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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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RAF Crest
24.04.1941 No. 11 OTU Wellington IA N2912 LG-G Sgt. Francis N. Alstrom

Operation: Training

Date: 24th April 1941 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 11 OTU (Operational Training Unit)

Type: Wellington IA

Serial: N2912

Code: LG-G

Base: RAF Bassingbourne, Cambridgeshire

Location: At base, RAF Bassingbourne

Pilot: Sgt. P.N. Nicholls RAFVR Survived - minor injuries

Pilot 2: Sgt. Francis Norman Alstrom 927508 RAFVR Age 18. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Ronald Wilson 1065928 RAFVR Age 30. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

During a night circuit training and over the airfield the Wellington was shot down by Fw. Vinzenz Glessübel (1) of 2./NJG2. 

Wellington N2912 LG-G on airfield.

After being hit - presumably during take off or landing the aircraft crashed into Wellington IC R1404 that was parked in its dispersal pan - resulting in both aircraft burnt out. Sgt. Nicholls survived with minor injuries. (Also, we understand, survived the war)

We welcome any additional information that can be placed on this page and also passed on to relatives of the pilot.

(1) Ofw. Vinzenz Glessübel survived the war with 3 day and 2 night abschüsse. No further information.

Burial details:

Sgt. Francis Norman Alstrom. Hove New Cemetery. Block 1. Grave 24. Son of G.N. Alstrom and Winifred M. Alstrom, of Hove, Sussex, England. Grave inscription reads: "A Loving Son, A Brother Kind, A Beautiful Memory, Left Behind."

Sgt. Ronald Wilson. Great Crosby Churchyard (St. Luke). Sec. E. Grave 315. Son of Agnes Wilson, of Great Crosby, Liverpool, England.

For further details our thanks to Francis Harris, nephew of the pilot. Additional sources as quoted below.


KTY 07.06.2015

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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 Captain 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', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, 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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