F/O Anthony J Sumner RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1943
Failed to Return – 26/27th November 1943 – Avro Lancaster III – JB350 – Op Berlin.
Anthony Sumner and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds from 1662 Heavy Conversion Unit on the 18th November 1943. They were lost on their first operation. See below :-
26-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB350 – F/O AJ Sumner - FTR - Probably crashed near target.
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F/O Anthony John Sumner RAFVR – Pilot – 103 Sqn - Son of Mr. and Mrs. Algernon John Le Couteur Sumner; stepson of Eva Sumner of Buenos Aires, Argentina – Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt J Gibson RAFVR - 103 Sqn – POW – Camp DL – POW no N/K
F/S Robert Butler RAFVR – Navigator - 25 - 103 Sqn - Son of Richard and Mary Ann Butler of New Silksworth, Co. Durham – Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
P/O Patrick James Duffy RCAF ( pictured below ) - 103 Sqn - POW – Camp L1 – POW no 1689
Sgt Patrick Gallagher RAFVR – Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - 20 - 103 Sqn - Son of Charles and Mary Gallagher of Longridge, West Lothian – Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt Albert Henry Masters RAFVR – Air Gunner - 19 - 103 Sqn - Son of Henry George and Lily Masters of Martock, Somerset – Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt Raymond Harry Bussell RAFVR – Air Gunner - 103 Sqn - Son of Thomas John and Alice Bussell of Bedminster, Bristol – Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
Patrick James Duffy RCAF
Patrick James Duffy RCAF POW ID photo
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26-Nov-43 – Berlin
103 Squadron detailed 30 aircraft for this attack on the Nazi capital of Berlin. This number was thought to be a Bomber Command record for a Squadron at that time. Bombing heights were between 21000 ft and 23000 ft although one aircraft bombed from 16000 ft. F/S Law, P/O Young and W/O Graham returned early. Heavy flak was very intense in barrage form and a great deal of light flak was bursting at 15000 ft. Searchlight cones were numerous. There were two combats reported. F/S Richter was attacked by a Bf110 from the port quarter closing to 150 yards. His rear gunner opened with a long burst which caused smoke to come from the port engine. It was claimed as a probable. S/L Scragg was attacked by 2 Bf110s 600 yards astern and his gunners found their guns frozen. Evasive action was taken and the aircraft lost. In addition F/S Griffin sighted a Bf110 at 400 yards but nothing resulted. F/O Pugh, F/O Sumner and Sgt Siddall and their crews failed to return. F/O Brevitt crashed into a Halifax whilst landing. All except the mid upper gunner were killed. Bad visibility prevented our aircraft returning to base and apart from the early returns all landed at No 6 Group airfields in East and North Yorkshire.
For this attack on Berlin Bomber Command detailed a total of 443 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitos to Berlin and with another combined diversion attack to Stuttgart. Both forces flew a common route over Northern France and on nearly to Frankfurt before diverging. The German controllers thought that Frankfurt was the main target until a late stage and several bombers were shot down as they flew past Frankfurt. Only a few fighters appeared over Berlin, where flak was the main danger, but the scattered condition of the bomber stream at Berlin meant that bombers were caught by fighters off track on the return flight and the casualties mounted. 28 Lancasters were lost, 6.2 per cent of the force, and 14 more Lancasters crashed in England. The weather was clear over Berlin but, after their long approach flight from the south, the Pathfinders marked an area 6-7 miles north-west of the city centre and most aircraft bombed there. Because of Berlin's size, however, most of the bombing still fell within the city boundaries and particularly on the semi-industrial suburb of Reinickendorf; smaller amounts of bombing fell in the centre and in the Siemensstadt (with many electrical factories) and Tegel districts. The Berlin Zoo was heavily bombed on this night. Many of the animals had been evacuated to zoos in other parts of Germany but the bombing killed most of the remainder. Several large and dangerous animals - leopards, panthers, jaguars, apes - escaped and had to be hunted and shot in the streets.
The diversionary raid on Stuttgart was carried out by 157 Halifaxes and 21 Lancasters. 6 Halifaxes lost, 3.4 per cent of the force. The bombing was very scattered and caused little damage but part of the night-fighter force was drawn off from the Berlin operation.
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Lancaster – JB350
This machine was lost on its 13th operation. See below :-
02-Oct-43 – Munich – Lancaster – JB350 – F/L FJ Hopps
03-Oct-43 – Kassel – Lancaster – JB350 – F/S H Campbell RAAF
07-Oct-43 – Stuttgart – Lancaster – JB350 – F/S NH Frost
08-Oct-43 – Hanover – Lancaster – JB350 – Sgt JE Bellamy
18-Oct-43 – Hanover – Lancaster – JB350 – Sgt JE Bellamy
20-Oct-43 – Leipzig – Lancaster – JB350 – F/S NE West
22-Oct-43 – Kassel – Lancaster – JB350 – F/S BB Lydon
03-Nov-43 – Dusseldorf – Lancaster – JB350 – F/L FJ Hopps
10-Nov-43 – Modane – Lancaster – JB350 – F/L FJ Hopps
18-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB350 – F/L FJ Hopps
22-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB350 – F/L FJ Hopps
23-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB350 – S/L JA Whittet – Early return - Frozen pitot head and starboard outer engine losing power.
26-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB350 – F/O AJ Sumner – FTR - Probably crashed near target.
Item compiled by David Fell. Photos courtesy of Kevin Duffy
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