F/L Graham N Parker RAF and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1942
Failed to Return – 15/16th October 1942 – Handley Page Halifax II – W1213 – Op Cologne.
Graham Parker was born in New Zealand but enlisted in the RAF pre war and flew his first tour on Wellingtons with 75 ( NZ ) Squadron 40/41. He was promoted to F/L and posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds from 12 OTU on the 28th September 1942. Sadly he was one of several experienced and capable captains lost to the Squadron at this time. Men of this calibre were very difficult to replace. He was lost on the second operation of his second tour which was as follows :-
3-Oct-42 – Kiel – Halifax – W1188 – F/L GN Parker
15-Oct-42 – Cologne – Halifax – W1213 – F/L GN Parker – FTR - Crashed in Germany.
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F/L Graham Noel Parker RAF – Pilot – 23 – 103 Sqn - Son of Thurston Arthur and Marguerite Parker, of Lake Wanaka, Otago, New Zealand; husband of Brenda May Parker, of Whetstone, Middlesex, England - Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany
F/O Douglas Philip Munns RAFVR – Pilot ( Navigator ? ) – 31 – 103 Sqn - Son of Stanley Frederick and Euphernia Douglas Munns; husband of Rose Mary Munns, of New Malden, Surrey - Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt Maurice Desmond Lawlor RAFVR – Flight Engineer – 103 Sqn - Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt James Arthur Fleming RAFVR – Air Bomber – 22 – 103 Sqn - Son of John William and Lily May Fleming; husband of Alice Elizabeth Fleming, of Wood Green, Middlesex - Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany
P/O David Beveridge Murdoch RAFVR – Wireless Operator / Air Gunner – 31 – 103 Sqn - Son of David and the late Catherine Murdoch; stepson of Annie Murdoch. Husband of Joan Staddon Murdoch, of Newton Abbot, Devon - Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt Frank Briggs RAFVR – Air Gunner – 22 – 103 Sqn - Son of Lawrence and Florence Briggs, of Carlton, Barnsley, Yorkshire - Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt West Stewart Mason RAFVR – Air Gunner – 26 – 103 Sqn - Son of John Stewart Mason and Isabella Mason, of Belfast, Northern Ireland - Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany
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15-Oct-42 – Cologne
103 Squadron detailed 11 aircraft for this attack on the German city of Cologne. Conditions were cloudy but with good visibility and in the target area nil to 8/10ths with big gaps.
Flak was intense but not co-operating with searchlights which did not appear to be able to cone and this is thought to be due to the use of the IFF jamming device by our aircraft.. Balloons were observed at 6000 ft. F/L Winchester and crew and F/L Parker and crew failed to return. All other aircraft returned to base.
For this attack on Cologne Bomber Command detailed a total of 289 aircraft - 109 Wellingtons, 74 Halifaxes, 62 Lancasters, 44 Stirlings. 18 aircraft - 6 Wellingtons, 5 Halifaxes, 5 Lancasters, 2 Stirlings - lost, 6.2 per cent of the force.
This was not a successful raid. Winds were different from those forecast and the Pathfinders had difficulty in establishing their position and marking the target sufficiently to attract the Main Force away from a large decoy fire site which received most of the bombs. Cologne reports 1 'Luftmine' (out of 71 4,000 pounders carried by the bombing force), 3 other high-explosive bombs (out of 231) and 210 incendiary bombs (out of 68,590). 226 houses were damaged but only 2 of these received what was classed as 'serious damage'; 4 people were injured.
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Halifax W1213
This machine was lost on its 2nd operation the first being 2 months previous. Why this aircraft should have not flown for 2 months is a mystery as there is no indication that it was damaged. Possibly a mistake in the 103 Squadron ORB. There are plenty of those.
18-Aug-42 – Flensburg – Halifax – W1213 – W/O RL Telfer RCAF
15-Oct-42 – Cologne – Halifax – W1213 – F/L GN Parker – FTR - Crashed in Germany.
Item compiled by David Fell
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