Crone, Robert Duncan (Flying Officer)

Killed in Action 1944-June-03

Flying Officer Robert Duncan Crone RCAF

Birth Date: 1923-April-28

Born: Komoka Ontario

Parents: Fred E. Crone & Eva P. Crone

Spouse:

Home: London, Ontario (parents)

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RCAF

Unit

166 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Tenacity

Base

RAF Kirmington

Rank

Flying Officer

Position

Navigator

Service Numbers

J/23474

Home
Google MapLondon, Ontario (parents)
Target
Google MapCalais France
Final Burial
Google MapMarquise Communal Cemetery
Plot 1 Row A Grave 6

Took off from Kirmington at 22:55 to bomb gun positions in the Pas-de-Calais, France.

Shot down by flak at 00:37 and crashed at Baraques, France 3km NE of Calais.

Killed includes Crone: Flying Officer Clifford Gerald Neville RCAF J/26305 KIA Marquise Communal Cemetery Plot 2. Row C. Grave 14. Sergeant Henry Thomas Gregory RAF KIA Marquise Communal Cemetery, Plot 1. Row A. Grave 5. Pilot Officer Geoffrey David Jones RAF pilot KIA Marquise Communal Cemetery, Plot 1. Row A. Grave 3. Sergeant Joseph Maguire RAF KIA Marquise Communal Cemetery Plot 2. Row C. Grave 13. Sergeant Cyril Edward Mayne RAF KIA Marquise Communal Cemetery Plot 1. Row A. Grave 10. Sergeant Bertram Trevor Williams RAF KIA Marquise Communal Cemetery Plot 1. Row A. Grave 4.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Grave Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave Finadagrave.com

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

Unit Desciption

166 (B) Sqn Tenacity (Huddersfield's Own)

No 166 Squadron RAF was originally formed at Bircham Newton, Norfolk on June 13, 1918, designed as a heavy bomber unit, to fly the Handley Page V/1500 aircraft. The squadron was never fully mobilized because the Armistice intervened. The squadron was re-formed in November 1936 as a heavy bomber unit, flying Handley Page Heyfords, later equipping with Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys. It was based at Boscombe Down, Wiltshire from November 1936 to January 1937, when it moved to Leconfield, Yorkshire. The squadron became part of an air observer's school on June 7, 1938, and then became a 1 Group pool squadron in May 1939. From September 1939 it was based at Abingdon, Berkshire until April 1940. In that month the squadron merged with no. 97 Squadron to form No. 10 OTU.

In January 1943 the squadron was re-formed at Kirmington, Yorkshire (53.578,-0.344, now Humberside Airport), from flights of Nos. 150 and 170 squadrons, when parts of these squadrons were posted to the Middle East. It was again bomber squadron, flying Vickers Wellingtons in No. 1 Group of Bomber Command. It remained at Kirmington until the end of WWII, later re-equipping with Avro Lancasters. In the period 27/28 January 1943 and 25 April 1945, it dropped 27,287 tons of bombs and laid 333 tons of mines. The squadron won "at least" 2 DSOs, 2 CGMs, 117 DFCs and 108 DFMs in the course of WWII. The squadron was disbanded on November 18, 1945.