Williams, John Gareth Vaughan
Killed in Action 1943-06-26
Birth Date: unkown date
Born:
Home:
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RAF
Unit
106 Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Pro Libertate For freedom
Base
RAF Syerston
Rank
Sergeant
Position
Sergeant
Service Numbers
1316732
Target
Gelsenkirchen Germany
First Burial
Steenderen General Cemetery, Gelderland, Holland.
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Lancaster Mk.I R5572
Bombing Gelsenkirchen Germany 1943-June-25 to 1943-June-26
(B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Syerston
473 aircraft - 214 Lancasters, 134 Halifaxes, 73 Stirlings, 40 Wellingtons, 12 Mosquitoes. This was the first raid to Gelsenkirchen since 1941, when it had been one of Bomber Command's regular 'oil targets', although, being in the middle of the Ruhr, this town had often been hit when other targets were attacked. 30 aircraft - 13 Lancasters, 7 Halifaxes, 6 Stirlings, 4 Wellingtons - were lost, 6.3 per cent of the force.
The target was obscured by cloud and the Oboe Mosquitoes, for once, failed to produce regular and accurate marking since 5 of the 12 Oboe aircraft found that their equipment was unserviceable. The raid was not a success. Diisseldorf reports 24 buildings destroyed and 3,285 damaged but 2,937 of these suffered only superficial blast damage. 20 industrial premises were hit and 4 of them suffered total production loss but no large fires were involved and the loss in production lasted for no longer than 2 weeks. 16 people were killed.
Bombs probably fell on many other Ruhr towns. Solingen, nearly 30 miles from Gelsenkirchen, recorded 21 people killed and 58 injured on this night. source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Lancaster R5572 delivered to 97 Squadron (OF-F)15th May 1942, Transferred to 106 Squadron (ZN-M) April 1943. Took of from RAF Syerston 22.50. Crashed Baak Netherlands on operation to Gelsenkirchen 25/26 June 1943. 424 Operational Hours. The enemy claim was by Nightfighter, Oblt. Â Werner Husemann, Stab NJG1 Â 5km SSE Zutphen
Lancaster R5572
Avro Lancaster
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
Lancaster Bomber
Wikipedia
Harold A Skaarup Web PageLancaster R5572 Mk.I - Bombing Gelsenkirchen Germany - 1943-06-25 to 1943-06-26
6 Bomber Group June 25/26, 1943
29 Halifaxes from 408, 419, 427, and 428 Squadrons were joined by 11 Wellingtons from 429, 431, and 432 Squadrons on an attack at Gelsenkirchen. The crews were over the target at between 16,000 and 23,000 feet, releasing 68,000 lbs of high explosives and 129,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the target was cloud cover and bombing was scattered.
While most of the group went to Gelsenkirchen, 4 Wellingtons from 431Squadron were ordered on a mining operation to St. Nazaire. The crews were over the garden at between 700 and 1,000 feet, sowing 8@1500 lb mines. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
473 aircraft - 214 Lancasters, 134 Halifaxes, 73 Stirlings, 40 Wellingtons, 12 Mosquitoes. This was the first raid to Gelsenkirchen since 1941, when it had been one of Bomber Command's regular 'oil targets', although, being in the middle of the Ruhr, this town had often been hit when other targets were attacked. 30 aircraft - 13 Lancasters, 7 Halifaxes, 6 Stirlings, 4 Wellingtons - were lost, 6.3 per cent of the force.
The target was obscured by cloud and the Oboe Mosquitoes, for once, failed to produce regular and accurate marking since 5 of the 12 Oboe aircraft found that their equipment was unserviceable. The raid was not a success. Diisseldorf reports 24 buildings destroyed and 3,285 damaged but 2,937 of these suffered only superficial blast damage. 20 industrial premises were hit and 4 of them suffered total production loss but no large fires were involved and the loss in production lasted for no longer than 2 weeks. 16 people were killed.
Bombs probably fell on many other Ruhr towns. Solingen, nearly 30 miles from Gelsenkirchen, recorded 21 people killed and 58 injured on this night. source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Lancaster R5572 delivered to 97 Squadron (OF-F)15th May 1942, Transferred to 106 Squadron (ZN-M) April 1943. Took of from RAF Syerston 22.50. Crashed Baak Netherlands on operation to Gelsenkirchen 25/26 June 1943. 424 Operational Hours. The enemy claim was by Nightfighter, Oblt. Â Werner Husemann, Stab NJG1 Â 5km SSE Zutphen