F/L John C Mc Rose DFC RAAF - 103 Squadron - RAF Elsham Wolds - 1942 - Pilot.
Failed to Return - 21/22nd December 1943 - Avro Lancaster I - W4787 - Op Munich.
John Rose and crew were posted to 103 Sqn in the summer of 1942 along with a number of prominent 103 crews.
Those of Geoff Maddern, Bunny Austin, Ken Berry, Keith Douglas and Johnnie Roper spring to mind.
He commenced his tour at the end of August 1942 and this ran as follows :-
27-Aug-42 - Kassel - Halifax - W1223 - P/O JC Rose
28-Aug-42 - Saarbrucken - Halifax - BB202 - P/O JC Rose
01-Sep-42 - Saarbrucken - Halifax - W7819 - P/O JC Rose
02-Sep-42 - Karlsruhe - Halifax- W7819 - P/O JC Rose
04-Sep-42 - Bremen - Halifax - W7819 - P/O JC Rose
07-Sep-42- Duisburg - Halifax - W7819 - P/O JC Rose
08-Sep-42- Frankfurt - Halifax - W7819 - P/O JC Rose
02-Oct-42- Krefeld - Halifax - W7819 - P/O JC Rose - TE NF sighted before reaching target. Gunner engaged and claimed as probable
05-Oct-42- Aachen - Halifax - W7819 - P/O JC Rose
06-Oct-42- Osnabruck - Halifax - DT482 - P/O JC Rose
13-Oct-42- Kiel - Halifax - W7819 - P/O JC Rose
15-Oct-42- Cologne - Halifax - W1188 - P/O JC Rose
24-Oct-42- Milan - Halifax - W7819 - P/O JC Rose -Combat. Attacked by twin engined night fighter. Jettisoned bombs and evaded into cloud. A/C badly damaged. 4 guns in rear turret and 1 in mid upper frozen solid. Extensive damaged to controls W/T and other accessories. Landed at Manston
22-Nov-42 - Stuttgart - Lancaster - W4333 - F/L JC Rose - Attacked train at Compiegne while returning. Believed badly damaged.
02-Dec-42 - Frankfurt - Lancaster - W4787 - F/L JC Rose - Diverted to Middleton-St-George.
06-Dec-42 - Mannheim - Lancaster - W4787 - F/L JCRose
09-Dec-42 - Turin - Lancaster - W4787 - F/L JC Rose
20-Dec-42 - Duisburg - Lancaster - W4787 - F/L JC Rose
21-Dec-42 - Munich - Lancaster - W4787 - F/L JC Rose - FTR - Crashed near Maubeuge, France
They completed 18 ops and lost on their 19th. 13 ops were on Halifaxes. John Rose was awarded an immediate DFC during this period.
The crew for their final op was :-
F/L John Colin McIntosh Rose DFC RAAF - Pilot - 21 – 103 Sqn - Son of Charles William and Thirza Mary Rose, of East Malvern, Victoria, Australia - Maubeuge-Centre Cemetery, France
Sgt Frank John Fisher RAF – Flight Engineer – 103 Sqn - Maubeuge-Centre Cemetery, France
Sgt Gordon Thomas Hawkins RAF – Air Bomber - 27 – 103 Sqn - Son of Thomas Gordon Hawkins and Winifred Ann Hawkins, of Wembley, Middlesex - Maubeuge-Centre Cemetery, France
Sgt Peter Laird Donald RAFVR – Navigator - 20 – 103 Sqn - Son of Laird Alexander Donald and Ida Emma Donald, of Coventry - Maubeuge-Centre Cemetery, France
F/S William Edward Ryan RAFVR – Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - 24 – 103 Sqn - Son of William Rose Ryan and Louisa Ryan, of Leeds, Yorkshire - Maubeuge-Centre Cemetery, France
Sgt Edward Jack Smith RAFVR – Air Gunner - 103 Sqn - Maubeuge-Centre Cemetery, France
Sgt Frederick Trimmer RAFVR – Air Gunner - 20- 103 Sqn - Son of Ethel Trimmer, of Finchley, Middlesex – Maubeuge-Centre Cemetery, France
They are buried at Maubauge-Centre Cemetery.
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103 Squadron detailed 11 aircraft for this attack on the German city of Munich. Unfortunately 10/10ths cloud was experienced over the target but as all the crews pin pointed on Lake Wurm and some crews saw built up areas with scattered fires it was thought the target was hit. Flak was moderate with no searchlight activity. All aircraft returned to base except F/L Rose and Sgt Bayliss and their crews.
For this attack on Munich Bomber Command detailed a total of 137 aircraft of 1 and 5 Groups and the Pathfinder Force - 119 Lancasters, 9 Stirlings, 9 Wellingtons. 12 aircraft - 8 Lancasters, 3 Stirlings, 1 Wellington - lost, 8.8 per cent of the force. 110 aircraft claimed to have bombed Munich and started fires but their photographs showed that all or most of the bombs fell in open country, possibly attracted by a decoy site.
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Lancaster W4787
This machine was lost on its 5th operation.
02-Dec-42 – Frankfurt – Lancaster – W4787 – F/L JC Rose RAAF - Diverted to Middleton-St-George.
06-Dec-42 – Mannheim – Lancaster – W4787 – F/L JC Rose RAAF
08-Dec-42 - Helsingborg/Kullen Sound – Lancaster – W4787 – Sgt JV Roper – Did not take off – Aircraft unserviceable.
09-Dec-42 – Turin – Lancaster – W4787 – F/L JC Rose RAAF
20-Dec-42 – Duisburg – Lancaster – W4787 – F/L JC Rose RAAF
21-Dec-42 – Munich – Lancaster – W4787 – F/L JC Rose RAAF – FTR - Crashed near Maubeuge, France.
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Written by David Fell. Photo courtesy of the Rose family via Bernard in France
Bernard in France wishes to contact family of the crew of F/L J C Mc Rose RAAF listed below KIA 21/22 December 1942. A memorial to this crew will be unveiled in August this year. Contact - David W Fell
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