P/O Thomas E Astbury RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1944
Crashed on Return – 22/23rd April 1944 – Avro Lancaster I – LL913 – Op Dusseldorf.
Thomas Astbury and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds from 11 Base on the 4th April 1944. They were lost on their second operation. See below
18-Apr-44 – Rouen – Lancaster – ND638 – P/O TE Astbury
22-Apr-44 – Dusseldorf – Lancaster – LL913 – P/O TE Astbury - Crashed on return. Flew into the side of a hill near Thorpe Hall near Driffield
There is a good page about this on this incident on the Yorkshire Aircraft website here.
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P/O Thomas Edwin Astbury RAFVR - Pilot – 20 – 103 Sqn - Son of George and Ethel Astbury of Chester - Chester Overleigh Cemetery, Chester
Sgt Cyril Whittle RAFVR – Flight Engineer - 23 – 103 Sqn - Son of John William and Elizabeth Whittle, of Higher Irlam - Newchurch Churchyard, Lancashire
F/S Donald Hopkins RAFVR – Navigator - 21 – 103 Sqn - Son of Bertram E. Hopkins and Lizzie Hopkins of Jesmond, Newcastle-on-Tyne - Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire
F/S Aubrey Hogg RAAF - Air Gunner - 23 – 103 Sqn - Son of the Revd. Edward Hogg and Mary Annie Hogg of Bayswater, Western Australia - Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery, Yorkshire
Sgt Donald Arthur William Leftly RAFVR – Air Bomber - 103 Sqn - Leyton Churchyard, Essex
Sgt Anthony Jervis RAFVR – Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - 21 – 103 Sqn - Son of William Jervis and of Grace Ella Jervis (nee Kingshott), of North Wembley - St.Pancras Cemetery, London
Sgt William Brodie Graham RAF – Air Gunner - 24 – 103 Sqn - Son of James and Eleanor Graham; husband of Betty Graham of Tolworth, Surbiton, Surrey - Buchanan Churchyard Ext, Stirlingshire
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22-Apr-44 – Dusseldorf
103 Squadron detailed 15 aircraft for this attack on the German city of Dusseldorf. Take off was marred by one 576 Squadron aircraft swinging on take off and firing the port outer engine. This necessitated changing runway and only 13 of our aircraft were able to take off. Visibility and general weather was good on the way to the target. At the beginning of the attack searchlights were few and flak slight but increased as the attack progressed. The marking was very good and the attack seemed well concentrated. Sticks of incendiaries falling away from the target were reported again. Fighter flares were well in evidence on this raid. Bombing was between 18000 ft and 23000 ft. P/O MacDonald and P/O Chase had combats with night fighters but successfully evaded. P/O Astbury crashed on return to this country and the whole crew were killed. F/L Allwood was shot up by a fighter and landed at Woodbridge. All other aircraft returned to base. F/O Leggett had to cancel his sorties as on turret was completely unserviceable and P/O Mitchell could not take off owing to the change of runways and delay.
For this attack on Dusseldorf Bomber Command detailed a total of 596 aircraft - 323 Lancasters, 254 Halifaxes, 19 Mosquitos - of all groups except No 5. 29 aircraft - 16 Halifaxes and 13 Lancasters - lost, 4.9 percent of the force. 2,150 tons of bombs were dropped in this old-style heavy attack on a Nazi city which caused much destruction but also allowed the German night-fighter force to penetrate the bomber stream. The attack fell mostly in the northern districts of Dusseldorf. Widespread damage was caused.
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Lancaster – LL913
This machine was lost on its 2nd operation. See below
18-Apr-44 – Rouen – Lancaster – LL913 – S/L H Swanston
22-Apr-44 – Dusseldorf – Lancaster – LL913 – P/O TE Astbury - Crashed on return. Flew into the side of a hill near Thorpe Hall near Driffield.
Item compiled by David Fell
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