Sgt Stanley J Vickery RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1942
Failed to Return – 23/24th June 1942 – Vickers Wellington IC – DV831 – Mining Amelande/Dutch Coast
Stan Vickery ( pictured above ) was posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds in the spring of 1942 and flew the following operations :
03-Jun-42 – Dieppe – Wellington – DV831 – Sgt SJ Vickery
22-Jun-42 – Emden – Wellington – DV831 – Sgt SJ Vickery
23-Jun-42 - Amelande/Dutch coast – Wellington – DV831 – Sgt SJ Vickery – FTR – Night fighter victim. Crashed in sea off Amelande.
Claim by Oblt Helmut Lent Stab II/NJG2 - Sea North West of Vlieland (Tiger?) at 01:46.
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Sgt Stanley John Vickery RAFVR – 29 – 103 Sqn - Son of William J. and Ada Vickery; husband of Margaret P. Vickery, of Bedminster, Somerset - Runnymede Memorial
Sgt John William RAFVR – 22 - 103 Sqn - Son of Alfred John and Lilian Ellen Moss Runnymede Memorial
F/S Geoffrey Charles Evans RCAF - 103 Sqn - Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Henry Edward Arthur Willey RAFVR – 27 - 103 Sqn - Husband of Peggy Willey of Morden, Surrey - Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Edward William Baker RAFVR – 21 - 103 Sqn - Son of Louis Joseph and May Elizabeth Baker of Abbey Wood, Kent - Runnymede Memorial
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23-Jun-42 - Amelande/Dutch coast
This was a big mining effort by 103 Squadron with 11 aircraft involved. The mines were to be laid in the area of the island of Amelande off the Dutch coast. Weather over the route to the target area was fair. However visibility off the Dutch coast was poor due to thick haze and at 1000 ft 8/10ths and 10/10ths cloud was reported. 9 aircraft returned to base safely with those of Sgt S J Vickery and Sgt T W B Emmott missing. 2 crews were unable to identify the drop area.
On this night Bomber Command detailed 14 Wellingtons and Stirlings to attack St Nazaire but only 3 crews bombed the target. 52 aircraft minelaying off Lorient, Verdon and St Nazaire and also the Frisians. 3 aircraft failed to return
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Wellington DV831.
This machine had a short career and was lost after just over a month on its 12th operation.
19-May-42 - St Nazaire – Wellington – DV831 – F/S EBW Apperley - Found target after some time and bombed from 10,000ft. Bombs seen to fall across the dock area.
30-May-42 – Cologne – Wellington – DV831 – F/S EBW Apperley
01-Jun-42 – Essen – Wellington – DV831 – F/S EBW Apperley
03-Jun-42 – Dieppe – Wellington – DV831 – Sgt SJ Vickery
05-Jun-42 – Essen – Wellington – DV831 – F/S EBW Apperley
06-Jun-42 – Emden – Wellington – DV831 – F/S EBW Apperley
08-Jun-42 – Essen – Wellington – DV831 – F/S EBW Apperley
11-Jun-42 - Ameland/Dutch coast – Wellington – DV831 – F/S EBW Apperley
19-Jun-42 - Ameland/Dutch coast – Wellington – DV831 – Sgt BA Day
19-Jun-42 – Emden – Wellington – DV831 – Sgt BA Day
22-Jun-42 – Emden – Wellington – DV831 – Sgt SJ Vickery
23-Jun-42 - Amelande/Dutch coast – Wellington – DV831 – Sgt SJ Vickery – FTR - Night fighter victim. Crashed in sea off Amelande.
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Letter by Stan Vickery to his father regarding the Thousand Bomber Raids in which he participated
“I have an hour to spare before going off and having written to my wife and mother as well to let you know that after Cologne and Essen and has I am still OK.
No one other than those over the targets will ever know really what happened on Saturday night and last night. We went in at Cologne with the second phase and even then it was a sight that made you say God help them down below. We carried incendiaries to get the place blazing for the heavies with their big beautiful bombs. The ground defences you could see just didn't know what to do. They just slapped it all in the air hoping to hit something. We did get held in the searchlights but by diving at 250 miles per hour and swerving we just got out of it. Coming back and I could see the fires going from 120 miles away. Actually there was a fair amount of accurate flak but the greatest danger was keeping out of the way of other aircraft. In fact over Essen another Wellington missed us by not more than 30 feet going like hell for home. It is impossible for me to try and describe either of the raids. It was a sight for all it meant of sheer grandeur.
Anyhow I hope to make a quick visit in a few weeks' time and see you.
Well I am a busy man so must say cheerio and let's be hearing from you when you have a spare moment. I dedicated that raid to Bristol so you can say at least "Multilich" made one good fire there.
All of the best
Stan”
Item compiled by David Fell with thanks to John Jones. Photos and letter courtesy of the Vickery family
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