Albert H Young DFC RAFVR and crew – 576 Squadron – 1944
A rather good drawing of W/O Young from the IMW archive.
Albert Henry Young's crew were posted to 576 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds from 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit at Lindholme in February 1944. That was a snowy month at RAF Elsham Wolds which curtailed much of the training and operational flying. This crew started their tour with an operation to Frankfurt on the 18th March 1944 and completed in early July 1944. See details below. Berlin, Nuremberg, Friedrichshafen and Mailly stand out as hard ops.
Ever presents in his crew were – Air Bomber - F/O J L Ray, Navigator - W/O S S Pennington, Air Gunner - Sgt G E Fox, Air Gunner - Sgt A C Perkins
Wireless Operator Sgt J T Cookson flew 27 times with this crew. Ben Hudson flew as Wireless Operator with this crew on 2 occasions early on. Ben was killed with Ernest Presland's crew in 15/16th May 1944 on a mining trip to Kiel harbour.
Flight Engineer is shown as mostly Sgt B G F Smith and Sgt E Smith. Probably all BGF Smith as a Flight Engineer by the name of Edward Smith was killed with the Collis crew in 24/25th March 1944 – Berlin.
Young crew tour as follows :-
18/03/1944 - Frankfurt - Point of Aim - LL830 – F/S AR Young
22/03/1944 - Frankfurt - Point of Aim - ND385 – F/S AR Young
24/03/1944 - Berlin - Point of Aim - ND385 – F/S AR Young - Badly damaged by flak and a single engined night fighter. Evaded. Starboard outer mainplane severely damaged. Landed at Wittering. Aircraft Damaged beyond repair.
30/03/1944 – Nuremberg – Point of Aim – LM438 – F/S AR Young
10/04/1944 - Aulnoye - Railway yards - ND362 – F/S AR Young
20/04/1944 – Cologne – Point of Aim – ND362 – F/S AR Young
22/04/1944 - Dusseldorf - Point of Aim - ND362 – F/S AR Young – Damaged on take off - Took off at 2238. As aircraft became airborne the controls locked to starboard causing the aircraft to swing narrowly missing another machine. The pilot managed to regain control and touched down again but hit and damaged the nose of another aircraft which was damaged. ED767. No injuries and the aircraft was repaired on site.
24/04/1944 - Karlsruhe - Point of Aim - LL796 – F/S AR Young
26/04/1944 - Essen - Point of Aim - ME703 – F/S AR Young
27/04/1944 - Friedrichshafen - Point of Aim - ME703 – F/S AR Young
03/05/1944 - Mailly-le-Camp - Army base - ND362 - W/O AR Young
06/05/1944 - Aubigne Racan - Ammunition dump - ME792 – W/O AR Young
07/05/1944 - Rennes St Jacques - Airfield - ME792 – W/O AR Young
11/05/1944 - Hasselt - Railway yards - ME792 – W/O AR Young
02/06/1944 - Calais - Coastal gun batteries - ME792 – W/O AR Young
03/06/1944 - Wimereux - Coastal gun batteries - ME792 – W/O AR Young
05/06/1944 - St Martin-de-Varreville/Crisbeq - Coastal gun batteries - ME792 – W/O AR Young
06/06/1944 - Vire - Railway communications - ME792 – W/O AR Young
09/06/1944 - Flers - Airfield - ME792 – W/O AR Young
12/06/1944 - Gelsenkirchen - Oil - ME792 – W/O AR Young
14/06/1944 - Le Havre - Naval forces - ME792 – W/O AR Young
16/06/1944 - Sterkrade - Oil - ME792 – W/O AR Young
17/06/1944 - Aulnoye - Railway yards - ME792 – W/O AR Young
22/06/1944 - Mimoyecques - V weapon - ME792 - W/O AR Young
23/06/1944 - Saintes - Railway yards - ME792 – W/O AR Young
24/06/1944 - Flers - ME792 – W/O AR Young
27/06/1944 - Chateau Benapre - V weapon - ME792 – W/O AR Young
29/06/1944 - Domleger - V weapon - ME792 – W/O AR Young
30/06/1944 - Oisemont Neuville Au Bois - Army support - ME792 - W/O AR Young
02/07/1944 - Domleger - V weapon - ME792 – W/O AR Young
W/O A H Young RAFVR and W/O S S Pennington were awarded a DFCs which were gazetted on the 17/10/1944
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ND385 – 576 Squadron.
This aircraft seems to have been a new machine completed 14 ops with 576 Squadron and was written off on its 15th after sustaining damage and crash landing at Wittering on return in late March 1944
29/12/1943 – Berlin - ND385 – P/O RJ Edie
01/01/1944 – Berlin - ND385 – W/O CC Rollins
02/01/1944 - Berlin - ND385 – F/S CE O'Neill RCAF
05/01/1944 - Stettin - ND385 – Sgt DG Mann
14/01/1944 - Brunswick - ND385 – W/O CC Rollins
20/01/1944 - Berlin - ND385 – W/O CC Rollins
21/01/1944 - Magdeburg - ND385 – W/O CC Rollins
27/01/1944 - Berlin - ND385 – W/O CC Rollins
28/01/1944 - Berlin - ND385 – W/O CC Rollins
30/01/1944 - Berlin - ND385 – W/O CC Rollins
15/02/1944 - Berlin - ND385 – W/O CC Rollins
19/02/1944 - Leipzig - ND385 – W/O CC Rollins
20/02/1944 - Stuttgart - ND385 – W/O Rollins – While taxying from dispersal the aircraft suffered a loss of brake pressure and ran off the perimeter track damaging the undercarriage. No injuries. The aircraft was repaired on site
18/03/1944 - Frankfurt - ND385 – P/O CC Rollins
22/03/1944 - Frankfurt - ND385 – F/S AR Young
24/03/1944 - Berlin - ND385 – F/S AR Young - Badly damaged by flak and a single engined night fighter. Evaded. Starboard outer mainplane severely damaged. Landed at Wittering. Aircraft damaged beyond repair.
ND362 – 576 Squadron.
This machine started its career with 576 Squadron. It was damaged during a take off incident on the 22nd April 1944 and repaired on site. After 2 more operations with 576 Squadron it was passed to 103 Squadron in mid May 1944 and lost 2 weeks later. See below :-
25/02/1944 - Augsburg - Point of Aim - ND362 – W/O CE O'Neill RCAF
15/03/1944 - Stuttgart - Point of Aim - ND362 – F/O GAJ Wood
18/03/1944 - Frankfurt - Point of Aim - ND362 – F/O GAJ Wood
22/03/1944 - Frankfurt - Point of Aim - ND362 – F/O GAJ Wood
10/04/1944 - Aulnoye - Railway yards - ND362 - F/S AR Young
20/04/1944 – Cologne – Point of Aim – ND362 – F/S AR Young
22/04/1944 - Dusseldorf - Point of Aim - ND362 – F/S AR Young – Damaged on take off - Took off at 2238. As aircraft became airborne the controls locked to starboard causing the aircraft to swing narrowly missing another machine. The pilot managed to regain control and touched down again but hit another aircraft which was damaged. ED767. No injuries and the aircraft was repaired on site.
30/04/1944 - Maintenon - Ammunition dump - ND362 – F/O EH Stansel
03/05/1944 - Mailly-le-Camp - Army base - ND362 - W/O AR Young
ND362 - 103 Squadron
19/05/44 – Orleans - Railway yards – ND362 – F/O DA Josey
21/05/44 – Duisburg - Point of Aim – ND362 – S/L L Ollier - Hit by flak
23/05/44 - Aalborg Borg - Mine laying – ND362 – S/L L Ollier
27/05/44 – Aachen - Railway yards – ND362 – S/L L Ollier – FTR - Lost without trace.
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ED767 - 103 Squadron
This machine formerly flew with 103 Squadron and was flown by several notable 103 Squadron pilots including Doug Finlay, Charles Ready, Brian Lydon and Jack Bassett. It had a eventful career being knocked about several times and particularly the “Big Bang” at RAF Elsham Wolds when another Lancaster at a nearby dispersal exploded on the 23rd August 1943. See below
17/08/43 – Peenemunde - V weapons research centre – ED767 – F/L DW Finlay
22/08/43 – Leverkusen - Point of Aim – ED767 – F/L DW Finlay
23/08/43 – Berlin - Point of Aim - ED767 – F/L DW Finlay – Did not take off - Crew were moving the aircraft when W4323 blew up nearby. Badly damaged. Wireless Operator killed.
29/08/43 – Munchengladbach - Point of Aim – ED767 – F/O CP Ready
22/09/43 – Hanover - Point of Aim – ED767 – Sgt JI Miller
23/09/43 – Mannheim - Point of Aim – ED767 – Sgt JI Miller
27/09/43 – Hanover - Point of Aim – ED767 – Sgt JI Miller – Early Return - Pneumatic system unserviceable.
02/10/43 – Munich - Point of Aim – ED767 – Sgt BB Lydon - Combat. Attacked by single engined night fighter. Rear gunner returned fire and claimed damaged.
07/10/43 – Stuttgart - Point of Aim – ED767 – F/S LJ Grigg – Early Return – Starboard outer engine unserviceable.
20/10/43 – Leipzig - Point of Aim – ED767 – W/O TJ Bassett
22/10/43 – Kassel - Point of Aim – ED767 – W/O TJ Bassett
18/11/43 – Berlin - Point of Aim – ED767 – P/O HK Hughes - Aircraft damaged due to unknown cause. Landed Bradwell Bay
22/11/43 – Berlin - Point of Aim – ED767 – P/O HK Hughes
23/11/43 – Berlin - Point of Aim – Lancaster – ED767 – P/O HK Hughes – Did not take off - Cancelled due to high winds which caused some aircraft to swing on take off
26/11/43 – Berlin - Point of Aim – ED767 – P/O HK Hughes - Diverted to Leconfield because of bad visibility at base
ED767 - 576 Squadron
15/03/1944 – Stuttgart - Point of Aim - ED767 – F/S KC Murray
18/03/1944 - Frankfurt - Point of Aim - ED767 – F/S KC Murray
22/03/1944 - Frankfurt - Point of Aim - ED767 – P/O KC Murray
24/03/1944 - Berlin - Point of Aim - ED767 – F/S CG Wearmouth
26/03/1944 - Essen - Point of Aim - ED767 – P/O KC Murray
30/03/1944 - Nuremberg - Point of Aim - ED767 – P/O KC Murray
11/04/1944 - Aachen - Point of Aim - ED767 – P/O KC Murray
18/04/1944 - Rouen - Railway yards - ED767 – F/S CG Wearmouth
22/04/1944 - Dusseldorf - Point of Aim - ED767 – P/O PA Thomas - Damaged by ND362 prior to take off. Repaired on site.
What became of the aircraft after that I do not know but as it had been knocked about several times during its career I suspect it was semi retired to an HCU.
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Sgt George Edward Fox.
Above – George Fox pictured at Aqir in Palastine in post war
The rear gunner in the Fox crew was George Fox and he kept an interesting log book.
His comments on the Berlin raid and Nuremberg raids are worth recording.
24/3/44 – Operations to Berlin. Flew over Denmark and the Baltic Sea. Attacked on bombing run by Me109 and sustained damage. Starboard nacelle shot away, port wheel punctured and bomb doors damaged. Returned fire. Intensive flak. Ruhr defences very active on return journey. Unable to land at base due to foggy conditions. Diverted to Wittering and crash landed due to damage. No casualties. Aircraft written off. 73 aircraft missing. Shaky do !
On the 25th March 1944 the crew returned to Elsham Wolds courtesy of 103 Squadron - Jimmy Birchall and crew.
30/3/44 – Operations to Nuremberg. ( half moon ). German night fighters were airborne in great strength ( all types ). Met bomber stream crossing the French coast and continued to the target. Several fighters evaded. May combats took place. Target moderate heavy flak. Homeward jounrey much quieter. Few Rockets seen. Vapour trails at 20,000ft. A memorable sortie. 96 Bombers lost.
Bomber Command's largest loss in 1 night.
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Chris wrote an excellent little article about George Fox which I have included below :-
George Fox – The Man I Knew by Chris Boyd.
First, perhaps I should explain how I came to meet and become friends with George.
Early in 1945 my mother took my younger sister and myself to live in the tiny village of Llangynog in N Wales, my father stayed in Manchester to work and came home only once per month.
In the row of five small cottages, in addition to ourselves, one was occupied by George and his wife Ann and another by George’s brother Bill who was a Sgt Chef in the Army. At this time, George was stationed at RAF Hawarden near Chester and came home at weekends by motorbike one weekend he invited me to go fishing with him and the friendship developed from thereon. He became like a brother and father to me, a city lad fascinated with life in the countryside. He also would take me shooting, rabbits mainly, letting me use his Browning automatic shotgun, I realised later of course why he liked the Browning so much. He also taught me to strip, clean and reassemble the weapon.
At the end of 1945, being 14 years old I left school, there was no work to be had in the village or in the surrounding area so I spent much of my time enjoying the pursuits taught by George that allowed me to put some food on the table. I was also able to sell some rabbits to a Ministry of Food van that came to the village every Tuesday, that helped with the family finances and gave me some pocket money.
Eventually a work opportunity arose when a small working party arrived in the village having renewed the telegraph lines alongside the single-track railway line from Oswestry to Llangynog. The young lad with that gang had reached the age of eighteen and had been called up to do his National Service and I was offered the job as trainee linesman, an exceptionally well-paid job as the hours worked were long. It meant of course that from then on, I would be working away from home and my forays into the hills with George came to an end. When the gang left Llangynog I joined them at their next venue, Bourton-in-the-Water, Gloucestershire being able to return to Wales just once per month. In 1947, George was posted to Aqir in Palestine and by then my Mother had moved back to Manchester. In June 1948 I decided to join the RAF as a Boy Entrant, I wonder who influenced that move? Consequently, I was not to see George again until I visited the area in 1957 after a tour in Berlin and by then he had returned to the village of his birth, Llanrhaeadr-Y-Mochnant, some eight miles east of Llangynog.
I apologise for having to give you this long explanation but it will serve to show why there are so many gaps in my knowledge of George’ life after 1947. That photo by the way, was taken in 1947 not ’48 as I previously stated.
George Ernest Fox.
Born Llanrhaeadr-Y-Mochnant 1922
Regrettably I know nothing of his schooling.
Married Ann Meredith from Llangynog 1944, he was at this time in the RAF either a Sergeant or Flight Sergeant and was later commissioned as a Flying Officer.
After leaving the RAF c1949, he managed an egg-packing factory that was actually a large shed attached to his house. George was a popular character and was very well liked in the area and the local farmers were happy to sell him their eggs. There were a number of local girls employed in his ‘shed’ and the packaged eggs were sent on to a larger distributor.
Inevitably, Big Brother appeared on the scene in the form of the Egg Marketing Board, at least I think that is what they were called. This outfit started stamping eggs with the ‘Little Lion’. They took over the business although George and Ann (they also had two grown up children by this time) stayed in the house. The farmers were not happy and being in sympathy with George refused to sell their eggs to the EMB, result; the business folded and was never resurrected. I had a camping car at this time, had retired from the RAF and would visit Llanrhaedr whenever my civilian occupation gave me the chance. On one visit that ‘shed’ was full of parts of a US B29 that had crashed into a mountainside during the war, including a number of belts of live ammunition!
The following is a short extract from my ‘memoirs’ that I started to write, for my family, some years ago but so far, have not finished it.
In later years, following my retirement, I often stayed in a motor caravan close to the waterfall at Llanrhaeadr and George frequently came to visit. He had around this time taken to seeking out wartime aircraft crash sites and recovering some of the larger parts. As a result of this he had, in his large garden, a Rolls Royce Merlin Engine recovered from a Spitfire (P7295) that had crashed on the Berwyn Mountains on the 14th December 1942. He also had a radial engine from a Westland Lysander (T1655.) Unfortunately, the Lysander, whilst searching for the aforementioned Spitfire, became a victim of the down draughts caused by winds crossing and crashed less than 1km away from the Spitfire. ( Pierre Closterman mentions this incident in his book, ‘The Big Show’ )
From this, it can be seen that both wrecks were originally close to each other. Unfortunately, vandals had been at the radial engine and rolled it down the mountainside where it became almost inaccessible. Recovery was difficult enough without this problem but George was not to be beaten. Many days of very hard work with horses, tractors and sledges eventually brought these engines down the mountain.
Having gone to all this trouble, sweat and toil one can only imagine George’s reaction when one summer’s afternoon, a stranger walked into his garden eating a large ice cream cone, announced that he was a member of the Liverpool Aircraft Preservation Society and pointing to the two engines declared that these engines were his! Within seconds, this chappie was on his back in the cabbage patch with the ice cream all over his face. Apparently, this Liverpool Aircraft Preservation Society knew of the wrecks but had never made any effort to recover anything from them. ( At the time of writing these engines are still being cared for at the WARG Museum, Sleap Shropshire. )
I feel the LAPS fellow was tempting fate to make that sort of statement to one who had spent hundreds of combat hours listening to the throb of those Merlins
George died in 1990 and both my then wife and I attended his funeral. At the service the village church was packed to capacity with some folk outside, the RBL were in attendance with their standards. He was cremated some distance away close to Wrexham and later there was a gathering of some of his friends and relatives in the restaurant in Llanrhaeadr. I was told that a member of his crew had been present at the service and cremation but did not stay on as he had a long journey ahead. I believe he lived somewhere in the South of England.
Item compiled by David Fell with much thanks to Chris Boyd for the log book quotes, article and photo.
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