Denny W Rudge DFC RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron – 1943
The Rudge crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds in late March/early April 1943. Denny Rudge was 19 years old at the time. The crew consisted of :-
Sgt Denis W Rudge
Sgt George Lancaster
Sgt T W Catton
Sgt H T Greenwood
Sgt S T Robinson
Sgt Charles R Baird
Sgt John David Kilpatrick
Above - L to R Sgt G Lancaster, Sgt H T Greenwood, Sgt C R Baird, Sgt J D Kilpatrick
This crew proved a tight disciplined team and were well led by young Rudge. They kept intercom use to a minimum and then for business only. They put their survival down to this and alert gunners giving swift warning of any impending attack so the pilot could take quick evasive action. They thinking behind this was any attacker would be deterred by this move and fly off to find a less alert victim. It clearly worked. Another factor in the survival of this crew was their 3 ground crew who were extremely conscientious and capable and valued highly by the Rudge aircrew
Above - Rudge ground crew - Bob Draper, Tommy Green and Bert Booth
10-Apr-43 – Frankfurt - Point of Aim – Lancaster – W4845 – Sgt DW Rudge
13-Apr-43 - La Spezia - Naval base and docks – Lancaster – W4845 – Sgt DW Rudge - Landed at Westcott
16-Apr-43 - Pilsen - Skoda industrial complex – Lancaster – W4845 - Sgt DW Rudge - Port number 2 tank holed by flak.
18-Apr-43 - La Spezia - Naval base and docks – Lancaster – W4827 – Sgt DW Rudge – Early return – Starboard engine unserviceable and port engines running at high temperature.
20-Apr-43 – Stettin - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED769 – Sgt DW Rudge
04-May-43 – Dortmund - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED713 – Sgt DW Rudge
12-May-43 – Duisburg - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
13-May-43 – Bochum - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge - Jettisoned bombs in the target area.
23-May-43 – Dortmund - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 - Sgt DW Rudge
25-May-43 – Dusseldorf - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
27-May-43 – Essen - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
29-May-43 – Wuppertal - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
11-Jun-43 – Dusseldorf - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
12-Jun-43 – Bochum - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
14-Jun-43 – Oberhausen - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
22-Jun-43 – Mulheim - Point of Aim - Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
24-Jun-43 – Wuppertal - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
25-Jun-43 – Gelsenkirchen - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
03-Jul-43 – Cologne - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
08-Jul-43 – Cologne - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
09-Jul-43 – Gelsenkirchen - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
12-Jul-43 – Turin - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
24-Jul-43 – Hamburg - Operation Gomorrah – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
25-Jul-43 – Essen - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
07-Aug-43 – Turin - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
09-Aug-43 – Mannheim - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
10-Aug-43 – Nuremberg - Point of Aim - Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
12-Aug-43 – Milan - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
15-Aug-43 – Milan - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
22-Aug-43 – Leverkusen - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
23-Aug-43 – Berlin - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED888 – Sgt DW Rudge
This was the day of the Elsham Big Bang. An aircraft at a dispersal not far away exploded when an electrical fault caused the bomb load to release. The crew noted the impending disaster, dived into a slit trench and were unhurt. ED888 was surprisingly undamaged and they completed their sortie.
Above - J D Kilpatrick
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This crew flew pretty much unchanged but I note that Sgt T W Catton was replaced by F/S H R Orme in May.
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On completion of their tour Rudge, by then a Warrant Officer, was awarded a DFC and George Lancaster, the navigator the DFM.
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Charlie Baird emigrated to Australia after the war. He sadly passed away some years ago
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26 August 1942 Graduation Group , Course 36A, class 3 & 4, 9 Bombing and Gunnery School, Mont-Joli, Quebec; Five Australian airmen who were among a recent graduating class at the Royal Canadian Air Force Bombing and Gunnery School at St. Joli, Quebec
From left to right are
Austin Henry Elton, Gunningrah Station, Bombola, NSW;
John David Kilpatrick, 206 Clovelly Road, Clovelly, NSW
Percy Rainger, Mount Russell, NSW;
Erick Ernest Piper, 6 Fitzroy Street, Abbotsford, Sydney, NSW;
Frank Paul Busby, 11 Myrtle Street, Leeton, NSW, who was class leader.
Official RCAF Photo
Written by David Fell from a contribution and photos by Eric Piper. Mont Joli photo courtesy of Pierre Lagacé - see Mont Joli website
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