Allied Losses and Incidents: All Commands

Allied Air Forces Losses and Incidents Database.

Allied Losses Nordic RAAF Losses RNZAF Losses USAAF Battle of Britain Paradie RCAF Archiwum Polish War Graves Runnymede Kracker Luftwaffe
Check the Databases Menu for the extensive list of our databases which represent decades of original research by our Editors

Search Tips • Researching Your Loved OneContact us via Helpdesk for research on your loved one

Names in Database A -D • Names in Database E - K • Names in Database L - R • Names in Database S -Z
If you are unsure of the spelling of the name you are searching for, you can check all the names in this database

Data derived from many sources. Incorporates 125,000 entries from Aircrew Deaths 39-47 Database. Corrections/Additions welcomed via Helpdesk

NOTE ON DATES: IMPORTANT: For consistency, the Date is given as the date the mission TOOK OFF since the precise time of a loss is not always certain. Take Off date is unambigous and fixed in the official records, but obviously in those cases where the incident occurred before midnight UK time, then the Take Off Date will be the same as the Incident Date. Of course, most Bomber Command missions flew through midnight, therefore a Luftwaffe claim against a plane - or a locally generated crash report - may record the incident as occurring on the day following our Take Off Date. Bear this in mind when cross-referencing to our Luftwaffe Victories by Name/Date Database and other Luftwaffe sources. In some cases other sources may quote the date following our date, using locally generated reports as their source. To add to the potential for confusion, remember to take into account a Luftwaffe recorded date will be in local time, 1 hour ahead of UK time. When we discover a validated Incident Date we change our record if necessary.

(1) Check spelling in 'Names in Database' link
(2) Search 3 characters add x to name eg coex for coe
(3) Check Serial has no spaces eg NB456
(4) Check date format is YYYY-MM-DD include hyphens
(5) Check you have seen all pages, see bottom of table
(6) Single digit squadron uses form '5Sqn' must include 'Sqn'
(7) Read Search Tips: Database section
(8) Scroll to right to see last column
(9) Try using a portion of searchword (Contains option) (10) If no luck, contact us via Helpdesk

Our hosting service imposes a 4-character search minimum for database tables. We have modified our databases to support 3-character name searches.

Add 'x' to 3-character name: e.g. to search for 'coe' put 'coex' in search box, for 'fox' put 'foxx'.

If you need help, EMAIL us with name and database to search and we will perform the search manually for you.
To search on squadron, append 'Sqn'. Examples: '72Sqn' or '416Sqn'

Thanks to Personnel of the Polish Air Force in Great Britain for supplementary data and images (marked with a chequerboard device) related to the Polish Air Force, and many images courtesy of our respected colleagues Wojtek Matusiak and Robert Gretzyngier. Other images from our own archives.
Responding to requests that respects may be paid in this database to a loved one or friend, or someone you want to recognize, an In Memoriam plaque may now be placed next to any entry. See our Donate Page for details. Search for In Memoriam in this database to see examples of plaques which have been placed.

Polish Air Force personnel have a supplementary database containing more information and many more entries. Check the following:
Personel Polskich Sił Powietrznych posiada dodatkową bazę danych zawierającą więcej informacji i wiele innych wpisów. Sprawdź następujące elementy:
Archiwum: PSP 1939 -1947 Database 17,000+ Polish Air Force Entries
ON REQUEST, MORE INFORMATION CAN OFTEN BE RETRIEVED FROM OUR RESEARCH ARCHIVE ON EVERY ENTRY, AND ON NAMES YET TO BE ENTERED.

See a sample search

If you would like our team to research a family member or friend who appears in this database, contact us via the Helpdesk. We will send you instructions.

Enter Your search conditions and click Search This
Searching for a 3-character name requires special treatment

AND(Optional)

Exact Match Contains Word

These are the results of your search:

You searched for: “"W7531"”

#	Name*	First Names	Rank	Service No.	Born	Nationality	Role	Awards	Air Force	Command	Unit	DateofIncident *See Note	Aircraft	Type	Serial	Code	Base	Time	Mission	Incident	Fate	Commemorated	Photo (Click to Expand)	Referring Database	Notes	Links/Archive Reports
1	Booth	Neville George Richardson	Flight Lieutenant	81661	1917 Age 25	British	'Passenger' (GEE Observer) Note: Some websites list him incorrectly as a pilot		RAFVR	Bomber Command	20 OTU - Attached to: 15Sqn	1942-05-17	Stirling	I	W7531	LS-F “MacRobert’s Reply”	RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire	2140	Gardening	When the aircraft was ready to drop mines in the southern entrance to Øresund, it was hit by flak from several ships, and shore batteries. Fires broke out and the a/c turned due west, while the crew battled the fires. When it passed the Lille Bælt Bridge it was hit several times by flak from 3/lei Flak Abt. 844 II and IV Zug. At 0210 hours the a/c crashed in the Forrest on Gals Klint , approximately 2 km to the west of Middelfart. When the a/c hit the ground, one of the remaining mines onboard exploded and the plane was totally wrecked.	Killed	Odense (Assistens) Cemetery Grave BD. 381	Odense Cemetery (Assistens)		Not a member of 15 Sqn, on impulse asked to join the crew. At 0700 hours on 21 May 1942 the crew members were laid to rest in a common grave in the Assistens cemetery in Odense. The ceremony was performed by the German army chaplain Vorrath with full military honours. Also participating in the ceremony were several Danish and German officers. All crew members, apart from Sgt Ronald Maycock, were identified after the war by a British team. His name was thus not put on a cross as was his comrades. After the war a memorial stone was raised on the spot where W7531 crashed. Every year on 5 May the day of the liberation of Denmark a ceremony is held on the site. (Airwar Over Denmark) Son of Joseph Vincent Lane Booth and Josephine Lyndall Booth (née Richardson), of Denshaw, Yorkshire, England. later of 'Blentarn', Cadnant Park, Conway in Caernarvonshire. Epitaph: Always Ready'.	Read full archive report
2	Butterworth	John Bernard	Sergeant	1307679	1920		Wireless Operator/Air Gunner		RAFVR	Bomber Command	15Sqn	1942-05-17	Stirling	I	W7531	LS-F “MacRobert’s Reply”	RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire	2140	Gardening	When the aircraft was ready to drop mines in the southern entrance to Øresund, it was hit by flak from several ships, and shore batteries. Fires broke out and the a/c turned due west, while the crew battled the fires. When it passed the Lille Bælt Bridge it was hit several times by flak from 3/lei Flak Abt. 844 II and IV Zug. At 0210 hours the a/c crashed in the Forrest on Gals Klint , approximately 2 km to the west of Middelfart. When the a/c hit the ground, one of the remaining mines onboard exploded and the plane was totally wrecked	Killed	Odense (Assistens) Cemetery BD. 354	Odense Cemetery (Assistens)		At 0700 hours on 21 May 1942 the crew members were laid to rest in a common grave in the Assistens cemetery in Odense. The ceremony was performed by the German army chaplain Vorrath with full military honours. Also participating in the ceremony were several Danish and German officers. All crew members, apart from Sgt Ronald Maycock, were identified after the war by a British team. His name was thus not put on a cross as was his comrades. After the war a memorial stone was raised on the spot where W7531 crashed. Every year on 5 May the day of the liberation of Denmark a ceremony is held on the site. (Airwar Over Denmark) Son of David and Annie Butterworth, of Greenfieid, Yorkshire, England. Son of David and Annie Butterworth, of Greenfieid, Yorkshire.	Read full archive report
3	Hall	John Charles	Squadron Leader	41693	1918 Age 24	British	Pilot	DFC MiD	RAFVR	Bomber Command	15Sqn	1942-05-17	Stirling	I	W7531	LS-F “MacRobert’s Reply”	RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire	2140	Gardening	When the aircraft was ready to drop mines in the southern entrance to Øresund, it was hit by flak from several ships, and shore batteries. Fires broke out and the a/c turned due west, while the crew battled the fires. When it passed the Lille Bælt Bridge it was hit several times by flak from 3/lei Flak Abt. 844 II and IV Zug. At 0210 hours the a/c crashed in the Forrest on Gals Klint , approximately 2 km to the west of Middelfart. When the a/c hit the ground, one of the remaining mines onboard exploded and the plane was totally wrecked.	Killed	Odense (Assistens) Cemetery Grave BD. 382	Odense Cemetery (Assistens)		At 0700 hours on 21 May 1942 the crew members were laid to rest in a common grave in the Assistens cemetery in Odense. The ceremony was performed by the German army chaplain Vorrath with full military honours. Also participating in the ceremony were several Danish and German officers. All crew members, apart from Sgt Ronald Maycock, were identified after the war by a British team. His name was thus not put on a cross as was his comrades. After the war a memorial stone was raised on the spot where W7531 crashed. Every year on 5 May the day of the liberation of Denmark a ceremony is held on the site. (Airwar Over Denmark) Son of William Salkeld Hall and Dorothy Mary Hall, of 'Red Thorns',, Norwich RoWymondham, Norfolk. Epitaph: '"I Bare You On Eagles' Wings, And Brought You Unto Myself" Exodus Xix.4'.	Read full archive report
4	Jeffs	Donald John	Sergeant	1194379	1921 Age 21	British	Wireless Operator		RAFVR	Bomber Command	15Sqn	1942-05-17	Stirling	I	W7531	LS-F “MacRobert’s Reply”	RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire	2140	Gardening	When the aircraft was ready to drop mines in the southern entrance to Øresund, it was hit by flak from several ships, and shore batteries. Fires broke out and the a/c turned due west, while the crew battled the fires. When it passed the Lille Bælt Bridge it was hit several times by flak from 3/lei Flak Abt. 844 II and IV Zug. At 0210 hours the a/c crashed in the Forrest on Gals Klint , approximately 2 km to the west of Middelfart. When the a/c hit the ground, one of the remaining mines onboard exploded and the plane was totally wrecked	PoW No. 24967 Stalag 8B Teschen/Stalag 344 Lamsdorf				Sgt Jeffs survived the crash and the explosion and was severely wounded. He was taken to the German Lazarett in Fredericia, and later on to the Lazarett in Rendsburg	Read full archive report
5	Maycock	Ronald	Sergeant	1384147	1921 Age 21	British	Observer		RAFVR	Bomber Command	15Sqn	1942-05-17	Stirling	I	W7531	LS-F “MacRobert’s Reply”	RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire	2140	Gardening	When the aircraft was ready to drop mines in the southern entrance to Øresund, it was hit by flak from several ships, and shore batteries. Fires broke out and the a/c turned due west, while the crew battled the fires. When it passed the Lille Bælt Bridge it was hit several times by flak from 3/lei Flak Abt. 844 II and IV Zug. At 0210 hours the a/c crashed in the Forrest on Gals Klint , approximately 2 km to the west of Middelfart. When the a/c hit the ground, one of the remaining mines onboard exploded and the plane was totally wrecked.	Killed	Odense (Assistens) Cemetery Special Memorial Originally listed on Runnymede Memoria,l Panel 89	Odense Cemetery (Assistens)		In 1999 a group of people from Odense had worked their way through reports and testimonies dating back from May 1943 and had collected enough evidence to be able to convince The CWGC that Sgt. Maycock actually had been buried with his comrades on 21 May 1942. On 10 May 1999 a ceremony was held at the cemetery and a headstone with Sgt. Maycocks name on it was unveiled. After the war a memorial stone was raised on the spot where W7531 crashed. Every year on 5 May the day of the liberation of Denmark a ceremony is held on the site. (Airwar Over Denmark) Son of Charles Stephenson Maycock and Elizabeth Ann Maycock, of Sunderland, County Durham, England.	Read full archive report
6	Nicholson	Robert	Sergeant	954208	1919 Age 23	British	Air Gunner		RAFVR	Bomber Command	15Sqn	1942-05-17	Stirling	I	W7531	LS-F “MacRobert’s Reply”	RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire	2140	Gardening	When the aircraft was ready to drop mines in the southern entrance to Øresund, it was hit by flak from several ships, and shore batteries. Fires broke out and the a/c turned due west, while the crew battled the fires. When it passed the Lille Bælt Bridge it was hit several times by flak from 3/lei Flak Abt. 844 II and IV Zug. At 0210 hours the a/c crashed in the Forrest on Gals Klint , approximately 2 km to the west of Middelfart. When the a/c hit the ground, one of the remaining mines onboard exploded and the plane was totally wrecked.	Killed	Odense (Assistens) Cemetery Grave BD 355	Odense Cemetery (Assistens)		At 0700 hours on 21 May 1942 the crew members were laid to rest in a common grave in the Assistens cemetery in Odense. The ceremony was performed by the German army chaplain Vorrath with full military honours. Also participating in the ceremony were several Danish and German officers. All crew members, apart from Sgt Ronald Maycock, were identified after the war by a British team. His name was thus not put on a cross as was his comrades. After the war a memorial stone was raised on the spot where W7531 crashed. Every year on 5 May the day of the liberation of Denmark a ceremony is held on the site. (Airwar Over Denmark) Son of Walter and Stella Nicholson, of Walkington, Yorkshire, England. Epitaph: 'In Loving Memory Of Our Dear Son. Mother, Father And Brother Jack'.	Read full archive report
7	Ryan	John Patrick	Flying Officer	J4758	1912 Age 30	New Zealander	Observer Many online resources list him incorrectly as second pilot		RCAF	Bomber Command	15Sqn	1942-05-17	Stirling	I	W7531	LS-F “MacRobert’s Reply”	RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire	2140	Gardening	When the aircraft was ready to drop mines in the southern entrance to Øresund, it was hit by flak from several ships, and shore batteries. Fires broke out and the a/c turned due west, while the crew battled the fires. When it passed the Lille Bælt Bridge it was hit several times by flak from 3/lei Flak Abt. 844 II and IV Zug. At 0210 hours the a/c crashed in the Forrest on Gals Klint , approximately 2 km to the west of Middelfart. When the a/c hit the ground, one of the remaining mines onboard exploded and the plane was totally wrecked	Killed	Odense (Assistens) Cemetery Grave BD. 383	Odense Cemetery (Assistens)	Paradie Archive Database	At 0700 hours on 21 May 1942 the crew members were laid to rest in a common grave in the Assistens cemetery in Odense. The ceremony was performed by the German army chaplain Vorrath with full military honours. Also participating in the ceremony were several Danish and German officers. All crew members, apart from Sgt Ronald Maycock, were identified after the war by a British team. His name was thus not put on a cross as was his comrades. After the war a memorial stone was raised on the spot where W7531 crashed. Every year on 5 May the day of the liberation of Denmark a ceremony is held on the site. (Airwar Over Denmark) Son of John Joseph (died 12th August 1947) and Mary Ryam (née Ardaghd, died in 1965, age 78), husband of Wilhelmina Ryan, of Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand	Read full archive report
8	Sharp	Frank Leslie	Sergeant	910003	Age ?	British	Wireless Operator/Air Gunner		RAFVR	Bomber Command	15Sqn	1942-05-17	Stirling	I	W7531	LS-F “MacRobert’s Reply”	RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire	2140	Gardening	When the aircraft was ready to drop mines in the southern entrance to Øresund, it was hit by flak from several ships, and shore batteries. Fires broke out and the a/c turned due west, while the crew battled the fires. When it passed the Lille Bælt Bridge it was hit several times by flak from 3/lei Flak Abt. 844 II and IV Zug. At 0210 hours the a/c crashed in the Forrest on Gals Klint , approximately 2 km to the west of Middelfart. When the a/c hit the ground, one of the remaining mines onboard exploded and the plane was totally wrecked.	Killed	Odense (Assistens) Cemetery Grave BD. 353	Odense Cemetery (Assistens)		At 0700 hours on 21 May 1942 the crew members were laid to rest in a common grave in the Assistens cemetery in Odense. The ceremony was performed by the German army chaplain Vorrath with full military honours. Also participating in the ceremony were several Danish and German officers. All crew members, apart from Sgt Ronald Maycock, were identified after the war by a British team. His name was thus not put on a cross as was his comrades. After the war a memorial stone was raised on the spot where W7531 crashed. Every year on 5 May the day of the liberation of Denmark a ceremony is held on the site. (Airwar Over Denmark) Son of Frank Leslie Sharp and Fanny Josephine (née Danner) OfT'he Rosery,' 165 Ashford Road, Maidstone, Kent, England. Retired Outfitter. 13-th February 1958.	Read full archive report
9	Spriggs	Anthony	Sergeant	568054	1920 Age 22	British	Flight Engineer		RAFVR	Bomber Command	15Sqn	1942-05-17	Stirling	I	W7531	LS-F “MacRobert’s Reply”	RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire	2140	Gardening	When the aircraft was ready to drop mines in the southern entrance to Øresund, it was hit by flak from several ships, and shore batteries. Fires broke out and the a/c turned due west, while the crew battled the fires. When it passed the Lille Bælt Bridge it was hit several times by flak from 3/lei Flak Abt. 844 II and IV Zug. At 0210 hours the a/c crashed in the Forrest on Gals Klint , approximately 2 km to the west of Middelfart. When the a/c hit the ground, one of the remaining mines onboard exploded and the plane was totally wrecked.	Killed	Odense (Assistens) Cemetery Grave BD. 356	Odense Cemetery (Assistens)		At 0700 hours on 21 May 1942 the crew members were laid to rest in a common grave in the Assistens cemetery in Odense. The ceremony was performed by the German army chaplain Vorrath with full military honours. Also participating in the ceremony were several Danish and German officers. All crew members, apart from Sgt Ronald Maycock, were identified after the war by a British team. His name was thus not put on a cross as was his comrades. After the war a memorial stone was raised on the spot where W7531 crashed. Every year on 5 May the day of the liberation of Denmark a ceremony is held on the site. (Airwar Over Denmark) Son of William Frank and Edith Ellen Spriggs, of Bristol, England. Epitaph: 'He Has Outsoared The Shadow Of Our Night'.	Read full archive report