8-14 October 1943

Posted on by propatria27

Overview

Only one mission flown this week, to Hannover, however it resulted in the loss of 2 aircraft, with 13 crew members being killed, and one aircraft crash landing with a dead rear gunner. The Station Diary also mentions the death of Leading Aircraftman R.G. Outlaw, who was on guard duty when a Lancaster taking off sheared left and decapitated him. The crew were unaware this had happened until they landed. The Lancaster had a tendency to pull left on take off and the pilot had to apply right rudder to counteract it, not always successfully.

Flight Sergeant Ronald Collins, the pilot of one of the aircraft lost attacking Hannover had previously survived a crash near Wickenby during a training flight on 17th June 1943 and had only recently returned to duty following his serious injuries.

Extract from Station Diary

Flight Sergeant Ronald Collins, killed during the mission to Hannover – this photograph was taken in the USA in 1942 during his flying training
Sgt Peter Bemrose, the bomb aimer in Flight Sergeant Collins’ aircraft, who was the only survivor of the crew and became a prisoner of war

Extract from Appendix to 12 Sqn Operational Record Book

1 thought on “8-14 October 1943”

  1. Hi, apologies if you already know this.

    According to John Rowlands own account, he was posted to 30 OTU @ Hixton on 16.2.43.

    He inherited another pilots crew ( the chap had broken his leg) and Sgt Lyon was the rear gunner of this crew.

    On 11.6.43, Sgt Lyons had to leave the crew due to an ‘ illness’. He was replaced by a Sgt Short.

    On 20.6.43 Rowlands and his crew arrived at Wickenby.

    On 9.7.43, Rowlands bumped into Sgt Lyons at Wickenby, he having been posted to 12 Squadron. Rowlands approached Lyons pilot and a deal was done to swap rear gunners.

    Rowlands operated that night to Gelsenkirchen with Lyons as his rear gunner.

    After Lyons death, the Rowlands crew were given a weeks leave and attended his funeral in Gillingham.

    Rowlands never forgot Sgt Lyons and a day never passed where he didn’t thank him for giving him an extra 60 years of life.

    Like

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