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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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No 148 Squadron
7/8.07.1942 No 148 Squadron Wellington Ic T2985 F/O Frank Tribe

Operation: Tobruk, Libya

Date: 7/8 July 1942 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit: No 148 Squadron

Type: Wellington Ic

Serial: T2985

Code:?

Base: RAF Kabrit, Egypt

Location: 18km SW of Shallufa, Egypt

Pilot: F/O. Frank Tribe 44457 RAF Age 28 Killed (1)

2nd Pilot: Sgt. Stanley George Rimmer 655365 RAF Age 23 Killed

Nav: Sgt. Leslie George Islwyn Owen 1288474 RAFVR Age 25 Killed (2)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. James Percival Michael J/15439 RCAF Age 30 Killed (3)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Norman Albert Burr 1254030 RAFVR Age 33 Killed (4)

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Bernard John Worsfold 1330841 RAFVR Age 25 Killed

Wellington Ic type aircraft (courtesy Imperial War Museum) Tobruk harbour


REASON FOR LOSS:

Wellington T2985 took off from RAF Kabrit between 20.55hrs - 21.25hrs on an operation to bomb the harbour and shipping at Tobruk. Nothing further was heard from the aircraft. It may have been hit by flak or shot down by an enemy aircraft and crashed 18km SW of Shallufa, Egypt

Fayid War Cemetery (courtesy Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

Burial details:

The graves of the crew were located in the Egytian Desert in 1950 and were reinterred in a collective grave at Fayid War Cemetery 20 June 1958

F/O. Frank Tribe. Fayid War Cemetery, Egypt. Grave Ref: Coll. Grave 6. F. 4 - 9. Son of Thomas and Alice Mary Tribe of Portsmouth. Husband of Joyce Lorraine Tribe of Portchester, Fareham (1) Frank was born 1914 in Uxbridge, Middlesex and married 9 December 1939 in St Marys Church, Portchester, Hampshire. Sgt. Frank Tribe was granted a commission as Pilot Officer on probation 30 July 1940 and was confirmed in this appointment and promoted to the rank of Flying Officer 5 August 1941

Sgt. Stanley George Rimmer. Fayid War Cemetery, Egypt. Grave Ref: Coll. Grave 6. F. 4 - 9. Son of James Edward Rimmer and Henrietta Rimmer. Husband of Mary Rimmer of Elgin, Morayshire

Sgt. Leslie George Islwyn Owen. Fayid War Cemetery, Egypt. Grave Ref: Coll. Grave 6. F. 4 - 9. Son of Hugh Vaughan Owen and Rowena Lilian Owen of Whitland, Carmarthenshire (2) Leslie was born 26 May 1917 in Carmarthenshire and educated at Crunwere School, Llanteg, Pembrokeshire. Leslie is remembered on the Whitland and Lampeter Velfrey Roll of Honour, West Wales

Michael Lake North of Etawney Lake in Manitoba, Canada was named after P/O. James Percival Michael in 1995.

P/O. James Percival Michael. Fayid War Cemetery, Egypt. Grave Ref: Coll. Grave 6. F. 4 - 9. Son of George Percival Michael and Saraha Irene Michael of Winnipeg. Husband of Dorothy Lucas Michael (née Hall) of Vancouver (3) James was born 22 November 1911 in Winnipeg, Manitoba and educated at Greenway and Daniel McIntyre schools. James was a member of the Non-Permanent Militia for nine years before joining the Perth Regiment and prior to this had worked in a brokerage office and then engaged in mining and construction work in Northern Canada and the Pacific Coast area. He had also been employed by Osler, Hammond and Nanton. Transfered to the RCAF in 1940 and prior to transferring he had been an Army machine gun instructor in Camp Borden with the rank of Sergeant Major. James completed part of his training in Calgary and Mossbank. Married 1 March 1941 in Knox United Church, Calgary and arrived in the UK in June 1941. James was posted to No 148 Squadron 30 June, 1942 and was on his first operational flight

Sgt. Norman Albert Burr. Fayid War Cemetery, Egypt. Grave Ref: Coll. Grave 6. F. 4 - 9. Son of Albert Edward and Alice Edith Burr. Husband of Rosa Helen Burr of Leigh-on-Sea, Essex (4) Sgt. Burr had been involved in a training accident on the 14 February 1942. Based at the time at RAF Lossiemouth, Morayshire, Scotland with No 20 OTU (Operational Training Unit) Norman was injured when the aircraft crashed into a hillside near Rothes. (click here for further details)

Sgt. Bernard John Worsfold. Fayid War Cemetery, Egypt. Grave Ref: Coll. Grave 6. F. 4 - 9. George and Mary Ann Worsfold of Effingham, Surrey

Researched by: Kate Tame Aircrew Remembered and for all the relatives and friends of the crew. With special thanks to Crunwere School, Llanteg and other resources listed below

KT. 29.07.2016

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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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