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Operation: Kiel
Date: 9/10th April 1945 (Monday/Tuesday)
Unit: No. 622 Squadron
Type: Lancaster I
Serial: NG447
Code: GI-U
Base: RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk
Location: Dorphof, 6km SSE of Kappeln
Pilot: Fl/Lt. Lionel Arthur Sydney Hodge 131036 RAFVR Age 21. Killed
Fl/Eng: Fl/Sgt. Samuel George Taylor 1459586 RAFVR Age 20. Killed
Nav: Fl/Sgt. William Munro Leckie Green R/186454 RCAF Age 22. Killed
Air/Bmr: F/O. George William Gell J/40435 RCAF Age 34. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: F/O. Alexander Sidney Seymour 16446 RAFVR Age ? Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. W.E. Lewis RAFVR Survived - injured.
Air/Gnr: Sgt. William Alfred Parsons 1025607 RAFVR Age 25. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off at 19:34 hrs from RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk to bomb the U- boat yards in Kiel. The resulting operation caused severe damage to the yards and also sank the battleship Admiral Scheer.
This Lancaster was shot down by either Hptm. Heinz Ferger of III./NJG2, Lt. Arnold Doring of 10./NJG3 or Hptn. Franz-August Von Tesmar of 11./NJG3, all being credited with a claim on this operation but no records available at this stage of the war in this area. The loss card for Sgt Lewis describes him as being 'safe' and receiving hospital treatment. No further details.
Admiral Scheer - sunk on this operation
Kiel War Cemetery, Germany
Burial details:Fl/Lt. Lionel Arthur Sydney Hodge. Kiel War Cemetery. Grave 4.G.6. Son of Arthur Sydney and Amy Eleanor Hodge of Harpenden, Herts, England.
Fl/Sgt. Samuel George Taylor. Kiel War Cemetery. Joint Grave 4.G.9-10. Son of Samuel George and Annie Elizabeth Taylor of Droylsden, Manchester, England.
Fl/Sgt. William Munro Leckie Green. Kiel War Cemetery. Joint Grave 4.G.9-10. From Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Next of kin details unavailable - are you able to assist?
F/O. George William Gell. Kiel War Cemetery. Grave 4.G.7. Husband of Florence Gell of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
F/O. Alexander Sidney Seymour 16446. Kiel War Cemetery. Grave 4.G.8. Son of Sydney William and Mildred Clara Seymour.
Sgt. William Alfred Parsons. Kiel War Cemetery. Grave 4.G.5. Son of John Walter and Evelyn Parsons of Thornbury, Bradford, Yorkshire, England.
Researched by Aircrew Remembered, researcher and specialist genealogist Linda Ibrom for relatives of this crew. Additional sources as quoted bellow. With thanks to Jack Brook for correction of serial number - January 2016.
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