P/O Mervyn S Lund RNZAF and crew – 103 Squadron - RAF Newton – 1941
Failed to Return - 24th June 1941 – Vickers Wellington IC – R1397 – Op Emden
Mervyn Lund from Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand was posted to 103 Sqn, then at Newton, from 20 OTU Lossiemouth 3rd April 1941. He flew 8 ops ( shown below ) as co-pilot before being promoted to captain of his own crew.
6th April 1941 – Brest - F/L Havers and crew.
15th April 1941 – Kiel – S/L Mellor and crew.
10th May 1941 – Hamburg – P/O Ball and crew.
15th June 1941 - Hanover – P/O Ball and crew.
12th June 1941 – Osnabruck – F/L Kelly and crew.
16th June 1941 – Duisberg - P/O Ball and crew.
17th June 1941 - Duisberg – P/O Ball and crew.
20th June 1941 - Kiel – P/O Ball and crew.
Havers, Mellor, Ball and Kelly were all experienced bomber pilots with good crews.
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Lund was promoted to captain of his own crew in late June 41 and flew the following operations
05-Jul-41 - Amsterdam - Wellington - X9609 - Sgt MS Lund RNZAF
07-Jul-41 - Cologne - Wellington - X9675 - Sgt MS Lund RNZAF
08-Jul-41 - Bielefeld - Wellington - X9675 - Sgt MS Lund RNZAF - Unable to locate primary. Bombed Osnabruck.
10-Jul-41 - Cologne - Wellington - X9609 - Sgt MS Lund RNZAF
14-Jul-41 - Bremen - Wellington - R1217 - Sgt MS Lund RNZAF
On the 24th July 1941 6 specially selected crews from 103 Squadron took part in an important daylight attack on the German capital ships, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at Brest France. Sgt John Bucknole and crew were lost on this operation.
On the night of the 24/25th July 1941 6 other 103 Squadron crews were detailed to attack Emden and one other to Cherbourg.
The now commissioned P/O Lund and his crew failed to return from this operation.
24-Jul-41 - Emden - Wellington - R1397 – P/O MS Lund RNZAF - FTR - Crashed outside village of Bozum, Frisian, Holland
It is reported they were a victim of the German night fighter ace Oblt Helmut Lent of NJG4/I
The crew were all killed.
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P/O Mervyn Sydney Lund RNZAF – Pilot - 23 – 103 Sqn - Son of Gustaf Emanuel and Mary Ann Lund, of Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand – Leeuwarden Northern General Cemetery, Netherlands
Lund's brother Clarence Patrick Lund was killed flying with 7 Squadron on the 29th June 1942
Sgt Arthur Edward Owen RAFVR – Pilot - 25 – 103 Sqn - Son of Albert Joseph and Nellie Owen, of Birmingham - Leeuwarden Northern General Cemetery, Netherlands
Arthur Edward Owen, of Mosely, Birmingham joined the RAF early in the war. He completed his training as an Air Gunner and joined 600 Squadron at Manston in June 1940 and flew two sorties as an Air Gunner during the Battle of Britain on Blenheim night fighters - 30th August and 5th September.
Sgt John James Cox RAFVR - Observer - 24 – 103 Sqn - Son of William James Cox and Olive Marion Cox, of Knowle, Bristol - Leeuwarden Northern General Cemetery, Netherlands.
Sgt Roy Penry Williams RAFVR - Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - 21 – 103 Sqn - Son of Robert Penry Williams, and of Keturah Williams, of Bridgend, Glamorgan - Leeuwarden Northern General Cemetery, Netherlands.
Sgt AJ Le Poidevin RAFVR – Wireless Operator / Air Gunner – 23 – 103 Sqn - Son of John Le Poidevin and Alice May Le Poidevin (nee Baskett) - Leeuwarden Northern General Cemetery, Netherlands.
Alfred Le Poidevin was one of four Jersey Islanders who were lost with 103 Sqn in WW2. The other others were Arthur Haines, Philip Picot and Stephen Labern.
Sgt Frank Gordon Walker RAFVR - Air Gunner – 30 – 103 Sqn - Son of Frank and Annie Walker, of Hornsea, Yorkshire - Leeuwarden Northern General Cemetery, Netherlands.
For many years Lund and his crew were listed as missing but after great perseverance and considerable work by Dutch researchers it was established that the crew were buried as Unknowns in the Leeuwarden Northern General Cemetery. This was acknowledged by the RAF and CWGC in 2015 and new headstones were erected and dedicated with due ceremony sometime after.
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24-Jul-41 - Emden
103 Squadron detailed 6 aircraft for this attack on the German port of Emden There was a slight fog over the North Sea but clear at the Dutch coast and visibility over the target was good. All aircraft located the target and reported seeing their bombs burst over the docks. Many fires were started. Opposition was intense with light and heavy flak accurate up to 12000 ft and 16000 ft respectively. Considerable quantities of coloured tracer were fired. Nothing was heard of P/O Lund and crew after they had sent a message that they had bombed the target. All other aircraft returned to base.
For this attack on Emden Bomber Command detailed 47 aircraft with 2 Wellingtons lost. No reports available
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Wellington R1397
This machine was lost on its 7th operation
25-Feb-41 – Dusseldorf – Wellington – R1397 – F/O RD Max
28-Feb-41 – Wilhelmshaven – Wellington – R1397 – F/O RD Max
03-Mar-41 – Cologne – Wellington – R1397 – F/O RD Max
14-Mar-41 – Gelsenkirchen – Wellington – R1397 – W/C CE Littler
08-May-41 – Bremen – Wellington – R1397 – P/O Anderson - Combat. Attacked several times by twin engined night fighters outbound. Port wing damaged. Bombed Texel. Run spoilt by further attentions of enemy aircraft.
24-Jul-41 – Emden – Wellington – R1397 – Sgt MS Lund RNZAF – FTR - Crashed outside village of Bozum, Frisian, Holland
Item written by David Fell with photo courtesy of the Auckland Museum ( Photo from The Weekly News; 6 August 1941 - This image may be subject to copyright )
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