Hi everybody,

i am new here but active on a few other forums as I am researching my great-uncle John Shirley Bunbury.

John was posted into 455 Squadron on 7th December 1941 following flight training and a period of hospitalisation and recovery following a training accident. He commenced ops on the 15th of December and flew 17 missions until the 14th April 1942. He was posted to 50 sqdrn on the 24th April where he flew 13 more missions before his Lancaster went missing somewhere between take-off and the target area of Osnabrück On the night of 17/18 August 1942. The entire crew were missing, presumed dead and the aircraft has never been found.

I have already accumulated a huge amount of information about his time with 50 Sqdrn, but know almost nothing of his time with 455. He was English born and bred and had no connections with Australia despite being posted to an Australian sqdrn.

does anyone have any information about him? What plane did he fly? Who were his crew? Are there any photos of him from this time?

I have a full list of his missions with both squadrons as well as mission reports and crash and search reports. But if anyone can fill in gaps I would be really grateful.

i attach a photo of him from late 1941 wearing the flying suit he wore whilst training in a Tiger Moth. Even if the name is not familiar then somebody may recognise him from group photos or previously unidentified photos.

many thanks in advance!

john Richardson