P/O John D Johnston RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1943
Failed to Return – 23/24th November 1943 – Avro Lancaster III – JB528 – Op Berlin
John Johnston seated middle and I think he is flanked by F/Os Kerr and Jones.
John Johnston and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron from RAF Elsham Wolds from 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit at Lindholme on the 27th August 1943. They flew 19 operations in the next 11 weeks, all to heavily defended Nazi cities and all of which were completed successfully, and were lost on their 20th trip. See below :-
29-Aug-43 – Munchengladbach – Lancaster – DV221 – P/O JD Johnston
31-Aug-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – DV221 – P/O JD Johnston - Combat with single engined night fighter but gunners replied and enemy aircraft broke off engagement.
05-Sep-43 – Mannheim – Lancaster – DV220 – P/O JD Johnston
06-Sep-43 – Munich – Lancaster – DV220 – P/O JD Johnston
22-Sep-43 – Hanover – Lancaster – ED913 – P/O JD Johnston
23-Sep-43 – Mannheim – Lancaster – ED913 – P/O JD Johnston
27-Sep-43 – Hanover – Lancaster – ED913 – P/O JD Johnston
29-Sep-43 – Bochum – Lancaster – ED913 – P/O JD Johnston
01-Oct-43 – Hagen – Lancaster – ED913 – F/O JD Johnston
04-Oct-43 – Ludwigshafen/Diversion – Lancaster – ED913 – F/O JD Johnston
07-Oct-43 – Stuttgart – Lancaster – ED913 – F/O JD Johnston
08-Oct-43 – Hanover – Lancaster – ED913 – F/O JD Johnston
18-Oct-43 – Hanover – Lancaster – JB277 – F/O JD Johnston
20-Oct-43 – Leipzig – Lancaster – JB277 – F/O JD Johnston
22-Oct-43 – Kassel – Lancaster – JB277 – F/O JD Johnston
03-Nov-43 – Dusseldorf – Lancaster – JB401 – F/O JD Johnston
10-Nov-43 – Modane – Lancaster – JB454 – F/O JD Johnston
18-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB528 – F/O JD Johnston
22-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB528 – F/O JD Johnston
23-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB528 – F/O JD Johnston - FTR - Night fighter victim - Crashed at Grebs, Germany.
Reportedly shot down by night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Ludwig Meister of the 1./NJG 4
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F/O John David Johnston RAFVR – Pilot – 26 - 103 Sqn – Son of George Johnston and of Mary Jane Johnston (nee Wilson); husband of Catherine Laidlaw Johnston, of Coldstream, Berwickshire - Runnymede Memorial
Sgt R Crossley – 103 Sqn – POW – Camps 4B/L3 – POW no 263573
Sgt AH Stanton – 103 Sqn – POW – Camps L6/357 – POW no 3601
F/O RH Kerr RCAF – 103 Sqn – POW – Camps L1 – POW no 1594
F/O RT Jones – 103 Sqn – POW – Camps L1 – POW no 1593
Sgt Douglas Clark RAFVR ( Pictured above ) – Wireless operator / Air Gunner - 24 – 103 Sqn - Son of Charles Henry and Mary Clark of Worting, Hampshire – Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt James Black Reilly RAFVR – Air Gunner - 20 - 103 Sqn – Son of John and Jane Reilly of Uphall, West Lothian
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23-Nov-43 - Berlin
103 Squadron detailed 27 aircraft for this attack on the German city of Berlin. Unfortunately 13 aircraft were unable to take off and 5 returned early. The long runway was used. A strong cross wind approaching gale force caused several aircraft to swing off the runway and they either had another attempt or were cancelled. This attack was most successful in spite of 10/10ths cloud with tops at 15000 ft. Both ground and sky marking were laid on by the pathfinders. There was a slight heavy flak barrage and considerable light flak with just a few searchlights through the gaps All others returned to base except F/O Johnston and crew who are missing.
For this attack on Berlin Bomber Command detailed a total of 383 aircraft - 365 Lancasters, 10 Halifaxes, 8 Mosquitos The bombing force used the same direct route as had been employed on the previous night. The German controllers made an early identification of Berlin as the probable target; their single-engined fighters were gathered over the city before the arrival of the bombers and other fighters arrived a few minutes later. Fake instructions broadcast from England caused much annoyance to the German who was giving the 'running commentary'; the Germans started using a female commentator but this was promptly countered by a female voice from England ordering the German pilots to land because of fog at their bases. 'Spoof' fighter flares dropped by Mosquitos north of the bomber stream also caused some diversion of German effort. Bomber crews noticed that flak over the target was unusually restrained, with the German fighters obviously being given priority. 20 aircraft - all Lancasters - were lost, 5.2 per cent of the bomber force. The target was again cloud-covered and the Pathfinders carried out skymarking, but many of the Main Force crews aimed their bombs through the cloud at the glow of 11 major fires still burning from the previous night. Much further destruction was caused in Berlin.
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Lancaster - JB528
03-Nov-43 – Dusseldorf – Lancaster – JB528 – W/O NH Frost
18-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB528 – F/O JD Johnston
22-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB528 – F/O JD Johnston
23-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB528 – F/O JD Johnston - FTR - Night fighter victim - Crashed at Grebs, Germany.
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Doug Clark
It is believed Douglas Clark originally came from Yorkshire, England. At some stage in his life his parents moved to Basingstoke, Hampshire where he married and also joined the local Territorial Royal Artillery unit.
At the outbreak of war Doug, Nobby as he was known to his friends, was posted with his unit to Southampton where they formed B Troop, 217 Battery, 72nd Regiment, Royal Artillery.
Equipped with the 3.7 inch Heavy Anti Aircraft gun they were constantly in action throughout the Battle of Britain and the early part of the war.
Doug applied for a transfer to the Royal Air Force as an air gunner and was accepted for training eventually being posted to 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit at Lindholme and then to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds with Johnston's crew on the 27th August 1943.
Item compiled by David Fell. Top photo from my archive. Clark photo courtesy of Ron Heilbron
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