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Collett, Alfred John (Pilot Officer)

Killed in Action 1944-June-11

Birth Date: 1915-August-17 (age 28)

Home: Vancouver, British Columbia

Service
RCAF
Unit
460 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAAF)
Strike And Return
Base
RAF Binbrook
Rank
Pilot Officer
Marshal
Air Chief MarshalA/C/M
Air MarshalA/M
Air Vice MarshalA/V/M
Air CommodoreA/C
Group CaptainG/C
Wing CommanderW/C
Squadron LeaderS/L
Flight LieutenantF/L
Flying OfficerF/O
Pilot OfficerP/O
Warrant Officer 1st ClassWO1
Warrant Officer 2nd ClassWO2
Flight SergeantFS
SergeantSGT
CorporalCPL
Senior AircraftmanSAC
Leading AircraftmanLAC
Aircraftman 1st ClassAC1
Aircraftman 2nd ClassAC2
Position
Air Gunner
Service Numbers
J/89954
Prev: R/146422

Lancaster Mk.I ME696

Bombing Acheres France 1944-June-11 to 1944-June-11

460 (B) Sqn (RAAF) RAF Binsbrook, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
460 Australia Squadron (Strike And Return). Lancaster aircraft ME696 hit high tension wires during night operations on the railway facilities at Acheres, France. Casualties included RCAF P/O's W.L. Arksey (air gunner and A.J. Collett (air gunner); RAAF Flt. Sgt. K.L. King (bomb aimer) and Pilot Officer R.L. Nicholson (pilot); and RAFVR Sgt's. C.A. Cunningham (flight engineer), A. Fisher (navigator), and J.P. Murray (wireless operator / air gunner).

Took off from Binbrook at 23:13 in Lancaster Mk I (Sqn code AR-B2 Bomber Command) to attack rail facilities Acheres France.

Crashed at Elancourt (Yvelines) where all were originally buried just to the NW of Trappes.

Killed: Pilot Officer Walter Lynwood Arksey RCAF J/89952 KIA Viroflay New Communal Cemetery Row B. Grave 22. Pilot Officer Alfred John Collett RCAF J/89954 KIA Viroflay New Communal Cemetery Row B. Grave 23. Flight Sergeant Kenneth Leslie King RAAF KIA Viroflay New Communal Cemetery Row B. Coll. grave 19-21. Pilot Officer Ronald Laing Nicholson RAAF KIA Viroflay New Communal Cemetery Row B. Grave 24. Sergeant Anthony Fisher RAF KIA Viroflay New Communal Cemetery Row B. Coll. grave 19-21. Sergeant John Patrick Murray RAF KIA Viroflay New Communal Cemetery Row B. Coll. grave 19-21.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave.com Finadagrave.com

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Pilot Officer Alfred John Collett was exhumed and reburied.

Home
Google MapVancouver, British Columbia
Target
Google MapAcheres France
First Burial
Google MapElancourt (Yvelines), North-west of Trappes.
Re-Burial
Google MapCimetiere Militaire Francais de Viroflay
Row B Grave 23

Lancaster ME696

Avro Lancaster

Avro Lancaster Mk. X RCAF Serial FM 213
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirling, all three aircraft being four-engined heavy bombers adopted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the same wartime era.

The Lancaster has its origins in the twin-engine Avro Manchester which had been developed during the late 1930s in response to the Air Ministry Specification P.13/36 for a capable medium bomber for "world-wide use". Originally developed as an evolution of the Manchester (which had proved troublesome in service and was retired in 1942), the Lancaster was designed by Roy Chadwick and powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlins and in one version, Bristol Hercules engines. It first saw service with RAF Bomber Command in 1942 and as the strategic bombing offensive over Europe gathered momentum, it was the main aircraft for the night-time bombing campaigns that followed. As increasing numbers of the type were produced, it became the principal heavy bomber used by the RAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and squadrons from other Commonwealth and European countries serving within the RAF, overshadowing the Halifax and Stirling. Wikipedia

YouTube Lancaster Bomber

Wkikpedia Wikipedia

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

last update: 2021-09-18 14:32:33

Lancaster Mk.I ME696



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