Hayes, Norman Craig (Flight Sergeant)

Killed in Action 1942-April-17

Male Head

Birth Date: 1921

Born:

Parents: Son of John and Aileen E. Hayes, of Prestwich, Lancashire, England

Spouse:

Home:

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Decorations: MiD

Mentioned in Dispatches

Service

RAFVR

Unit

97 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Achieve Your Aim

Base

RAF Woodhall Spa

Rank

Flight Sergeant

Position

2nd Pilot

Service Numbers

1122536

Mission

Lancaster Mk.I R5513

Bombing Augsburg Germany 1942-April-17 to 1942-April-17

97 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Woodhall Spa

97 Straits Settlements Squadron (Achieve Your Aim), RAF Woodhill Spa

Lancaster I aircraft R5513 OF-P was engaged in a daylight, low level attack (44 & 97 Squadrons, 6 aircraft from each) against the MAN diesel engine factory in Augsburg, Germany. The Lancaster entered target area but was then hit by flak and caught fire in the air. Despite this, the bomber continued on its bomb run and was seen to drop its bombs before exploding and crashing near the target with the loss of the entire crew

Flight Sergeant John Granville Donoghue (RCAF)(USA), Flight Sergeant Stanley Edward Eades MiD (RAFVR), Warrant Officer Leonard Harrison MiD (RAF), Flight Sergeant Norman Craig Hayes MiD (RAFVR), Flight Sergeant David MacDonald MiD (RAFVR), Warrant Officer Thomas James Mycock DFC MiD (RAFVR) and Flight Sergeant Walter Shelley MiD (RAFVR) were all killed in action

The Bomber Command War Diaries and Operational Reference Book 1939-1945 by Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt, page 258

Attack on U-Boat Engine Factory

unvetted Source Lancaster I R5513 Royal Air Force Serials and Image Database

unvetted Source Aviation Safety Network

unvetted Source R5513

unvetted Source Augsburg-MOD

Lancaster serial: R5513

Avro Lancaster Mk. X RCAF Serial FM 213
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

YouTube Lancaster Bomber

Wikipedia Wikipedia

unvetted Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page