Reginald J Bunten RAFVR and crew – 103 Sqn 166 Sqn - 1943
Reg Bunten's crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds in early May 1943.
The crew ( all Sergeants ) consisted of
Reg Bunten,
Norman Ashton,
Corky Corcoran,
Bill Bailey,
R T Boys,
Eddie Smith
Doug Wilkinson
Crew - L to R, Ashton, Corcoran, Smith, Bunten, Boys, Wilkinson and Bailey
Their tour was as follows :-
23-May-43 – Dortmund - Point of Aim - Lancaster ED713 Sgt RJ Bunten
23-May-43 - Dortmund - Point of Aim - Lancaster ED773 Sgt RJ Bunten
25-May-43 - Dusseldorf - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ED751 - Sgt RJ Bunten
29-May-43 - Wuppertal - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ED396 - Sgt RJ Bunten
11-Jun-43 - Dusseldorf - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ED396 - Sgt RJ Bunten
12-Jun-43 - Bochum - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ED396 - Sgt RJ Bunten
03-Jul-43 - Cologne - Point of Aim - Lancaster - N/K - F/S RJ Bunten
06-Jul-43 - Minelaying - Gironde River - Mine laying - Lancaster - DV180 - F/S RJ Bunten
08-Jul-43 - Cologne - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV180 - F/S RJ Bunten
09-Jul-43 - Gelsenkirchen - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV180 - F/S RJ Bunten
12-Jul-43 - Turin - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV180 - F/S RJ Bunten
27-Jul-43 - Hamburg - Operation Gomorrah - Lancaster - DV180 - W/O RJ Bunten
29-Jul-43 - Hamburg - Operation Gomorrah - Lancaster - DV180 - W/O RJ Bunten
30-Jul-43 - Remscheid - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ED731 - W/O RJ Bunten
02-Aug-43 - Hamburg - Operation Gomorrah - Lancaster - DV180 - W/O RJ Bunten - Engine trouble caused by severe icing
09-Aug-43 - Mannheim - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV180 - W/O RJ Bunten
10-Aug-43 - Nuremberg - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV180 - W/O RJ Bunten
14-Aug-43 - Milan - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV180 - W/O RJ Bunten
31-Aug-43 - Berlin - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV180 - W/O RJ Bunten
03-Sep-43 - Berlin - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV180 - W/O RJ Bunten
05-Sep-43 - Mannheim - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV180 - W/O RJ Bunten
06-Sep-43 - Munich - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV180 - W/O RJ Bunten
….......
At this point the crew were posted to 166 Squadron at nearby Kirmington to complete their tour
W/O RJ Bunton,
Sgt JN Ashton,
Sgt KB Corcoran
F/S EC Bailey
Sgt RT Boys
Sgt AE Smith
Sgt DR Wilkinson
18-Sep-43 - Hanover - Lancaster – DV180
23-Sep-43 – Mannheim – Lancaster - DV180
27-Sep-43 – Hanover – Lancaster - DV180
8-Oct-43 - Hanover – Lancaster - DV180
18-Oct-43 – Hanover – Lancaster - DV180
20-Oct-43 – Leipzig – Lancaster - DV180
22-Oct-43 – Kassel – Lancaster - DV180
At this point they were screened and went their separate ways.
Norman Ashton DFC RAFVR
Norman joined the RAF in 1940, qualified as an engine fitter and served with 1405 Met Flight at Aldergrove, Northern Ireland. In 1942 he volunteered for aircrew and trained as a Flight Engineer at St Athan. He was then posted to 1656 HCU at Lindholme and joined the crew of Reg Bunten.
On completion of his first tour he spent 6 months as an instructor and then was posted to 156 Pathfinder Squadron where he flew 25 operations which were completed just before VE Day.
By this time he was commissioned and awarded a DFC.
Post war he was a member of the crews that took part in an extended good will tour with ACM Sir Arthur Harris. The three Lancasters involved flew first to Brazil and then Nassau, Washington DC and Montreal. On return to the UK Norman left the RAF for civvy street.
Compiled by David Fell with reference to Norman Ashton's RAF bio – Only Birds and Fools
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