F/O Robert Armstrong RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1944
Failed to Return – 28/29th July 1944 – Avro Lancaster III – ME799 – Op Stuttgart.
Robert Armstrong and crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds from Heavy Conversion Unit 11 Base on the 11th April 1944. This experienced crew were lost nearing the end of their tour :-
26-Apr-44 - Essen – Lancaster – JB733 – F/O R Armstrong
27-Apr-44 – Friedrichshafen – Lancaster – JB733 – F/O R Armstrong – Did not take off
03-May-44 – Mailly-le-Camp – Lancaster – LM538 – F/O R Armstrong
07-May-44 – Rennes-St-Jacques – Lancaster – LM538 – F/O R Armstrong
09-May-44 – Mardyck – Lancaster – LM538 – F/O R Armstrong
19-May-44 – Orleans – Lancaster – JB555 – F/O R Armstrong
21-May-44 – Duisburg – Lancaster – LM538 – F/O R Armstrong
02-Jun-44 – Calais – Lancaster – LM131 – F/O R Armstrong - Returned with full bomb load
03-Jun-44 – Wimereaux - Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
05-Jun-44 - St-Martin-de-Varreville/Crisbec Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
06-Jun-44 – Vire - Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
09-Jun-44 – Flers - Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
12-Jun-44 – Gelsenkirchen - Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
14-Jun-44 - Le Havre Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
16-Jun-44 – Sterkrade - Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
17-Jun-44 – Aulnoye - Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
22-Jun-44 – Mimoyecques - Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
23-Jun-44 – Saintes - Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
25-Jun-44 – Flers - Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
28-Jun-44 - Chateau Benapres - Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
29-Jun-44 – Domleger - Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
02-Jul-44 – Domleger - Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
04-Jul-44 – Orleans-les-Aubrais - Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
05-Jul-44 – Dijon - Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
07-Jul-44 – Caen - Lancaster - PA999 - F/O R Armstrong
18-Jul-44 - Scholven Buer - Lancaster – JB655 - F/O R Armstrong
20-Jul-44 – Wizernes - Lancaster – PB365 - F/O R Armstrong
23-Jul-44 – Kiel - Lancaster – PB147 - F/O R Armstrong
25-Jul-44 – Stuttgart - Lancaster – PB365 - F/O R Armstrong
28-Jul-44 – Stuttgart - Lancaster - ME799 - F/O R Armstrong – FTR - Night fighter victim. Crashed near Glonville, France
..........
Above - Back - L to R. Cyril Shaw - Navigator, Robert Armstrong - Pilot. Keith Kibbey - Air Gunner. Terry Holmwood - Air Bomber. Front, L to R. Albert Cutting - Air Gunner, Douglas Thomas - Wireless operator. Malcolm Macrae - Flight Engineer.
Above - The Armstrong crew - Robert Armstrong middle and Malcoln Macrae second from the right.
F/O Robert Armstrong RAFVR – Pilot - 20 – 103 Sqn - Son of William and Mary Armstrong of Camelon, Falkirk, Stirlingshire - Glonville Communal Cemetery, France
Sgt Malcolm E T Macrae RAFVR – 103 Sqn - Evaded capture until liberated by Allied forces in Oct 44
F/S A A Holmwood RAFVR – 103 Sqn – POW – Camp 9C – POW No 53392
F/S Cyril Shaw RAFVR – 103 Sqn - Evaded capture until liberated by Allied forces in Oct 44
Sgt Douglas Jerome Thomas RAFVR – Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - 103 Sqn - Glonville Communal Cemetery, France
Sgt Albert M B Cutting RAFVR – 103 Sqn – POW – Camp 9C/L7 – POW No 52466 – Broke leg
Sgt Keith Dawson Kibbey RAFVR – Air Gunner - 19 – 103 Sqn - Son of Maj. Frederick Victor Kibbey MC and Elizabeth Kibbey of Staple Hill, Gloucestershire - Glonville Communal Cemetery, France
..........
28-Jul-44 – Stuttgart
This attack is described in the Stuttgart 28/29th July 1944 Article in the relevant section here.
..........
Lancaster - ME799
This machine was lost on its 28th operation. See below :-
21-May-44 – Duisburg - Lancaster - ME799 – S/L FVP Van Rolleghem
22-May-44 – Dortmund - Lancaster - ME799 – S/L FVP Van Rolleghem - Combat. Attacked by 2 single engined night fighters. Evaded. Aircraft not damaged.
24-May-44 – Aachen - Lancaster - ME799 – S/L FVP Van Rolleghem
05-Jun-44 - St-Martin-de-Varreville/Crisbec Lancaster - ME799 – P/O A West
06-Jun-44 – Vire - Lancaster - ME799 – S/L FVP Van Rolleghem
09-Jun-44 – Flers - Lancaster - ME799 - F/L VG Gane - Unable to identify target so brought back bombs
12-Jun-44 – Gelsenkirchen - Lancaster - ME799 – S/L FVP Van Rolleghem
14-Jun-44 - Le Havre - Lancaster - ME799 – S/L FVP Van Rolleghem
16-Jun-44 – Sterkrade - Lancaster - ME799 - F/L JTA Marsden
17-Jun-44 – Aulnoye - Lancaster - ME799 – S/L FVP Van Rolleghem - Bombed on Gee fix
22-Jun-44 – Mimoyecques - Lancaster - ME799 – S/L FVP Van Rolleghem
23-Jun-44 – Saintes - Lancaster - ME799 - F/L VG Gane
25-Jun-44 – Flers - Lancaster - ME799 – S/L FVP Van Rolleghem
28-Jun-44 - Chateau Benapres - Lancaster - ME799 - F/L VG Gane
29-Jun-44 – Domleger - Lancaster - ME799 – S/L FVP Van Rolleghem
30-Jun-44 - Oisemont Neuville au Bois - Lancaster - ME799 - F/L VG Gane
02-Jul-44 – Domleger - Lancaster - ME799 – S/L FVP Van Rolleghem
04-Jul-44 – Orleans-les-Aubrais - Lancaster - ME799 - F/L VG Gane
05-Jul-44 – Dijon - Lancaster - ME799 – S/L FVP Van Rolleghem
07-Jul-44 – Caen - Lancaster - ME799 – S/L FVP Van Rolleghem
07-Jul-44 – Caen - Lancaster - ME799 - F/L VG Gane
12-Jul-44 – Revigny - Lancaster - ME799 - F/L VG Gane - Diverted due to rain and low cloud at base
17-Jul-44 – Sanneville - Lancaster - ME799 – S/L FVP Van Rolleghem
18-Jul-44 - Scholven Buer - Lancaster - ME799 - F/L VG Gane
20-Jul-44 – Wizernes - Lancaster - ME799 - F/L VG Gane
23-Jul-44 – Kiel - Lancaster - ME799 - F/O JB Moss
24-Jul-44 – Stuttgart - Lancaster - ME799 - F/L VG Gane
28-Jul-44 – Stuttgart - Lancaster - ME799 - F/O R Armstrong – FTR - Night fighter victim. Crashed near Glonville, France
Item compiled by David Fell with photos from my archive. Thanks to Wessel Scheer for the newspaper cutting from the Stirling Observer 31st August 1944
....................
|
