Sgt George Whitehead RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1943
Failed to Return – 14/15th June 1943 – Avro Lancaster III – ED396 – Op Oberhausen
George Whitehead and crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds late May/early June 1943 and sadly were lost on their first operation
14-Jun-43 – Oberhausen – Lancaster – ED396 – Sgt G Whitehead – FTR - Crashed at Duisburg-Ruhort, Germany.
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Sgt George Whitehead RAFVR – Pilot - 21 – 103 Sqn - Son of George and Alice Whitehead of Over Hulton, Lancashire – Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt John James Kerevan RAF - 23 – 103 Sqn - Son of Thomas Edwin and Georgina Kerevan of Liverpool – Runnymede Memorial
Sgt James Renwick RAFVR – Navigator - 20 – 103 Sqn - Son of Robert W. and Helen Renwick, of Wallsend, Northumberland – Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany
P/O Sidney Herbert Yates RAFVR – Air Bomber - 103 Sqn - Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany
F/S Ernest Shaw DFM RAFVR - 22 – 103 Sqn - Son of Ernest William and Ethel Shaw, of Royton, Lancashire - Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Robert James Bailes RAF – Air Gunner - 22 – 103 Sqn - Son of John and Jane Elizabeth Bailes of New Herrington, Co. Durham – Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt Duncan Alexander Holmes Ferguson RAFVR – Air Gunner - 103 Sqn - Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany
F/S Shaw had already flown a tour with 102 Squadron and was awarded a DFM gazetted 7th March 1941
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14-Jun-43 - Oberhausen
103 Squadron detailed 27 aircraft for this attack on the German city of Oberhausen. Owing to cloud conditions the target was marked with skymarkers by the Pathfinders and appears to have been a great success. The glow of the fires in the cloud being seen form as far as the coast. Bombing heights were between 21000 ft and 24600 ft. There were several sightings of enemy aircraft and two combats. Sgt Davidson attacked twice by enemy aircraft whilst coned in searchlights but evaded. Sgt Hardman claimed a Ju 88 as a probable. For aircraft returned early and F/L Brown and crew and Sgt Whitehead and crew failed to return.
For this attack on Oberhausen Bomber Command detailed a total of 197 Lancasters and 6 Mosquitos to Oberhausen. This target was cloud-covered but once again the Oboe skymarking was accurate. 17 Lancasters lost, 8.4 per cent of the force.
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Lancaster - ED396
13-Apr-43 - La Spezia – Lancaster – ED396 – P/O HF Ewer RCAF - Landed at Tangmere
16-Apr-43 – Pilsen – Lancaster – ED396 – P/O HF Ewer RCAF - Combat with twin engined enemy aircraft whilst coned at 4,000 ft over Darmstadt. Starboard inner radiator and prop damaged and also starboard mainplane flaps and undercarriage. Gunners replied with 300 rounds. Enemy aircraft seemed to be hit and broke away.
29-May-43 – Wuppertal – Lancaster – ED396 – Sgt RJ Bunten
11-Jun-43 – Dusseldorf – Lancaster – ED396 – Sgt RJ Bunten
12-Jun-43 – Bochum – Lancaster – ED396 – Sgt RJ Bunten
14-Jun-43 – Oberhausen – Lancaster – ED396 – Sgt G Whitehead – FTR - Crashed at Duisburg-Ruhort, Germany.
Item compiled by David Fell
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