P/O Cyril M Brown RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1943
Failed to Return – 9/10th August 1943 – Avro Lancaster III – ED882 – Op Mannheim
Cyril Brown and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds late May/ early June 1943. They were lost on their 10th operation. See below :-
22-Jun-43 – Mulheim – Lancaster – ED767 – Sgt CM Brown – ER - Gee set emitting smoke
24-Jun-43 – Wuppertal – Lancaster – ED767 – Sgt CM Brown
25-Jun-43 – Gelsenkirchen – Lancaster – ED767 – Sgt CM Brown
28-Jun-43 – Cologne – Lancaster – ED767 – F/S CM Brown – DNTO - A/C U/S
03-Jul-43 – Cologne – Lancaster – ED922 – F/S CM Brown
24-Jul-43 – Hamburg – Lancaster – W4323 – F/S CM Brown – ER - Aircraft almost unmanageable over 8,000ft.
29-Jul-43 – Hamburg – Lancaster – ED701 – F/S CM Brown
02-Aug-43 – Hamburg – Lancaster – ED701 – F/S CM Brown - Bombed Wesermunde as weather prevented reaching the target.
07-Aug-43 – Turin – Lancaster – ED882 – F/S CM Brown
09-Aug-43 – Mannheim – Lancaster – ED882 – P/O CM Brown – FTR – Thought to have been lost as result of a collision. Crashed in Germany near Mannheim
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P/O Cyril MacDonald Brown RAFVR – Pilot – 24 – 103 Sqn - Son of Cyril Macdonald Brown and Edith Macdonald Brown, husband of Edith Bessie Brown of Hendon, Middlesex - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt Joseph Allen Bright RAFVR – Flight Engineer - 103 Sqn - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
F/S Harry James Beake RAFVR – Navigator - 23 – 103 Sqn - Son of James and Ethel Grace Beake of Croydon, Surrey - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
F/O John Oswell Shone RAFVR – Air Bomber - 24 – 103 Sqn - Son of John and Ellen Shone of Wrexham, Denbighshire - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt William Horace Wheatley RAFVR – Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - 25 – 103 Sqn - Son of Mr. and Mrs. S. W. Wheatley, of Finedon, Northamptonshire; husband of D. G. A. Wheatley of Finedon, Northamptonshire - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt Dennis James Collins RAFVR – Air Gunner - 19 – 103 Sqn - Son of William and Dorothy May Collins - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt Joseph Mullin RAFVR – Air Gunner - 103 Sqn - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
According to the 419 Squadron RCAF website this aircraft was probably lost in a collision with 419 Sqn Halifax JD257 – F/O M L R Ludlow RCAF and crew
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09-Aug-43 - Mannheim
103 Squadron detailed 23 aircraft for this attack on the Nazi industrial city of Mannheim The attack was successful if a little scattered due to scattered pathfinder marking. There were one or two fighter attacks in addition to other sightings one of which was at least badly damaged by our gunners. W/O Cant was attacked by a twin engined night fighter from the starboard quarter but on the rear gunner firing he broke away pouring smoke. F/O Marshall was attacked by a twin engined night fighter from the port quarter but his shots passed high on the Lancaster and he disappeared. Bombing heights were between 16500 ft and 21000 ft. Flak and searchlights were erratic and ineffective. All aircraft reached the target and returned to base except F/S Brown and crew.
For this attack on Mannheim Bomber Command detailed a total of Mannheim: 457 aircraft - 286 Lancasters and 171 Halifaxes. The target area was mainly cloud-covered and the Pathfinder plan did not work well. The resulting bombing appeared to be scattered. 9 aircraft - 6 Halifaxes and 3 Lancasters - lost, 2.0 per cent of the force.
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P/O Cyril MacDonald Brown RAFVR
P/O Brown was a former London Metropolitan Police Officer
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Lancaster - ED882
07-Aug-43 – Turin – Lancaster – ED882 – F/S CM Brown
09-Aug-43 – Mannheim – Lancaster – ED882 – P/O CM Brown – FTR - Crashed in Germany.
Item compiled by David Fell
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