The aircrew from the Lancaster JB312 never returned from their airraid to Berlin on 28th of Januari 1944. They took of from Bourn? but canīt find anywhere if they all were RAF and which squadron. Does anyone know?
I also like to find out more about the airraid to Berlin in Januari. I believe there was also a big airraid in December 43. How many aircrafts did they loose on the 28-01-1944?
97 Squadron. Lancaster III JB312 OF-A. Op: Stuttgart.
Crew. F/L. R S. Emerson + F/S. A J. Newell + F/O. I. Worth RAAF + P/O. J A. Bartholomew DFC + WO1. R J. Dickie RCAF + F/S. G W. Wood DFM + F/S. W G. Duncan +
Took off 0015 hrs Bourn. Crashed 300 yards short of the runway on return to base, having previously reported a mid-air collision while leaving the target area. The first six named are buried in Cambridge City Cemetery; F/S. Duncan lies in Derryaghy (Christ Church) Church of Ireland in County Antrim. Details of F/S. Wood's DFM were published on 2 June 1944.
Bomber Command Losses Vol 5. W R. Chorley.
From the Bomber Command War Diaries:
28/29 January 1944
Berlin: 677 aircraft - 432 Lancasters, 241 Halifaxes, 4 Mosquitos. Part of the German fighter force was drawn up by the early diversions and the bomber approach route over Northern Denmark proved too distant for some of the other German fighters. The German controller was, however, able to concentrate his fighters over the target and many aircraft were shot down there. 46 aircraft - 26 Halifaxes, 20 Lancasters - lost, 6.8 per cent of the force. The cloud over Berlin was broken and some ground-marking was possible but the Bomber Command claim that this was the most concentrated attack of this period is not quite fully confirmed by German records. The western and southern districts were hit but so too were 77 places outside the city.