from Magdeburg but it is believed that most of the bombing fell outside the city. An R.A.F. man who was in hospital at Magdeburg at the time reports only, 'bangs far away'.

source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

Lancaster aircraft JB 188 missing from night operations over Madgeburg, Germany. Pilot Officer K.C. Wilson, Flight Lieutenant L.G. Speyer, Sergeants W. Good (RAF), J.H. Paul (RAF), R.rR,Stevens, B.R.Morrison and N. Pyke (RAF) were killed.

Bombing Leipzig Germany 1943-12-03 to 1943-12-04

405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) Gransden Lodge

Battle of Berlin

Bombing Mannheim Germany 1943-11-17 to 1943-11-17

405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) Gransden Lodge

Battle of Berlin

Bombing Schweinfurt Germany 1944-02-24 to 1944-02-24

405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) Gransden Lodge

Battle of Berlin

Bombing Berlin Germany 1944-01-02 to 1944-01-02

405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) Gransden Lodge

Battle of Berlin

Bombing Leipzig Germany 1943-10-20 to 1943-10-20

405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) Gransden Lodge

Battle of Berlin

Bombing Berlin Germany 1944-01-28 to 1944-01-28

() Sqn (RAF) East Kirkby

Battle of Berlin

They took off from East Kirkby in Lincolnshire on a bombing mission to Berlin. That night they were one of 677 aircraft (432 Lancasters) on the raid. 180,000 people were bombed out, together with many buildings. The damage was substantial.

Bombing Berlin Germany 1943-12-16 to 1943-12-17

405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) Gransden Lodge

Battle of Berlin

Bombing Revigny-Sur-Ornain France 1944-07-18 to 1944-07-19

49 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Fiskerton

49 Squadron RAF (Cave canem) RAF Fiskerton. Lancaster III aircraft JB 473 EA-W was hit by flak and then shot down by night fighter pilot Hauptman Fritz Berger of Stab II/NJG2 during a night operation to bomb the rail marshalling yards at Revigny-sur-Ornain, France. The Lancaster crashed at Vassimont-et-Chapelaine (Marne area) roughly 6 km NW of Sommesous, France

Mid-Upper Air Gunner, Pilot Officer Albert John Rammage (RCAF) was killed in action

Pilot, Flying Officer Roy MacLean Deacon (RCAF) survived, wounded and was captured. Taken to a French hospital Deacon was liberated by advancing US troops

Flight Sergeant Allan Russell Harpell (RCAF), Sergeant Donald Wilson (RCAF), Sergeant John Andrew Diley (RAFVR), Sergeant William Fortune (RAFVR) and Sergeant Harold Sharp (RAFVR) all survived and avoided capture as Evaders

Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1944 Part 3 12 May - 23 July by Theo Boiten, page115

Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

France-Crashes 39-45 Search

Bombing Berlin Germany 1943-12-17 to 1943-12-17

405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) Gransden Lodge

Battle of Berlin

Bombing Berlin Germany 1943-12-16 to 1943-12-17

405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) Gransden Lodge

Battle of Berlin

Bombing Berlin Germany 1943-12-29 to 1943-12-30

103 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Elsham Wolds

103 Swindon's Own Squadron (Noli me Tangere) RAF Elsham Wolds Lancaster III aircraft JB 487 PM-G was shot down by flak during an operation against targets in Berlin, Germany which caused severe structural damage to the tail-plane and damaged both port engines

The Lancaster crashed at Mettingen, Germany with the loss of one crew member

Sergeant TC Henderson (RAF) was killed in action

FS WA Lamb (RCAF), Sergeant HC Cunning (RAF), Sergeant A Fletcher (RAF), LJ Grigg (RAF), Sergeant RW Hatherley (RAF) and Sergeant RAG Warne (RAF) all survived to be taken as Prisoners of War

[Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...

LJ Grigg and crew of 103 Sqn

Bombing 1944-08-29 to 1944-08-30

106 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Metheringham

I 189 Lancasters of 5 Group carried out one of the most successful 5 Group attacks of !hi.I war on this target at extreme range. Only 480 tons of bombs could be carried hecause- of the range of the target but severe damage was caused around the 4 separate aiming points selected. This success was achieved despite a zo-minute delay Ill Opening the attack because of the presence of low cloud; the bombing force waited patiently using up precious fuel, until the marker aircraft found a break in the clouds and the Master Bomber, Wing Commander J. Woodroffe, probably 5 Group's most skilllcd Master Bomber, allowed the attack to commence. Bomber Command estimated that 41 per cent of all the housing and 20 per cent of all the industry in Konigsberg were destroyed. There was heavy fighter opposition over the target and 15 Lancasters, 7·9 per cent of the force, were lost.

source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

Crew of Lancaster JB593

Flight Engineer Sergeant (184151) Robert Barclay Clarke RAF(VR) aged 28, son of Robert Barclay Clarke and Jessie Fargie Clarke, of Ealing, Middlesex has no known grave and is remembered on Panel 210 on the Runnymede Memorial Surrey. He is Reference No. 876 in the section "˜Died in aircraft struck off charge, No.106 Squadron and Reference No. 66410 RAF & RAF(VR) personnel that died during the Second World Wa

Navigator Flight Sergeant (R/181517 "“ later Pilot Officer J/94491) Henry Wilson Tilson Carter RCAF aged 26, son of Henry Joseph and Hannah Carter, of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada has no known grave and is remembered on Panel 249 on the Runnymede Memorial Surrey. He is Reference No. 877 in the section "˜Died in aircraft struck off charge, No.106 Squadron and Reference No. 13689 RCAF personnel that died during the Second World War

Air Bomber Flying Officer (52570) Edward Eric Fletcher RAF aged 29, son of Edward and Deborah Fletcher; husband of Ada Elizabeth Fletcher, of Chippenham, Wiltshire has no known grave and is remembered on Panel 206 on the Runnymede Memorial Surrey. He is Reference No. 878 in the section "˜Died in aircraft struck off charge, No.106 Squadron and Reference No. 66551 RAF & RAF(VR) personnel that died during the Second World Wa

Wireless Operator Sergeant (1582911) Charles Colin Jeffrey RAF(VR) aged 21, son of Charles Bertram Jeffrey and Rosa Mary Jeffrey has no known grave and is remembered on Panel 232 on the Runnymede Memorial Surrey. He is Reference No. 879 in the section "˜Died in aircraft struck off charge, No.106 Squadron and Reference No. 66459 RAF & RAF(VR) personnel that died during the Second World Wa

Air Gunner Sergeant (645750) Douglas Forester RAF aged 26, son of William Reuben and Edith Forster, of Macclesfield, Cheshire; husband of Joan Forster, of Macclesfield has no known grave and is remembered on Panel 217 on the Runnymede Memorial Surrey. He is Reference No. 880 in the section "˜Died in aircraft struck off charge, No.106 Squadron and Reference No. 66552 RAF &RAF(VR) personnel that died during the Second World War<./p>

Air Gunner Flight Sergeant (967795) Ernest Lewis Collins RAF(VR) age? He has no known grave and is remembered on Panel 216 on the Runnymede Memorial Surrey. He is Reference No. 881 in the section "˜Died in aircraft struck off charge, No.106 Squadron and Reference No. 66413 RAF &RAF(VR) personnel that died during the Second World Wa

source: Buzz Hope"and in the morning" data base

Bombing Munich Germany 1945-01-07 to 1945-01-08

626 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Wickenby

626 Squadron (To Strive and not to yield) RAF Wickenby. Lancaster III aircraft JB 661 UM-C2 was lost during an operation against targets in Munich, Germany. The cause of loss was not determined but is believed to have crashed near Gmund am Tegernsee, Germany. There are multiple night fighter claims not attributed to an aircraft serial number on this raid. Lancaster JB 661 was possibly one of the four bombers claimed by Oberfeldwebel Gunther Bahr of 1/NJG6 on this night or one of the single claims by Oberfeldwebel Heinrich Schmidt of 2/NJG6 or Oberleutnant Wilhem Engel of 3/NJG6

The entire crew was lost with this aircraft

Warrant Officer Class 2 Donald Ross Hutchins (RCAF), Flying Officer John Harvey Clark (RCAF), Pilot Officer Kenneth Ross Joslin (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Wayne John Rahkola (RCAF), Flying Officer Kenneth Albert Stroh (RCAF), Flying Officer Jean Paul Herbert Terreau (RCAF) and Sergeant Ernest Leather (RAFVR) were all killed in action

Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

Bombing Schweinfurt Germany 1944-02-24 to 1944-02-24

405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) Gransden Lodge

Battle of Berlin

Bombing Berlin Germany 1944-03-25 to 1944-03-25

97 (PFF) Sqn (RAF) RAF Bourn

811 aircraft - 577 Lancasters, 2 l 6 Halifaxes, l 8 Mosquitoes. 72 aircraft - 44 Lancasters, 28 Halifaxes - lost, 8·9 per cent of the force.

This night became known in Bomber Command as 'the night of the strong winds', A powerful wind from the north carried the bombers south at every stage of the flight. Not only was this wind not forecast accurately but it was so strong that the various methods available to warn crews of wind changes during the flight failed to detect the full strength of it. The bomber stream became very scattered, particularly m the homeward flight and radar-predicted Flak batteries at many places were able :o score successes. Part of the bomber force even strayed over the Ruhr defences on :he return flight. It is believed that approximately 50 of the 72 aircraft lost were destroyed by Flak; most of the remainder were victims of night fighters. The Berlin report says that 14 bombers were shot down by fighters in the target area.

The strong winds caused difficulties in the marking at Berlin with, unusually, markers being carried beyond the target and well out to the south-west of the city. 126 smnll towns and vlllages outside Berlin recorded bombs und 30 people were killed In those places, The majority of the damage in Berlin was in the south-western districts, As usual, much housing was destroyed and about 20,000 people were bombed out. Approximately 150 people were killed. No industrial concerns were classed as destroyed but several important ones were damaged. 5 military establishments were badly hit including the depot of the Waffen-S.S. Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler Division in Lichterfelde.

This was the last major R.A.F. raid on Berlin during the war, although the city would be bombed many times by small forces of Mosquitoes.source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

97 Squadron (Achieve Your Aim), Pathfinder Force. Lancaster aircraft JB 671 missing during operations over enemy territory. Six RAF members of the crew, Flight Sergeant W. Chapman, Flight Sergeant S. Nuttall, Pilot Officer W.D. Coates, D.F.M., Sergeant B.H. Nicholas, Sergeant. W.L. York and Sergeant F. Thompson were also killed.

Bombing Laon France 1944-04-23 to 1944-04-23

405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) Gransden Lodge

Bombing Hamburg Germany 1944-07-28 to 1944-07-29

405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) Gransden Lodge