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Operation: Stuttgart
Date: 24/25 July 1944 (Monday/Tuesday)
Unit: No. 83 Squadron
Type: Lancaster III
Serial: ND922
Code: OL-J
Base: RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire.
Location: South East Jungingen, Germany.
Pilot: Fl/Lt. Raymond Charles Banfield DFC 415490 RAAF Age 24. Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Ernest Pattison 1812157 RAFVR Age 20. Killed
Nav: Fl/Lt. Michael Ward DFC 134564 RAFVR Age 22. Killed
Air/Bmr: Fl/Lt. Stanley George Norris DFC 135750 RAFVR Age 30. Killed
Air/Bmr 2: W/O. Wallace Herbert DFM 1178839 RAFVR Age 32. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Joseph Casebrook 1316080 RAFVR Age 24. Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Joseph Wheeler 2208907 RAFVR Age ? Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Stanley James Compton 1600146 RAFVR Age ? Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off from RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire at 22.15 hrs joining 461 Lancasters and 153 Halifaxes to Stuttgart. This was the first of 3 heavy raids on Stuttgart in 5 nights and the only report available is a composite one for the 3 raids.
The 3 raids caused the most serious damage of the war in the central districts of Stuttgart which, being situated in a series of narrow valleys, had eluded Bomber Command for several years. They were now devastated and most of Stuttgart's public and cultural buildings were destroyed. The second of the 3 raids, on the night of 25/26 July, was the most successful.Shot down by Uffz. Bernhard Kratz of 3./NJG6 at 01.56 hrs with combat taking place at 4.700 metres.Right: Uffz. Bernard Kratz of 3./NJG6 (Courtesy Susan Robinson Peters via Wendy White)
(1) Uffz. Bernhard Kratz this his 5th of 6 Abschüsse. Understood to have survived the war. Interesting in that he was wounded only days before this action on the 23/24th July in a crash shortly after take off from Coulommiers airfield. No further details.
Fl/Lt. Raymond Charles Banfield DFC. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 8.D.30. Son of Charles Thomas Banfield and Violet Banfield, of Victoria Park, Western Australia.
Sgt. Ernest Pattison. Durnbach War Cemetery. Coll. Grave 8.D.31-35. Son of Ernest and Ruth Pattison, of New Herrington, Co. Durham, England.
Fl/Lt. Michael Ward DFC. Durnbach War Cemetery. Coll. Grave 8.D.31-35. Son of William and Isabel Ward, of York, England.
Fl/Lt. Stanley George Norris DFC. Durnbach War Cemetery. Coll. Grave 8.D.31-35. Son of Thomas Henry Stanley Norris and Grace Ethel Norris, husband of Winifred May Norris, of West Wimbledon, Surrey, England.
W/O. Wallace Herbert DFM. Durnbach War Cemetery. Coll. Grave 8.D.31-35. Son of Edward Wallace Herbert and Lizzie Herbert, husband of Florence Rose Herbert, of Weston Rhyn, Shropshire, England. Schoolmaster.
Fl/Sgt. Joseph Casebrook. Durnbach War Cemetery. Coll. Grave 8.D.31-35. Son of William Tibbets Casebrook and Jessie Davies Casebrook, of Bodicote, Oxfordshire, England.
Fl/Sgt. Joseph Wheeler. Durnbach War Cemetery. Coll. Grave 8.D.31-35. Son of Wilfred and Annie Wheeler, of Nantwich, Cheshire, England.
Fl/Sgt. Stanley James Compton. Durnbach War Cemetery. Coll. Grave 8.D.31-35. Son of James Tynte Agg Compton and Kate Compton, of Bassett, Hampshire, England.
Researched for relatives of the crew. With many thanks to David Franklin, who has kindly visited the cemetery taking photographs of the crew graves, on behalf of the Aircrew Remembered. Any relative wishing to have a copy of these, David has given us his permission to release them full size. Also thanks to Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses Vol. 5", Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - "Nightfighter War Diaries Vol. 2", Commonwealth Graves Commission.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 27 January 2015, 18:29