F/S John Raymond St George Arrowsmith RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron - RAF Elsham Wolds – 1942
Failed to Return - 4/5th May 1942 – Vickers Wellington IC – Z8833 – Op Nantes.
John Arrowsmith came from Kensington London. He attended Wye Agricultural College and graduated in 1940.
Arrowsmith enlisted in the RAF, trained as a pilot and was posted to 103 Sqn at Elsham Wolds around early March.
He then joined the crew of P/O SS Martin as co-pilot and flew 10 operations with this experienced crew as follows :-
25/26th March 1942 Essen.
27/28th March 1942 - St Nazaire
28/29th March 1942 - Lubeck
2/3rd April 1942 - Poissy.
5/6th April 1942 - Cologne
8/9th April 1942 - Hamburg
10/11th April 1942 - Essen
12/13th April 1942 - Essen
23/24th April 1942 – Rostock
24/25th April 1942 - Rostock
There are several interesting attacks amongst those.
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At the end of April or beginning of May Arrowsmith was promoted F/S and given his own crew which consisted of :-
F/S John Raymond St George Arrowsmith RAFVR (Pilot)
Sgt Walter Gordon Harrison RAFVR (Observer)
F/S George Arthur McLean RCAF (2nd Pilot) pictured below.
Sgt Philip Robert Abbas RAFVR (Wireless Operator/Gunner)
F/S George William Gibb RCAF (Air Gunner)
Sgt Kenneth Frank Adlam RAFVR (Air Gunner).
F/S George Arthur McLean RCAF
They were detailed for an operation early on the 4th May 1942 to St Nazaire but were unable to take off due to the intercom being unserviceable.
On the evening of the 4th May 103 Squadron detailed 9 crews for an attack on Stuttgart. F/S Arrowsmith and crew in Wellington Z8833 were detailed to attack the French port of Nantes where a number of small tankers were reported to be in harbour. 1 Group allocated 4 “Fresher” crews for the Nantes attack.
The conditions were generally good but the target was obscured by thick ground haze and, although bombs were dropped in the port area, returning crews were unable to report results.
The Arrowsmith aircraft sustained damage, presumably by flak, and was forced to ditch in the sea off the French coast. F/S Gibb and Sgt Adlam survived and, after a week in their dinghy, were rescued by the Germans and taken POW.
F/S Arrowsmith, Sgt Harrison, F/S McLean and Sgt Abbas were lost with the aircraft and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial to the Missing.
F/S John Raymond St George Arrowsmith RAFVR - Pilot – 103 Sqn - Son of Henry Arrowsmith, and of Margaret Joan Arrowsmith, of South Kensington, London – Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Walter Gordon Harrison RAFVR – Observer - Son of Captain Walter Gordon Harrison, C.B.E., and Maud Harrison, of Workington, Cumberland – Runnymede Memorial.
F/S George Arthur McLean RCAF - Pilot – 20 – 103 Sqn – Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Philip Robert Abbas RAFVR - Wireless Operator / Air Gunner – 103 Sqn – Runnymede Memorial
F/S George William Gibb RCAF - Air Gunner – 103 Sqn – POW - Camp L3/L6/357 - POW No 410.
Sgt Kenneth Frank Adlam RAFVR ( pictured above ) - Air Gunner – 103 Sqn – POW - Camp Stalag III - POW No N/K
Kenneth Adlam and George Gibb were hospitalised in Paris following their rescue and capture by the Germans. Both had suffered significantly from exposure and frost bite, Kennneth Adlam particularly so. On recovery he was treated like a normal POW and ended up in Stalag III where he was involved in the Great Escape preparations
For photos and further information re this crew see the Lancing College War Memorial website here.
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4th May 1942 - Nantes
103 Squadron detailed one aircraft for this on the French port of Nantes 103 Squadron detailed one crew, that of F/S Arrowsmith. The aircraft took off at 0008 hours and nothing has been heard of it since.
For this attack on Nantes Bomber Command detailed a total of nine aircraft of which one failed to return. No other reports available
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Wellington Z8833
This machine was lost on its second operation
29-Apr-42 - Paris/ Gennevilliers – Wellington – Z8833 – P/O JF Brookes - Hit by flak over target. Hydraulics U/S. Made successful wheels up landing without injuries
05-May-42 – Nantes – Wellington – Z8833 – F/S JR StG Arrowsmith – FTR - Ditched in sea.
Compiled and written by David Fell. Adlam photo courtesy of Abigail Lucas. Newspaper cutting courtesy of the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.
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