P/O David L Petrie RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1941.
Failed to Return – 10/11th September 1941 – Vickers Wellington IC – R1396 – Op Turin.
David Petrie was posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds on the 11th May 1941 from 12 OTU at Benson He flew his first operation as co-pilot in the crew of F/L D D M Kelly to Hanover on the 15th May 1941. He then completed 5 other operations as co-pilot in the crew of F/L A C E Scott. He was then made captain of his own crew and flew the operations as shown below :-
03-Jul-41 – Bremen – Wellington – W5664 – P/O DL Petrie – Did not take off
05-Jul-41 – Amsterdam – Wellington – R1217 – P/O DL Petrie
07-Jul-41 – Cologne – Wellington – R1217 – P/O DL Petrie
10-Jul-41 – Cologne – Wellington – R1446 – P/O DL Petrie
14-Jul-41 – Bremen – Wellington – R1396 – P/O DL Petrie
20-Jul-41 – Cologne – Wellington – W5656 – P/O DL Petrie
02-Aug-41 – Hamburg – Wellington – R1396 – P/O DL Petrie
07-Aug-41 – Essen – Wellington – R1396 – P/O DL Petrie - Hit by flak
14-Aug-41 – Hanover – Wellington – T2999 – P/O DL Petrie
18-Aug-41 – Duisburg – Wellington – T2999 – P/O DL Petrie
19-Aug-41 – Kiel – Wellington – R1396 – P/O DL Petrie
22-Aug-41 – Mannheim – Wellington – T2999 – P/O DL Petrie – Early return - Starboard engine and intercom unserviceable. Hit by flak on return
03-Sep-41 – Brest – Wellington – R1396 – P/O DL Petrie - Aborted - General recall because of worsening weather
07-Sep-41 – Kiel – Wellington – R1396 – P/O DL Petrie – Did not take off
10-Sep-41 – Turin – Wellington – R1396 – P/O DL Petrie – FTR - Lost without trace.
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P/O David Layton Petrie RAFVR – Pilot – 103 Sqn – Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Peter Maxwell Bennett RAFVR – 20 – 103 Sqn - Son of Arthur Edward and Gladys Victoria Bennett, of Stinchcombe, Gloucestershire - Runnymede Memorial
Sgt George Stevens Rye RAFVR – 25 – 103 Sqn - Son of George and Jessie Cant Rye of Downfield, Dundee; husband of Helen Rye - Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Charles Edward Wagon RAFVR – 22 – 103 Sqn - Son of Ernest L. and Florence H. Wagon of Maidstone, Kent - Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Aubrey Walter Vernon RAFVR – 23 – 103 Sqn - Son of Walter Vernon, and of Gladys Vernon, of Catford, London - Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt George Ralph Blackmore RCAF – 31 – 103 Sqn - Runnymede Memorial.
The aircraft was lost without trace and it seems likely it was lost in the sea at some stage of the flight.
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10-Sep-41 – Turin
103 Squadron detailed 6 aircraft for this attack on the marshalling yards at the Italian city of Turin.. Take off was from Honington. Weather outbound was fair and the target identified in spite of some ground haze. Results were thought to be encouraging. Opposition was negligible with a little flak and no night fighters.
For this attack on Turin Bomber Command detailed a total of 76 aircraft with 5 lost. Bombing was handicapped by cloud and haze but good results were claimed in the centre of the city and also at the Fiat steelworks
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Wellington R1396
This aircraft was detailed for the following operations
10-Jul-41 – Boulogne – Wellington – R1396 – Sgt Hare
14-Jul-41 – Bremen – Wellington – R1396 – P/O DL Petrie
20-Jul-41 – Rotterdam – Wellington – R1396 – P/O Allen
24-Jul-41 – Emden – Wellington – R1396 – P/O Allen
02-Aug-41 – Hamburg – Wellington – R1396 – P/O DL Petrie
07-Aug-41 – Essen – Wellington – R1396 – P/O DL Petrie - Hit by flak
19-Aug-41 – Kiel – Wellington – R1396 – P/O DL Petrie
27-Aug-41 – Mannheim – Wellington – R1396 – P/O JW Purcivall
29-Aug-41 – Mannheim – Wellington – R1396 – P/O JW Purcivall
31-Aug-41 – Essen – Wellington – R1396 – P/O I Murchie
03-Sep-41 – Brest – Wellington – R1396 – P/O DL Petrie – Aborted - General recall because of worsening weather
07-Sep-41 – Kiel – Wellington – R1396 – P/O DL Petrie – Did not take off
10-Sep-41 – Turin – Wellington – R1396 – P/O DL Petrie – FTR - Lost without trace.
Item compiled and written by David Fell
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