F/L Robert Gillespie RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds - 1942
Failed to Return – 12/13th April 1942 – Vickers Wellington IC - W5664 – Op Essen
Robert Gillespie was posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds from 23 Operational Training Unit, Pershore on the 9th October 1941.
He then flew 7 operations as co-pilot in the crew of S/L Oliver Godfrey starting on the 16th October with an attack on shipping and harbour installations at Dunkirk. By the beginning of March 1941 he had attained the rank of Flight Lieutenant and was made captain of his own crew flying the following operations :-
08-Mar-42 - Essen - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie – Did not take off - Burst tyre.
09-Mar-42 - Essen - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie - Approached by night fighter which came out of search light belt. Evasive action. Wireless transmitter unserviceable on return - Landed at Docking
25-Mar-42 - Essen - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie – Early return- Gyro unserviceable
27-Mar-42 - St Nazaire - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie - Took off from Pershore. Unable to locate primary due to 10/10ths cloud cover down to below 500 ft.
02-Apr-42 - Poissy - Wellington - Z1152 - F/L R Gillespie
05-Apr-42 – Cologne - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie.
07-Apr-42 - Essen - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie
08-Apr-42 - Hamburg - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie
10-Apr-42 - Essen - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie
12-Apr-42 - Essen - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie – FTR - Crashed into North Sea.
….......
F/L Robert Gillespie RAF – Pilot – 23 – 103 Sqn - Son of Percy and Eliza Mary Gillespie, of Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland - Runnymede Memorial
F/O Roye Wilmott Brown RAAF – 23 – 103 Sqn - Son of James Egbert Sumner Brown and Mabel Victoria Brown, of Ascot, Queensland, Australia - Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Frank White RAFVR – 25 - 103 Sqn - Son of Richard and Mary White; husband of Marjorie Beatrice White, of Leicester - Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Edward Ernest Fairhurst RAFVR – 103 Sqn - Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Cerris Moseley RAFVR ( Pictured above ) – 22 – 103 Sqn - Son of John Emlyn Moseley and Ellen Burne Moseley, of Rhymney, Monmouthshire - Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Duncan Campbell RAFVR – Air Gunner – 34 – 103 Sqn - Son of Robert Campbell, and of Ann Campbell, of Kinnaird, Perthshire – Flushing Vlissingen Northern Cemetery
Lost without trace. Crashed somewhere in the sea off the Dutch coast. Reason unknown.
..........
12-Apr-42 - Essen
103 Squadron detailed 9 aircraft for this attack for this attack on the German City of Essen. The weather was fair with little cloud but owing to the extreme darkness and usual ground haze target identification was impossible. Search lights and heavy flak were very concentrated with 3 aircraft damaged. No fighters were reported. 2 aircraft returned early due to generator and rear turret issues
For this attack on Esseen Bomber Command detailed 251 aircraft with 10 lost. Post raid analysis showed little damage to the Krupp works other than 1 large fire and most of the bombing fell in surrounding localities.
….......
Wellington W5664
16-Dec-41 - Wilhelmshaven - Wellington – W5664 - P/O KH Wallis
03-Mar-42 - Paris - Wellington - W5664 - F/S FS Martin
08-Mar-42 - Essen - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie – Did not take off - Burst tyre.
09-Mar-42 - Essen - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie - Approached by night fighter which came out of search light belt. Evasive action. Wireless transmitter unserviceable on return. Landed at Docking
13-Mar-42 – Cologne – Wellington - W5664 - P/O JH Gilby – Did not take off - Cancelled by Group
25-Mar-42 - Essen - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie – Early return - Gyro unserviceable
27-Mar-42 - St Nazaire - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie - Took off from Pershore. Unable to locate primary due to 10/10ths cloud cover down to below 500 ft.
05-Apr-42 - Cologne - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie
07-Apr-42 - Essen - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie
08-Apr-42 - Hamburg - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie
10-Apr-42 - Essen - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie
12-Apr-42 - Essen - Wellington - W5664 - F/L R Gillespie – FTR - Crashed into North Sea.
Item compiled by David Fell. Photo courtesy of the Moseley family
….................
|
