F/O Lincoln Hole RAAF and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1945
Failed to Return – 4/5th April 1945 – Avro Lancaster I – LM177 – Op Kullen Sound/Kattegat
Lincoln Hole ( pictured above ) and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds from heavy Conversion Unit 71 Base on the 20th February 1945. They were lost on their 10th operation. See below :-
08-Mar-45 - Kassel - Lancaster - RF193 - F/O L Hole RAAF
11-Mar-45 - Essen - Lancaster - ME698 - F/O L Hole RAAF
12-Mar-45 - Dortmund - Lancaster - RF193 - F/O L Hole RAAF
15-Mar-45 - Misburg - Lancaster - RF193 - F/O L Hole RAAF
16-Mar-45 - Nuremberg - Lancaster - RF193 - F/O L Hole RAAF
19-Mar-45 - Hanau - Lancaster - RF193 - F/O L Hole RAAF
21-Mar-45 - Bremen - Lancaster - RF193 - F/O L Hole RAAF
24-Mar-45 - Harpenerweg - Lancaster - RF193 - F/O L Hole RAAF
27-Mar-45 - Paderborn - Lancaster - RF193 - F/O L Hole RAAF
04-Apr-45 - Kullen Sound/Kattegat - Lancaster - LM177 - F/O L Hole RAAF – FTR - Probable night fighter victim. Lost without trace
4 of the Lincoln Hole crew - L to R - Jeffrey, Hole, Hodge and Shannon
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F/O Lincoln Hole RAAF – Pilot - 27 – 103 Sqn - Son of Samuel Kenneth and Sarah Ann Hole, of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Edmund Kelly RAFVR - 21 - 103 Sqn - Son of John and Alice Kelly - Runnymede Memorial
F/S Sidney Alexander Jeffrey RAAF ( pictured above ) - 20 - 103 Sqn - Son of Thomas Alexander Jeffrey and Lilian Agnes Jeffrey of St. Kilda, Victoria, Australia - Runnymede Memorial
F/S Charles John Hodge RAAF - 26 - 103 Sqn - Son of John Henry and Eleanor Jane Hodge; husband of Leona Joy Hodge of Unley, South Australia - Runnymede Memorial
F/S Stanley David Pearce RAAF - 20 - 103 Sqn - Son of Stanley Gray Pearce and Jean Elizabeth V. Pearce of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia - Runnymede Memorial
F/O Vivian Lawrence Vallentine RAAF - 23 - 103 Sqn - Son of Vivian Gray Johnstone Vallentine and Eileen Helen Vallentine of St Kilda, Victoria, Australia - Runnymede Memorial
F/S Evan Frederick Shannon RAAF - 22 - 103 Sqn - Son of Cyril and Violet Blanche Shannon of Emerald, Queensland, Australia - Runnymede Memorial
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04-Apr-45 - Kullen Sound/Kattegat.
103 Squadron detailed 5 aircraft for this minelaying operation in the Kattegat. All took off in fair weather and on arrival in the target area it was found to be quite clear. Our aircraft laid their mines by H2S radar in their allotted areas. Mines were laid from 15000 ft. Defences consisted of flak over land and enemy fighters were also observed. Three aircraft were seen to go down and F/O Hole and crew are missing from this operation. The remaining aircraft returned and landed safely at Base in fair weather.
Bomber Command detailed a number of minor operations of this night as follows :- 35 Mosquitos to Berlin and 31 to Magdeburg, 70 RCM sorties, 66 Mosquito patrols, 30 Lancasters minelaying in the Oslo Fjord and the Kattegat. 5 aircraft lost. 12 Mosquitos from the Magdeburg raid and 3 Lancasters of No 1 Group from the Kattegat minelaying operation. The 136 aircraft dispatched by No 100 Group on this night were that group's largest effort of the war.
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Lancaster - LM177
This machine had given very long and excellent service and was lost on its 91st operation. It was first flown on operations by F/L W Nixon and crew back in June 1944. See below.
22-Jun-44 - Mimoyecques - Lancaster - LM177 – F/L W Nixon
LM177 was the top scoring 103 Squadron Lancaster lost on operations. None of the others 103 Squadron losses were anywhere near 91.
Item compiled by David Fell with photos courtesy of the late Mr Mackay in Australia and the Australian Archives
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