F/O Dennis C Bradshaw RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1943
Failed to Return – 3/4th July 1943 – Avro Lancaster III – JA672 – Op Cologne
Dennis Bradshaw and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds in June 1943. They were with the Squadron for only two weeks being lost on their 5th trip.
21-Jun-43 – Krefeld – Lancaster – JA672 – F/O DC Bradshaw
22-Jun-43 – Mulheim – Lancaster – JA672 – P/O DC Bradshaw
25-Jun-43 – Gelsenkirchen – Lancaster – ED417 – F/O DC Bradshaw
28-Jun-43 – Cologne – Lancaster – JA672 – F/O DC Bradshaw - Combat. Rear gunner fired at single engined night fighter which broke off attack.
03-Jul-43 – Cologne – Lancaster – JA672 – F/O DC Bradshaw – FTR - Lost without trace.
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F/O Dennis Charles Bradshaw RAFVR – 23 – 103 Sqn - Son of John Charles and Elizabeth Bradshaw; husband of Lorna B. Bradshaw of Southsea, Hampshire – Runnymede Memorial
P/O Arthur Frederick James Perrott RAFVR - 34 – 103 Sqn - Son of Arthur and Minnie Perrott; husband of Helen Florence Perrott, of Bexleyheath, Kent – Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Richard William Baybut RAFVR - 32 – 103 Sqn - Son of Richard William and Ada Baybut; husband of Dorothy Hilda Baybut, of Wallasey, Cheshire – Runnymede Memorial
F/O Wilfred Tasman Shannon RAFVR - 22 – 103 Sqn - Son of Tasman and Dorothy Sharmon; husband of Marjorie Shannon of High Birstwith, Yorkshire – Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Gordon Roy White RAFVR - 33 – 103 Sqn - Son of William and Florence Marion White; husband of Alice Mary White, of Reigate, Surrey – Runnymede Memorial
Sgt John Thomas Vodden RAFVR - 21 – 103 Sqn - Son of Thomas John and Emma Vodden, of Griffithstown, Monmouthshire – Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Alexander McKechan RAFVR - 23 – 103 Sqn - Son of Hugh Boyd McKechan and Margaret McKechan, of Stevenston, Ayrshire – Runnymede Memorial
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03-Jul-43 - Cologne
103 Squadron detailed 23 aircraft for this attack on the German city of Cologne. The Pathfinders used both ground and sky marking and it was a most successful attack. Bombing heights varied from 19000 ft to 23000 ft. Flak in the target area was intense but mostly in barrage form along the run in from the fighter flares. There were several sightings of enemy aircraft and twice our aircraft were approached but were lost be evasive action. All crews consider it a most successful raid judging m=by the mass of fires, the good marking by the Pathfinders and the “ cushy “ route back. One aircraft, Sgt Bass, returned early and two failed to return – F/O Oldham and crew and F/O Bradshaw and crew.
For this attack on Cologne Bomber Command detailed a total of 653 aircraft - 293 Lancasters, 182 Halifaxes, 89 Wellingtons, 76 Stirlings, 13 Mosquitos returned to Cologne. The aiming point for this raid was that part of Cologne situated on the east bank of the Rhine. Much industry was located there. Pathfinder ground marking was accurately maintained by both the Mosquito Oboe aircraft and the backers-up, allowing the Main Force to carry out another heavy attack on Cologne. 30 aircraft - 9 Halifaxes, 8 Lancasters, 8 Wellingtons, 5 Stirlings - lost, 4.6 per cent of the force.
This night saw the first operations of a new German unit, Jagdgeschwader 300, equipped with single-engined fighters using the Wilde Sau (Wild Boar) technique. In this, a German pilot used any form of illumination available over a city being bombed - searchlights, target indicators, the glow of fires on the ground - to pick out a bomber for attack. Liaison with the local flak defences was supposed to ensure that the flak was limited to a certain height above which the Wild Boar fighter was free to operate. The new German unit claimed 12 bombers shot down over Cologne but had to share the 12 available aircraft found to have crashed with the local flak, who also claimed 12 successes.
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Lancaster - JA672
21-Jun-43 – Krefeld – Lancaster – JA672 – F/O DC Bradshaw
22-Jun-43 – Mulheim – Lancaster – JA672 – P/O DC Bradshaw
24-Jun-43 – Wuppertal – Lancaster – JA672 – F/L GR Carpenter
25-Jun-43 – Gelsenkirchen – Lancaster – JA672 – F/L GR Carpenter
28-Jun-43 – Cologne – Lancaster – JA672 – F/O DC Bradshaw - Combat. Rear gunner fired at SE NF which broke off attack.
03-Jul-43 – Cologne – Lancaster – JA672 – F/O DC Bradshaw – FTR - Lost without trace.
Item compiled by David Fell
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