P/O John P Austin RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1944
Failed to Return – 18th August 1944 – Avro Lancaster III – PB363 – Op La Nieppe.
John Austin and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds from Heavy Conversion Unit 11 base on the 28th July 1944. They were lost on their 4th operation. See below :-
14-Aug-44 – Fontaine-le-Pin - Lancaster – LM243 - P/O JP Austin
15-Aug-44 - Le Culot - Lancaster – LM116 - P/O JP Austin
16-Aug-44 – Stettin - Lancaster - PB363 - P/O JP Austin
18-Aug-44 - La Nieppe - Lancaster - PB363 - P/O JP Austin – FTR - Flak victim. Crashed in the target area.
..........
P/O John Prescott Austin RAFVR – Pilot - 21 – 103 Sqn - Son of Sydney Thomas Austin, and Hilda Kate Austin, of Luton, Bedfordshire - Longuenesse St Omer Souvenir Cemetery, France
Sgt John Thomas Halliday RAFVR – 103 Sqn - POW - Camp L7 - POW No 707
Sgt Norman Harold Arthur Osmond RAFVR – 103 Sqn - POW - Camp - L7 - POW No 717
Sgt Philip James Potts RAFVR – 103 Sqn - POW - Camp L7 - POW No 719
Sgt Kenneth Graham Webb RAFVR – Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - 103 Sqn - Longuenesse St Omer Souvenir Cemetery, France
Sgt James Frank Wright RAFVR – 103 Sqn - POW - Camp L7 - POW No 687
Sgt Stanley Hamilton RAFVR – Air Gunner - 103 Sqn – 19 - Son of David Winstanley Hamilton and Lily Hamilton, of Cannock, Staffordshire - Longuenesse St Omer Souvenir Cemetery, France
..........
18-Aug-44 - La Nieppe
103 Squadron detailed 3 aircraft for this attack on V1 launching site at La Nieppe. The weather for take off was fine and continued good long the route. Unfortunately at the French coast they found 10/10th cloud and they descend to 5000 ft. They were successful in map reading to the target but found it heavily defended with light flak. In spite of this all crews pressed home the attack with the utmost vigour and bombs were seen to burst right in the target area. Bombing was from 5000 ft. F/O Austin is missing from this operation and a machine was seen to he shot down in flames just after releasing his bomb load. The 2 other aircraft landed safely at base but were shot up by flak with fortunately no personnel injuries.
For this attack on Stuttgart Bomber Command detailed a total of 64 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitos to oil-storage depots at Bordeaux and Ertvelde Rieme, near Ghent, 16 Halifaxes and 16 Lancasters to 7 small flying-bomb sites ( including La Nieppe ), 23 Lancasters to La Pallice U-boat pens. 2 Lancasters lost on the flying-bomb site raid.
..........
Lancaster - PB363
30-Jul-44 – Foret-de-Nieppe - Lancaster - PB363 - F/O CE Ansley RNZAF
31-Jul-44 - Le Havre - Lancaster - PB363 - F/O GR Haldane RCAF
01-Aug-44 – Belle-Croix-Les-Bruyeres - Lancaster - PB363 - F/O CE Ansley RNZAF
03-Aug-44 – Trossy-St-Maximin - Lancaster - PB363 - F/O CE Ansley RNZAF
04-Aug-44 – Pauillac - Lancaster - PB363 - F/O CE Ansley RNZAF
05-Aug-44 – Blaye - Lancaster - PB363 - F/O CE Ansley RNZAF - Base closed due to low cloud. Diverted to Ossington.
07-Aug-44 – Fontenay-le-Marmion - Lancaster - PB363 - F/O CE Ansley RNZAF
10-Aug-44 – Dugny - Lancaster - PB363 - F/O CE Ansley RNZAF
12-Aug-44 – Brunswick - Lancaster - PB363 - F/O CE Ansley RNZAF
16-Aug-44 – Stettin - Lancaster - PB363 - P/O JP Austin
18-Aug-44 - La Nieppe - Lancaster - PB363 - P/O JP Austin – FTR - Flak victim. Crashed in France
Compiled by David fell with photo courtesy of the late Phil Potts. Thanks also to John Jones for additional info
....................
|
