Hello there,

Being Australian,the service record of your grandfather can be found at the National Archives of Australia.Just search using his service number 420599 and you will find it has been digitised and is available to view on-line.It appears that your grandfather and his crew were posted in to 103 Squadron 9/7/43,where according to his personnel file he flew 25 sorties.

Looking at the 103 Squadron O.R.B.s,which do not contain much detail on postings in and out,it seems likely  that your grandfather's crew was;

Thomas John Bassett,pilot,Aus412097,later awarded D.F.C.;

E.A.Brown,flight engineer;

Benjamin Russell Round,navigator,1497147;

Malcolm Graeme Medhurst,air bomber,Aus414248;

Alexander James Palfreman,air gunner,1247869 (also seen as Palfreyman);

Ernest Roy Biggs,air gunner,Aus413476.

Service numbers and names for the Australian crew members are from the National Archives of Australia and are correct.Those for the two RAF aircrew are probable and taken from AIR78 at The National Archives.

Medhurst and Biggs were killed with the O'Donnell crew on 17-18/8/43 on the operation to Peenemunde (shot down by flak at Tarup,2 miles East of Flensburg) and replaced by;

Frederick Smalley Athey,air bomber,1076451;

and several other air gunners,but notably a Sgt. Thompson,initials variously T.J.,T.C. and T.G.

Records for Bassett,Medhurst and Briggs are all available to view on-line at the National Archives of Australia.

H.L..Rees is possibly 101193 Hopkin Leonard Rees,navigator in the Rollins crew,another crew posted in from 'C' flight of 103 Squadron to form 576 Squadron.

L.Brettell is possibly Leonard Brettell,1198814,who had also flown on 103 Sqn.

Sgt.Palfreman was later promoted to Flight Sergeant and Warrant Officer and flew a second tour on 150 Squadron,as air gunner on the crew of S/L.G.J.P.Morhen,O.C.'B' flight,11/44 to 5/45.

Hope this is of interest,

Regards,Mark Simpson.

-- Edited by M Simpson on Friday 16th of August 2013 07:36:02 AM

-- Edited by M Simpson on Friday 16th of August 2013 07:47:01 AM

-- Edited by M Simpson on Friday 16th of August 2013 07:50:02 AM

Hi Mark, 

That was very interesting as William hungerford Rogers was my dad and the information you have given me is terrific as I lost most of his photos when mum died . 

Thanks for your thoughtful post.

Greg Rogers ( Bill Rogers)

Hi Jason

I am writing the complete history of 576 Sqn and would be delighted to help you out. Please contact me here or on matt.576sqn AT gmail.com

Best regards

Matt Wood