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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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166 Squadron Crest
04/05.04.1945 No. 166 Squadron Lancaster III ND707 AS-E F/O. James Day

Operation: Lutzkendorf

Date: 04/05th April 1945 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit: No. 166 Squadron

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: ND707

Code: AS-E

Base: RAF Kirmington

Location: Not known

Pilot: F/O. James Day 190483 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Fl/Eng: P/O. Frank Pilling 190896 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

Nav: Sgt. Allan Percy Poon-Tip 605619 RAFVR Age? Killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Robert Frederick Stanley Dunkley 1625326 RAFVR Age 33 Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Laurence Felix McGuire 1670598 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt, Patrick Fitxpatrick 1901178 RAFVR Age 26. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. James Dixon Whitelaw 1777435 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Kirmington at 21:11 hrs to bomb the Wintershall synthetic oil plant near Merseberg with 258 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitoes of 1 and 8 Groups. The bombing commenced at around 01:30 hrs on the main target being Compressor Hall Bau 201, which was located in the centre of the fuel plant. Damage was described as moderate.

Area of operations

No details of this loss as many of the night fighter claim records for this period of the war were lost. It may have been brought down by anti-aircraft fire.

166 Squadron also lost another aircraft, but on return to England. F/O. R.A. Ayton RNZAF piloting Lancaster I LM289 AS-Y injured with 1 other crew member - 5 others killed when they crashed near Mill Farm, Barnaby Le Wold near the base.

Sherborne School, Dorset - Any further information that you are able to assist them with fallen former pupils from all wars, we would be pleased to pass onto them.

Burial details:

F/O. James Day. Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery. Collective grave 6.G.13-19. Further information (courtesy Sherborne School archives): Son of John and Madeline Webb Day, of Stone House, East Pennard, Shepton Mallet, Somerset. Attended Sherborne School (The Green) 1938-1941. Grave inscription reads: “In Unfailing Memory Of A Very Brave Airman”.

P/O. Frank Pilling. Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery. Collective grave 6.G.13-19. Son of Harold and Constance R. Pilling, of Bacup, Lancashire, England. Grave inscription reads: “I Bare You On Eagles' Wings, And Brought You Unto Myself" Exodus Xix.4”.


Sgt. Allan Percy Poon-Tip. Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery. Collective grave 6.G.13-19. Next of kin details not available, from Trinidad, Caribbean.

Sgt. Robert Frederick Stanley Dunkley. Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery. Collective grave 6.G.13-19. Son of Robert and Winifred Ann Dunkley, husband of Elizabeth Dunkley, of Cambridge, England. Grave inscription reads: “Treasured Memories Of A Beloved Husband, Father, Son And Brother”.

Sgt. Laurence Felix McGuire. Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery. Collective grave 6.G.13-19. Son of Joseph and Elizabeth McGuire, of Glasgow, Scotland. Grave inscription reads: “Sweet Jesus, Have Mercy On His Soul”.

Sgt. Patrick Fitxpatrick. Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery. Collective grave 6.G.13-19. Son of Patrick and Margaret Fitzpatrick, husband of Annie Fitzpatrick, of New Ross, Co. Wexford, Irish Republic. Grave inscription reads: "In Loving Memory Of My Dear Husband. Never Forgotten By Loving Wife And Child”.

Sgt. James Dixon Whitelaw. Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery. Collective grave 6.G.13-19. Son of William and Sara Anne Whitelaw, husband of Mavis Whitelaw, of Newbiggin-by-Sea, Northumberland, England. Grave inscription reads: “Dearly Loved And Sadly Missed”.


For further details our thanks to the following Sherborne School Archives for additional information. Other valuable sources shown below. Also thanks to James A. McCauley for photo of his cousin, Sgt. Laurence McGuire - October 2017. Ure for grave photographs.

KTY - 01.10.2017 New photo / map added

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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