Operation: Hamburg, Germany

Date: 2nd/3rd August 1943 (Monday/Tuesday)

Unit No: 115 Squadron

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: DS685

Code: KO:A

Base: RAF East Wretham, Norfolk

Location: Lost without trace

Pilot: Flt Sgt. Cyril Button 1339068 RAFVR Age 22. MiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Eric James Bell 1558567 RAFVR Age 22. MiA

Navigator: Sgt. Richard Leonard ‘Dicky’ Pasquins 1396394 RAFVR Age 20. MiA

Bomb Aimer: Sgt. Laurence Alfred Herbert ‘Laurie’ Petts 1321179 RAFVR Age 21. MiA (1)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Charles Frederick ‘Chaz’ Brown 1208686 RAFVR Age 40. MiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Lionel Walter Eade 1621889 RAFVR Age 21. MiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. John Herbert ‘Bill’ Baily 547782 RAF Age 24. MiA

The image above depicts five of the crew during or after Course 67, at 11 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at RAF Westcott, March 1943. (Courtesy of Carolyn Woodruff)

Left to Right: Sgt. 'Laurie' Petts, Flt Sgt. Button, Sgt. 'Chaz’ Brown, Sgt. 'Dicky' Pasquins, Sgt. 'Bill' Baily.

Flight Engineer, Sgt. Bell and Mid-Upper Gunner, Sgt. Eade are not depicted in this photograph as they would join the crew later at a Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU).

REASON FOR LOSS:

DS685 took off at 23:42 on the 2nd August 1943 from RAF East Wretham to join a force of 740 aircraft on a mission to bomb the port-city of Hamburg. Fighter Command supported the raid with 29 intruder aircraft.

The bombing force encountered a large thunderstorm area over Germany and many crews turned back early or bombed alternative targets. At least 4 aircraft, probably more, were lost because of icing, turbulence or were struck by lightning.

DS685 was one of 30 bombers that failed to return. The German night-fighters claimed 18 bombers and a Mosquito. DS685 is not listed in the German night-fighters claims nor in the German Flak unit claims and therefore the aircraft was posted as Lost without Trace and her crew Missing in Action (MiA). DS685 and her crew was one of three bombers lost from the squadron. The other two were:

DS673 KO:V which was shot down by Ofw. Erich Heitmann from 2./NJG3 at 01:15 hrs. The aircraft came down in the Waddensea, 5 km south of Spiekeroog. All seven of the crew were KiA;

DS715 KO:Q which was struck by lightning and fell out of control crashing SW of Harburg. All seven of the crew were KiA.

(1) Sgt. Laurence Alfred Herbert ‘Laurie’ Petts.

Above: Airman Laurie Petts was engaged to be married to Bertha Maud Lugg (Courtesy of Carolyn Woodruff).

Above: Airman Laurie Petts sporting his newly issued flying kit at his Initial Training Wing (ITW) establishment (Courtesy of Carolyn Woodruff).

Above: Newly ‘minted’ Observers from No. 42 Air School, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. LAC ‘Laurie’ Petts is seated on the left. Photograph taken prior to the passing out parade and the presentation of their Observer Brevets on the 11th December 1942. Note: The other named individuals have yet to be traced.(Courtesy of Carolyn Woodruff).

Note: The Observer role was originally adopted in 1915 by the Royal Flying Corp (RFC) and its use was continued by the RAF until superseded by the Navigator and Bomb Aimers brevets in April 1942 when the two roles were separated. Those trained as an Observer could either fulfil the individual role of Navigator or Bomb Aimer.

Above: Inspection at the passing out parade for the presentation of Observer brevets on the 11th December 1942. (Courtesy of Carolyn Woodruff).

Burial details:

Above: The Runnymede Memorial (Courtesy of the CWGC)

Flt Sgt. Cyril Button. Runnymede Memorial Panel 135. Born on the 19th June 1921 in Clutton, Somerset. Son of Frederick Albert and Gertrude Eliza (née Dunsford) Button, of Chilcompton, Somerset, England.

Sgt. Eric James Bell. Runnymede Memorial Panel 142. Born on the 29th January 1921 in Gateshead, County Durham. Son of William and Ada (née Potts) Bell, of Ravensworth, County Durham, England.

Sgt. Richard Leonard ‘Dicky’ Pasquins. Runnymede Memorial Panel 161. Born in the 4th Qtr of 1922 in Lambeth, Greater London. Son of Richard S. and Dorothy A. (née Moores) Pasquins, of Brixton, London, England.

Sgt. Laurence Alfred Herbert ‘Laurie’ Petts. Runnymede Memorial Panel 161. Born in the 3rd Qtr of 1922 in Barnet Middlesex. Son of Alfred William and Amy (née Sheldon) Petts of Finchley, Middlesex, England.

Sgt. Charles Frederick ‘Chaz’ Brown. Runnymede Memorial Panel 143. Son of Walter and Kate E. Brown.

Note: Two official notifications has his age as 31 and 40. To date this discrepancy has not be resolved.

Sgt. Lionel Walter Eade. Runnymede Memorial Panel 148. Born on the 25th January 1923 in Hammersmith, Greater London. Son of Lionel Dudley and Ethel Maria (née Warnes) Eade of Oxhey, Hertfordshire, England.

Sgt. John Herbert ‘Bill’ Baily. Runnymede Memorial Panel 141. Born in 4th Qtr of 1918 in West Derby, Lancashire. Son of John Walker and Edith (née Yates) Baily. Husband of Helen (née Couch) Baily of Orrell, Bootle, Lancashire, England.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this crew.With thanks to Carolyn Woodruff, the daughter of Bertha Maud (née Lugg) Hicks, for providing the photographs from an album dedicated to Sgt. Laurence Alfred Herbert ‘Laurie’ Petts (Oct 2023).

Other sources listed below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2026 Last Modified: 16 October 2023, 09:04