Dixon, Michael Ralph (Flight Sergeant)
Killed in Action 1943-April-11
Birth Date: 1917-January-17
Born: Slingsby Yorkshire
Parents: Ralph C & Hilda M Dixon
Spouse:
Home: London, Ontario (parents)
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RCAF
Unit
166 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Tenacity
Base
RAF Kirmington
Rank
Flight Sergeant
Position
Air Gunner
Service Numbers
R/99543
Target
Frankfurt Germany
Temporary Burial
Darmstadt Forest Cemetery
Remains were later exhumed from this location and reburied
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Finadagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Mission
Wellington Mk. III X3334
Bombing Frankfurt Germany 1943-April-11 to 1943-April-11
166 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Kirmington
On the night of Saturday 10th April 1943 Bomber Command operated a total of 513 sorties: 502 aircraft were assigned to attack Frankfurt, Seven aircraft to lay sea mines off the Frisian Islands and four O.T.U. aircraft from No.92 Group to carry nickel raids. Complete cloud cover obscured the target. The operation was classed as a failure and only a few bombs fell in the S of the River Main. From the night's operations a total of 23 (Identified) aircraft (4.48%) all from the attack on Frankfurt: a total of nine Wellington's six Short Stirling's, five Lancasters and three Halifaxes became non effective and struck off charge. From these aircraft a total of 128 (Identified) airmen became casualties: 102 airmen died, two were injured 14 became Prisoners of War and seven were interned in a neutral country. These 23 aircraft came from six Bomber Group and were serving on 19 Squadrons flying out of 18 airfields; there would be many empty chairs in the various Messes, as the Committee of Adjustment would be emptying the cupboards and lockers sorting out the personal effects and telegrams would soon be dispatched to the next of kin with many family lives being changed forever.
Wellington aircraft X 3334 was shot down in the Darmstadt Forest, Germany. Four RAF crew members were also killed.
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.
Wellington X3334 Mk. III - Bombing Frankfurt Germany - 1943-04-11 to 1943-04-11
Squadron: 166 (B) Sqn (RAF)
Start Date: 1943-04-11
Completion Date: 1943-04-11
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Frankfurt Germany
Target Specific:
Base: RAF Kirmington
Take Off Time: 23.12
Squadron Code: AS W
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City:
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason:
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
On the night of Saturday 10th April 1943 Bomber Command operated a total of 513 sorties: 502 aircraft were assigned to attack Frankfurt, Seven aircraft to lay sea mines off the Frisian Islands and four O.T.U. aircraft from No.92 Group to carry nickel raids. Complete cloud cover obscured the target. The operation was classed as a failure and only a few bombs fell in the S of the River Main. From the night's operations a total of 23 (Identified) aircraft (4.48%) all from the attack on Frankfurt: a total of nine Wellington's six Short Stirling's, five Lancasters and three Halifaxes became non effective and struck off charge. From these aircraft a total of 128 (Identified) airmen became casualties: 102 airmen died, two were injured 14 became Prisoners of War and seven were interned in a neutral country. These 23 aircraft came from six Bomber Group and were serving on 19 Squadrons flying out of 18 airfields; there would be many empty chairs in the various Messes, as the Committee of Adjustment would be emptying the cupboards and lockers sorting out the personal effects and telegrams would soon be dispatched to the next of kin with many family lives being changed forever.
Wellington aircraft X 3334 was shot down in the Darmstadt Forest, Germany. Four RAF crew members were also killed.
