Petrides, Basil Oliver (Flight Lieutenant)
Killed in Action 1944-February-21
Birth Date: 1922
Born:
Parents: BASIL CECIL AND OLIVE PETRIDES OF EAST DEAN, SUSSEX.
Spouse: ANNE MERRIEL PETRIDES, OF EAST DEAN, SUSSEX.
Home:
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RAFVR
Unit
156 (PFF) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
We Light The Way
Base
Warboys
Rank
Flight Lieutenant
Position
Wireless Operator
Service Numbers
115353
Stuttgart GermanyCrew or Other Personnel
Lancaster ND345
Mission
Lancaster Mk.III ND345
Bombing Stuttgart Germany 1944-February-20 to 1944-February-21
156 (PFF) Sqn (RAF) Warboys
598 aircraft - 460 Lancasters, I26 Halifaxes, 12 Mosquitoes. The North Sea sweep and the Munich diversion successfully drew the German fighters up 2 hours before the main bomber force flew inland and only 9 aircraft - 7 Lancasters and 2 Halifaxes - were lost, 1·5 per cent of the force. 4 further Lancasters and 1 Halifax crashed in England.
Stuttgart was cloud-covered and the bombing became scattered. The local report states that considerable damage was caused in the centre of the city and in the north-eastern and north-western suburbs of Bad Canstatt and Feuerbach. Several important cultural buildings in the centre of the city were badly damaged- the Neues Schloss, the Landtag (regional parliament building), the state picture gallery, the state archives, the state theatre and two old churches. In the Feuerbach suburb, however, the Bosch factory, which produced dynamos, injection pumps and magnetos and was considered to be one of the most important factories in Germany, was heavily damaged. 125 people were killed and 510 injured. source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Returning from Stuttgart, Lancaster ND345 was hit by flak. The pilot was thrown clear and became a POW and the remainder of the crew were buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery. The crew were: F/Lt D.K. MacKay, DFC, RCAF - Pilot Sergeant J.C.L Reed, RAFVR - Flight Engineer Pilot Officer R Halperin, DFC, RAFVR - Navigator Sergeant G.P Roche, RAFVR - Navigator/Bomb Aimer F/Lt B.O Petrides, DFM, RAFVR - Wireless Operator/Air Gunner S/Ldr A Muir, DFC, RAFVR - Air Gunner Flying Officer J Moffat, DFC, RAFVR - Air Gunner S/Ldr Muir was the Squadron Gunnery Leader and with four DFCs and a DFM they were a particularly highly decorated crew. source: RAF Commands
Lancaster ND345 Mk.III - Bombing Stuttgart Germany - 1944-02-20 to 1944-02-21
Squadron: 156 (PFF) Sqn (RAF)
Start Date: 1944-02-20
Completion Date: 1944-02-21
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Stuttgart Germany
Target Specific:
Base: Warboys
Take Off Time: 00:24:00
Squadron Code: GT-C
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: Nr. Manheim, Germany
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: flak
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Bomber Group February 20/21, 1944
25 Lancasters from 408 and 426 squadrons were joined by 40 Halifaxes from 420, 424, 425, 427, and 433 squadrons on an attack at Stuttgart. The crews were over the target at between 19,000 to 24,000 feet, releasing 100,000 lbs of high explosives and 201,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the target was cloud covered and the attack was scattered. There was some severe damage to a Bosch factory that made important parts for the German war effort.
While some of the crews were going to Stuttgart, 8 Halifaxes from 429 Squadron made a tactical diversion over the North Sea in hopes of drawing the Night-fighters away from the true target. It seemed to have worked because few crews engaged enemy aircraft. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
598 aircraft - 460 Lancasters, I26 Halifaxes, 12 Mosquitoes. The North Sea sweep and the Munich diversion successfully drew the German fighters up 2 hours before the main bomber force flew inland and only 9 aircraft - 7 Lancasters and 2 Halifaxes - were lost, 1·5 per cent of the force. 4 further Lancasters and 1 Halifax crashed in England.
Stuttgart was cloud-covered and the bombing became scattered. The local report states that considerable damage was caused in the centre of the city and in the north-eastern and north-western suburbs of Bad Canstatt and Feuerbach. Several important cultural buildings in the centre of the city were badly damaged- the Neues Schloss, the Landtag (regional parliament building), the state picture gallery, the state archives, the state theatre and two old churches. In the Feuerbach suburb, however, the Bosch factory, which produced dynamos, injection pumps and magnetos and was considered to be one of the most important factories in Germany, was heavily damaged. 125 people were killed and 510 injured. source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Returning from Stuttgart, Lancaster ND345 was hit by flak. The pilot was thrown clear and became a POW and the remainder of the crew were buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery. The crew were: F/Lt D.K. MacKay, DFC, RCAF - Pilot Sergeant J.C.L Reed, RAFVR - Flight Engineer Pilot Officer R Halperin, DFC, RAFVR - Navigator Sergeant G.P Roche, RAFVR - Navigator/Bomb Aimer F/Lt B.O Petrides, DFM, RAFVR - Wireless Operator/Air Gunner S/Ldr A Muir, DFC, RAFVR - Air Gunner Flying Officer J Moffat, DFC, RAFVR - Air Gunner S/Ldr Muir was the Squadron Gunnery Leader and with four DFCs and a DFM they were a particularly highly decorated crew. source: RAF Commands
