Mercer, John (Sergeant)

Prisoner of War 1942-January-14

Male Head

Birth Date: unkown date

Born:

Parents:

Spouse:

Home:

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RAFVR

Unit

207 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Semper Paratus Always prepared

Base

RAF Bottesford

Rank

Sergeant

Position

Service Numbers

939719
PoW: 145/90146

Target

Hamburg Germany

Footprints on the Sands of Time, RAF Bomber Command Prisoners of War in Germany 1939-45 by Oliver Clutton-Brock, page 361

The Long Road, Trials and Tribulations of Airmen Prisoners from Stalag Luft VII (Bankau) to Berlin, June 1944-May 1945 by Oliver Clutton-Brock and Raymond Crompton page 323

Crew or Other Personnel

Manchester L7309

Sergeant Geoffrey Ernest Allen RNZAF

Sergeant Allen, Geoffrey Ernest (RNZAF)

Prisoner of War
1942-January-14
cemetery unknown

Warrant Officer 1st Class Emmanuel George Robert Bestel RCAF

Warrant Officer 1st Class Bestel, Emmanuel George Robert (RCAF)
Air Gunner (Rear)
Prisoner of War
1942-January-14
cemetery unknown

Sergeant James Wilfred Cadman RAFVR

Sergeant Cadman, James Wilfred (RAFVR)
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1942-January-14
Sage War Cemetery, Oldenburg, Land Niedersachsen, Germany

Flying Officer Gerald Bryan Dawkins RAFVR

Flying Officer Dawkins, Gerald Bryan (RAFVR)
Pilot
Prisoner of War
1942-January-14
cemetery unknown

Flight Lieutenant Patrick James Edwards RAF

Flight Lieutenant Edwards, Patrick James (RAF)

Prisoner of War
1942-January-14
cemetery unknown

Sergeant John Mercer RAFVR

Sergeant Mercer, John (RAFVR)

Prisoner of War
1942-January-14
cemetery unknown

Mission

Manchester L7309

Bombing 1942-January-14 to 1942-January-14

207 (B) Sqn (RAF)

207 City of Leicester Squadron (Semper paratus), RAF Bottesford. Manchester Mk I aircraft L 7309 EM-O was lost on an operation against targets in Hamburg, Germany. The bomber was shot down by night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Rudolf Schoenert of 5/NJG2 but also claimed by heavy flak battery Mobile Flak Abteilung 252 and crashed in a field near the Jevers Luftwaffe base at Sandelermons, Jever, Niedersachsen, Germany

Sergeant James Wilfred Cadman (RAFVR) was killed in action

The balance of this crew survived to become Prisoners of War: Warrant Officer Class 1 Emmanuel George Robert Bestel (RCAF), Sergeant Geoffrey Ernest Allen (RAFVR), Flying Officer Gerald Bryan Dawkins DFM (RAFVR), Flight Lieutenant Patrick James Edwards (RAFVR) and Sergeant John Mercer (RAFVR)

Unvetted Source Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database