Stanley Francis Gage DFC RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron - 1943
Stanley Gage and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds on the 19th May 1943 from 1662 Heavy Conversion Unit for flying duties. The crew was as follows and flew pretty much unchanged throughout their tour :-
Sgt S F Gage
Sgt J M Stewart
Sgt H L Dawson
Sgt R J Westwood
Sgt D Major
Sgt V G Heath
P/O F J A Bieber
Details of tour below :-
23-May-43 - Dortmund - Point of Aim -Lancaster - ED884 - Sgt SF Gage
25-May-43 - Dusseldorf - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ED713 - Sgt SF Gage
27-May-43 - Essen - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ED751 - Sgt SF Gage
29-May-43 - Wuppertal - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ED713 - Sgt SF Gage
16-Jun-43 - Cologne - Point of Aim - Lancaster - W5012 - Sgt SF Gage
21-Jun-43 - Krefeld - Point of Aim - Lancaster - W5012 - Sgt SF Gage
22-Jun-43 - Mulheim - Point of Aim - Lancaster - W5012 - Sgt SF Gage
24-Jun-43 - Wuppertal - Point of Aim - Lancaster - W5012 - Sgt SF Gage
25-Jun-43 - Gelsenkirchen - Point of Aim - Lancaster - W5012 - Sgt SF Gage
28-Jun-43 - Cologne - Point of Aim - Lancaster - W5012 - W/O SF Gage
08-Jul-43 - Cologne - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ED913 - W/O SF Gage
09-Jul-43 - Gelsenkirchen - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ED913 - W/O SF Gage
12-Jul-43 - Turin - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ED713 - W/O SF Gage - Landed at Exeter
27-Jul-43 - Hamburg - Operation Gomorrah - Lancaster - DV220 - W/O SF Gage
29-Jul-43 - Hamburg - Operation Gomorrah - Lancaster - DV220 - W/O SF Gage
30-Jul-43 - Remscheid - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV220 - W/O SF Gage
02-Aug-43 - Hamburg - Operation Gomorrah - Lancaster - DV220 - W/O SF Gage - Bombed Bremerhaven.
07-Aug-43 - Turin - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV220 - W/O SF Gage
09-Aug-43 - Mannheim - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV220 - W/O SF Gage
10-Aug-43 - Nuremberg - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV220 - W/O SF Gage
12-Aug-43 - Milan - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV220 - W/O SF Gage
15-Aug-43 - Milan - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV220 - W/O SF Gage
17-Aug-43 - Peenemunde - V weapons research centre - Lancaster - DV220 - W/O SF Gage
22-Aug-43 - Leverkusen - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV220 - W/O SF Gage
23-Aug-43 - Berlin - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV220 - W/O SF Gage
27-Aug-43 - Nuremberg - Point of Aim - Lancaster - DV220 - W/O SF Gage
This was a hard tour to distant targets starting during the Battle of the Ruhr which was a testing experience for a new crew
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On the 5th September Bieber posted to 81 OTU for training duties and I presume the rest of the crew were similarly posted.
Stanley Gage was awarded a DFC which was Gazetted on the 3rd November 1943. He remained in the RAF post war and was promoted to Flight Lieutenant in August 1950. In the August 1955 he relinquished his commission.
Compiled by David Fell with photo from Gary Wright and the Gage family.
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