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GRIFFITHS, John William (Sergeant)

Killed in Action 1944-February-15

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Birth Date: 1921 (age 23)

JOHN WILLIAM AND MARGRETT GRIFFITHS, OF MURTON, CO. DURHAM.

Service
RAFVR
Unit
622 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Bellamus Noctu We wage war by night
Base
Mildenhall
Rank
Sergeant
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
Wireless Operator
Service Numbers
1140787

Lancaster Mk.I W4272

Bombing Berlin Germany 1944-February-15 to 1944-February-15

622 (B) Sqn (RAF) Mildenhall

Battle of Berlin

After a rest of more than 2 weeks for the regular bomber squadrons, 891 aircraft - 561 Lancasters, 314 Halifaxes, 16 Mosquitoes -were dispatched. This was the largest force sent to Berlin and the largest non-1,000 bomber force sent to any target, exceeding the previous record of 826 aircraft (which included Stirlings and Wellings tons) sent to Dortmund on the night of 23/24 May 1943. It was also the first time that more than 500 Lancasters and more than 300 Halifaxes were dispatched. The quantity of bombs dropped, 2,642 tons, was also a record.

The German controllers were able to plot the bomber stream soon after it left the English coast but the swing north over Denmark for the approach flight proved too far distant for many of the German fighters. The German controller ordered the fighters not to fly over Berlin, leaving the target area free for the Flak, but mapy fighters ignored him and attacked bombers over the city. The diversion to Frankfurt¬on-Oder failed to draw any fighters: 43 aircraft - 26 Lancasters, 17 Halifaxes - were lost, 4·8 per cent of the force.

Berlin was covered by cloud for most of the raid. Heavy bombing fell on the centre and south-western districts but many places out in the country again re-corded bombs, with 59 people being killed there. Damage in Berlin was extensive with 599 large and 572 medium fires and nearly 1,000 houses and 526 temporary wooden barracks, of which there were now a large number in Berlin, destroyed. Some of Berlin's most important war industries were hit, including the large Sie-mensstadt area. 320 people were killed - 196 civilians, 34 service personnel, 9 air-raid workers, 80 foreign workers and 1 prisoner of war. The diminishing proportion of civilian casualties reflects the large-scale evacuation which had now taken place but a further 260 civilians were recorded as being 'buried alive' and it is not known how many of these survived,

This was really the end of the true 'Battle of Berlin'; only one more raid tool pince on the city in this period and that was not for more than a month.

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

Target
Google MapBerlin Germany

Lancaster W4272

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Sergeant Allen, Basil John (RAFVR)
Bomb Aimer
Killed in Action
1944-February-15
cemetery unknown

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Sergeant Brown, Clifford Althea (RAFVR)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1944-February-15
cemetery unknown

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Sergeant Chapman, Frank Edward Walter (RAFVR)
Flight Engineer
Killed in Action
1944-February-15
cemetery unknown

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Griffiths, Trevor Llewellyn (RAAF)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1944-February-15
cemetery unknown

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Sergeant GRIFFITHS, John William (RAFVR)
Wireless Operator
Killed in Action
1944-February-15
cemetery unknown

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Flight Sergeant MORRAL, Harold (RAFVR)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1944-February-15
cemetery unknown

Flying Officer Taylor, Robert Clifton (RCAF)
Navigator
Killed in Action
1944-February-15
Runnymede Memorial Surrey, UK

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Sergeant Wright, Phillip William (RAFVR)
Mid Upper Gunner
Killed in Action
1944-February-15
cemetery unknown

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

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

Lancaster Mk.I W4272

LS-P;UG-G Started with No. 61 Sqn Conversion Flight, then No. 1654 Conversion Unit. Transferred to No. 15 Sqn (LS-P), then to No. 622 Sqn (GI-C). Missing from raid to Berlin 15/16 Feb 1944. 280 operational hours.

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