Whitaker, Ayton Richardson (Flight Lieutenant)
Prisoner of War 1944-December-23
Birth Date: unkown date
Born:
Parents:
Spouse:
Home:
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RAFVR
Unit
582 (PFF) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Pre Volamus Designantes We fly before marking
Base
RAF Little Staughton
Rank
Flight Lieutenant
Position
Service Numbers
100053
Target
Cologne Germany
Crew or Other Personnel
Lancaster PB523
Mission
Lancaster Mk.I/III PB523
Bombing Cologne Germany 1944-December-23 to 1944-December-23
405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) RAF Little Staughton
Lancaster PB523
Took off at from Little Staughton at 10:29 for an operation to Köln, Germany.
Out-bound crashed at Opitter (Limburg), 4 km SE of Bree Belgium.
The aircraft withstood a series of fighter attacks, but with the aircraft ablaze Flight Lieutenant Thomas was obliged to give the order to bale out. Four of his crew got out and survived; a fifth, the Flight Engineer Flt Sergeant Hobbs, also made it clear but his chute cruelly failed to open. Thomas stayed at the controls with one of the wounded gunners, Warrant Officer Tex Campbell RCAF. Neither made it home. Fg Off Vaughan RCAF was captured on 23 December 1944 near Krefeld. Fg Off William Ewart Vaughan RCAF - PoW/Dulag Luft Oberursel/Dulag Luft Wetzlar Stalag Luft 1 Barth Vogelsang/PoW Number? Plt Off Campbell was initially buried in Opitter Roman Catholic Cemetery Belgium. Reinterred 30 November 1945. Sergeant Fallon initially reported injured and POW was subsequently reported "Safe in the UK".
Lancaster PB523 Mk.I/III - Bombing Cologne Germany - 1944-12-23 to 1944-12-23
Squadron: 405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF)
Start Date: 1944-12-23
Completion Date: 1944-12-23
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Cologne Germany
Target Specific:
Base: RAF Little Staughton
Take Off Time: 10:29:00
Squadron Code: 60-J
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City:
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: fighter
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
Lancaster PB523
Took off at from Little Staughton at 10:29 for an operation to Köln, Germany.
Out-bound crashed at Opitter (Limburg), 4 km SE of Bree Belgium.
The aircraft withstood a series of fighter attacks, but with the aircraft ablaze Flight Lieutenant Thomas was obliged to give the order to bale out. Four of his crew got out and survived; a fifth, the Flight Engineer Flt Sergeant Hobbs, also made it clear but his chute cruelly failed to open. Thomas stayed at the controls with one of the wounded gunners, Warrant Officer Tex Campbell RCAF. Neither made it home. Fg Off Vaughan RCAF was captured on 23 December 1944 near Krefeld. Fg Off William Ewart Vaughan RCAF - PoW/Dulag Luft Oberursel/Dulag Luft Wetzlar Stalag Luft 1 Barth Vogelsang/PoW Number? Plt Off Campbell was initially buried in Opitter Roman Catholic Cemetery Belgium. Reinterred 30 November 1945. Sergeant Fallon initially reported injured and POW was subsequently reported "Safe in the UK".
