Glenn wrote:

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Wondering if anyone can share info on the crew of Lancaster Bomber LL960 that was shot down during (target Duisburg, Germany) - Operation Hurricane 22 May 1944 Pilot: Flt/Lt Edwin Laurence, Royal Air Force, 27 yo Flight Engineer: Sgt Raymond William, Royal Air Force Navigator: P/O Douglass-Smith Kirkwood, Royal Canadian Air Force, 22 yo Bomb Aimer: F/O Joseph Spector, Royal Canadian Air Force Wireless Operator: P/O Arthur John Alcott, Royal Air Force, 28 yo Mid-upper Gunner: Sgt Frank Parish, Royal Air Force, 19 yo all are buried at the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.

My 1st cousin 2x removed was P/O Douglass-Smith Kirkwood.

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 Hi Glenn,

From:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=Lancaster+Bomber+LL960&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CFEQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kentfallen.com%2FPDF%2520REPORTS%2FKNOCKHOLT%2520LYCH%2520GATE.pdf&ei=--rrT-3JM83E4gTsv62XBQ&usg=AFQjCNHq8dH5CVMYolsbsWv5WOIidI9PAQ&cad=rja

ALCOTT, ARTHUR JOHN. Pilot Officer (Wireless Operator), 176042.
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 100 Squadron, Royal Air Force.
Died Monday 22 May 1944. Aged 28.
Son of John and Emily Alcott.
Husband of Carol Alcott of Clapton, London.
Buried Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.
Grave Ref: 7. E. 15.

Arthur had been amongst the seven man crew on Lancaster bomber LL960 HWD, when it took off from R.A.F. Grimsby, Lincolnshire, at 2244 hours on the night of 21 May 1944. Lancaster bomber LL960 HW-D was being flown on the mission by 27 year old Flight Lieutenant (Pilot), Edwin Lawrence Eames, R.A.F (V.R.), of Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.A. The Lancaster was amongst 510 Lancasters and 22 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 3, 5 and 8 Groups of R.A.F. Bomber Command that were carrying out the first large raid on the city of Duisburg, Germany for a year.
By the time that the bomber force arrived over Duisburg, the target area wascovered by cloud, but the Oboe skymarking used by the Mosquito Pathfinder aircraft was accurate, and much damage was caused in the southern areas of the city. During the raid on Duisburg 29 Lancasters were lost. Arthur's aircraft had been delivered to 100 Squadron, Royal Air Force on 17 May 1944, and it was lost whilst taking part on its first operation. When it was lost, the Lancaster had completed a total of 21 flying hours. LL960 HW-D was one of two 100 Squadron, Royal Air Force Lancasters that were lost during the raid on Duisburg. Arthur's Lancaster was hit by enemy flak and exploded in midair, scattering debris over an area identified as Repelen-Baerl-Binscheim, all sizeable communities to the west of the river Rhine and to the north-north-west of the city of Duisburg. All seven crew were killed when the Lancaster exploded, and themajority were buried in the Nordfriedhof at Düsseldorf. They have been subsequently re-interred in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, which was created after the Second World War when burials were brought in from all over western Germany and is the largest Commonwealth cemetery in the country.
Flight Lieutenant (Pilot), Edwin Lawrence Eames, R.A.F (V.R.), was an American citizen serving in the Royal Air Force. It was noted whilst carrying out the researches that on some of the data accessed, Arthur is shown as being a Sergeant (Wireless Operator) at the time of his death, whilst on other records he is recorded as being a Pilot Officer (Wireless Operator), which also matches his Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemoration details. Purely supposition on the part of the transcriber of these brief commemorations, and of course should be viewed as such, but in view of the differences that have been recorded appertaining to Arthur's rank, the confusion might have arose resultant of him having been commissioned only a short time prior to his death. A
commemorative plaque at the former R.A.F. Grimsby site says: - "R.A.F. Grimsby (Waltham) 1941-1945. To fight for our freedom and to end the Nazi tyranny, young people from all over the world came to this airfield to serve and to fly the Wellingtons and Lancasters of 142 and 100 Squadrons. Over 1000 brave young men came through this entrance never to return. Many more were shot down and captured. We will remember them and salute all who served here."

Alternately, have you applied for his service records from the Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa?

Regards,

Dave

-- Edited by alieneyes on Thursday 28th of June 2012 12:36:55 AM