Operation: Stettin, Germany

Date: 29/30th August 1944 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit: 166 Squadron

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: PD261

Code: AS-S

Base: RAF Kirmington, Lincolnshire

Location: Stettin, Germany/Poland

Pilot: Flt.Lt. "Derry" Frederick Ross Dunton 126830 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Flt.Eng: Sgt. Charles Malachi Murray 535937 RAF Age 27. Killed

Nav: Flt.Sgt. Robert Edward Harding 433103 RAAF Age 19. Killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Trevor Hugh Davis 617912 RAF Age 22. Killed

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt.Sgt. David Kingsley Powers 430051 RAAF Age 20. Killed

Air Gnr: Sgt. James Henry Peake 1533257 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Air Gnr: Sgt. John James Carey 1069049 RAFVR Age 31. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Lancaster PD261 took off from RAF Kirmington at 21:10hrs for a night bombing raid on Stettin.

This Lancaster was part of a large force sent on this raid with 402 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito from 1, 3, 6 and 8 group. The total loss for this mission was 23 Lancasters

This was a very successful bombing raid on Stettin and a German report confirms that 565 houses, 23 industrial premises and 7 ships were damaged and a 1,569 and a 2,000 ton ship, 1,569 houses and 32 industrial premises were destroyed.

Lancaster PD261 was almost certain to have been shot down by a night fighter. Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie have described it as being one of a possible three, Lt. Kurt Welter, Hptm. Rudolf Altendorf or Oblt. Scholl. All claims were in the Stettin area and at between 01:55 hrs and 02:12 hrs.

Crew Graves at Poznan (courtesy John Valentine)

Burial details:

All the crew were first interred in a communal grave in Stettin Central Cemetery, Germany

Flt.Lt. "Derry" Frederick Ross Dunton. Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery. Coll. Grave 6.A.15. Born on the 14th February 1922. Son of Arnett Richardson Dunton and Sylvia May Dunton of Paignton, Devon. Exhibitioner at Christ's College, Cambridge, England. Frederick Dunton was in School House, (a Boarding House at Malvern College) from 1935 till 1940. He was Junior Chapel Prefect and Head of House. He won a History Exhibition to Christ's College Cambridge. At the time of his death Frederick's parents were living at Sunnyside, Bentinck Road, Altrincham, Cheshire. Frederick Ross Dunton Memorial Prize is still awarded at the college every year.

Sgt. Charles Malachi Murray. Poznam Old Garrison Cemetery. Coll. Grave 6.A.15. Son of Patrick and Emily Murray of Acton, Co. Armagh, Northern Ireland

Flt.Sgt. Robert Edward Harding. Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery. Coll. Grave 6.A.15. Son of Arthur Alexander and Jean Elizabeth Harding of Woolwich, New South Wales, Australia. Robert was born on the 14th February 1925 in Woolwich, New South Wales and enlisted in Sydney on the 25th February 1943. At the time of his death Roberts parents were living at 7 Elgin Street, Woolwich, New South Wales. Robert is remembered on the Hunters Hill War Memorial Honour Roll which is in the main meeting room of the Hunter Hill Council Office

Sgt. Trevor Hugh Davis. Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery. Coll. Grave 6.A.15. Born on the 17th February 1920 in Denbigh, Wales. Husband of Joan Kathleen Davis (née Staley), Burton Upon Trent, England.

Flt.Sgt. David Kingsley Powers. Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery. Coll. Grave 6.A.15. Son of Frank and Myrtle Gwendoline Powers of North Brighton, Victoria, Australia. David was born on the 20th August 1924 in Kew, Victoria and enlisted in Melbourne on 4th December 1942.

Sgt. James Henry Peake. Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery. Coll. Grave 6.A.15. Born in 1922, West Bromwich, Staffordshire. Son of Thomas Henry and Sarah Peake of Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England

Sgt. John James Carey. Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery. Coll. Grave 6.A.15. Born on the 4th December 1912 in Islington, Middlesex. Husband of Lillian (née Kelly) Carey of Liverpool, England.

Researched by Aircrew Remembered, researcher and specialist genealogist Kate Tame for John Valentine and all relatives of this crew. With thanks to Andy Goff for details on Sgt. Davies - March 2018. Also thanks to Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses Vol. 5", Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - "Bomber Command War Diaries", Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - "Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2", Commonwealth Graves Commission. Thanks to Mike McQuaid for the Next of Kin details for Sgt. Carey.