S/L Leonard Ollier DFC AFM RAF and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1944
Failed to Return – 27/28th May 1944 – Avro Lancaster III – ND362 – Op Aachen
Ollier Crew
Leonard Ollier was a pre war regular and former Halton Brat. I recall being told that his Air Force Medal was awarded in 1942 for making an emergency landing whilst flying a Miles aircraft ( Magister or Master ) on a beach in Wales somewhere. This was gazetted in January 1942. He had already flown a tour with 101 Squadron and was awarded a DFC, gazetted in November 1942, before being posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds with his crew on the 1st May 1944 from 11 Base. Regrettably this crew were lost on their 4th operation. See below :-
09-May-44 - Mardyck - Lancaster - ND700 - S/L L Ollier
21-May-44 - Duisburg - Lancaster - ND362 - S/L L Ollier - Hit by flak
23-May-44 - Aalborg Borg - Lancaster - ND362 - S/L L Ollier
27-May-44 - Aachen - Lancaster - ND362 - S/L L Ollier - FTR - Lost without trace.
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S/L Leonard Ollier DFC AFM RAF - 28 – 103 Sqn - Son of Frank and Florence Ollier; husband of Margaret Ollier of Nantwich, Cheshire – Runnymede Memorial
Sgt John Ray RAFVR ( pictured below ) - 23 - 103 Sqn - Son of Carlo and Ann Ray of Navenby, Lincolnshire – Runnymede Memorial
F/S Frederick Charles Mustoe RAFVR - 27 - 103 Sqn - Son of Frederick William and Jane Mustoe; husband of Joan Christine Mustoe of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire – Runnymede Memorial
F/O Gordon Patrick James Kimmins RCAF ( pictured below ) - 33 - 103 Sqn - Son of Patrick M. and Mary F. Kimmins of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada – Runnymede Memorial
F/S William Alfred Clevey RAFVR ( pictured below ) - 22 - 103 Sqn - Son of Thomas and Florence Clevey; husband of Rose Hannah Clevey of Gilfach, Glamorgan – Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Marco Joseph Henry Vedovato RAFVR - 103 Sqn - Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Neville Philip Warlow RAFVR - 19 - 103 Sqn - Son of John and Maud Alice Warlow of Swanscombe, Kent – Runnymede Memorial
Sgt John Ray
John was a joiners apprentice from the south Lincolnshire area. His father and grandfather were of Italian origin and the family served in a variety of rolls during WW2.
F/O Gordon Kimmins
F/S William Alfred Clevey
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Possible claim by one of the following pilots:-
Hptm Ernst-Wilhelm Modrow 2/NJG1 - Box Biber (Brielle/Oostvoorne): 2,000m at 02:25.
Lt Gerhard Wagner 8/NJG5 - Sea North West of Oostende (LF): 3,000m at 03:26.
Lt Otto Keller 9/NJG5 - Sea 30-50km North West of Oostende: 3,000m at 03:26.
Per John Jones
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27-May-44 - Aachen
103 Squadron detailed 12 aircraft for this attack on the railway yards at the German city of Aachen. Weather for take off was excellent and all aircraft took off safely. Weather continued good throughout the whole route with good visibility. The target was hazy and on return to base the visibility was poor but 10 aircraft landed safely. At the target flak was reported as slight but quite a lot of fighters were observed. A new method of bombing was employed. On the last leg into the target the aircraft dived at 1400 ft per minute to bomb at 10000 ft. The Musical Paramatta technique of marking was employed by the Pathfinders. Bombing was from between 10000 ft to 16000 ft.A spoof attack on Dusseldorf was laid on and was quite successful but searchlights were showing enemy fighters the main bombing stream. F/L Allwood was chased by a rocket. F/O Broadbent had an encounter with an enemy fighter. Gunners opened fire but no claim was made. The fighter did not return to the attack. S/L Ollier and crew and F/L Leggett and crew are missing from this operation.
For this attack on the Rothe Erde railway yards at Aachen Bomber Command detailed a total of 162 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitos of Nos 1, 3 and 8 Groups. 12 Lancasters lost, 7.0 per cent of the force. The railway lines at the yards, which were not seriously hit in the raid of 2 nights earlier, were now severely damaged and all through traffic was halted. A large proportion of delayed-action bombs were dropped. The local people were impressed that the whole raid only lasted 12 minutes.
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Lancaster - ND362
This machine was lost on its 4th operation. See below :-
19-May-44 - Orleans - Lancaster - ND362 - F/O DA Josey
21-May-44 - Duisburg - Lancaster - ND362 - S/L L Ollier - Hit by flak
23-May-44 - Aalborg Borg - Lancaster - ND362 - S/L L Ollier
27-May-44 - Aachen - Lancaster - ND362 - S/L L Ollier - FTR - Lost without trace.
Item compiled by David Fell. Newspaper cutting from Canadian Virtual War Memorial. Other photos from the Ray family and Derek Gordon. Also thanks to John Jones
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