Operation: Berlin, Germany

Date: 22nd/23rd November 1943 (Monday/Tuesday)

Unit No: 49 Squadron

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: JB368

Code: EA:G

Base: RAF Fiskerton, Lincolnshire

Location: Berlin-Haselhorst (East Spandau), Germany

Pilot: Fg Off. Cyril Morgan Cottingham J21625 RCAF Age 25. MiA

Pilot 2: Flt Lt. George Cooley Bailey J20211 RCAF Age 21. MiA (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. Alexander James Mathieson 1566697 RAFVR Age 20. MiA

Nav: Fg Off. Russell Bernard Richard J14785 RCAF Age 24. MiA

Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. Maurice Winter Wright 132198 RAFVR Age 21. MiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Geoffrey Tabenor 1274037 RAFVR Age 20. MiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Flt Sgt. Colin Edward Byers R133135 RCAF Age 29. MiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. George Frederick Alfred John Falck 931694 RAFVR Age 19. MiA

The family of the pilot would very much welcome any information as to where the aircraft came down - please contact us in the first instance.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Very few details available on this loss. Taking off from RAF Fiskerton in Lincolnshire at 16:51 hrs to bomb Berlin - the largest single force (764 aircraft) of heavy bombers yet of the war to go to the capital

The operation was a bold one as no diversionary raid were planned. The route taken was direct from Texel Island to the target - taking the same route home. They were detected late at 17:40 hrs after crossing the Dutch coast but no night fighters took off in the 10/10ths cloud conditions with very heavy icing conditions.

Interesting in that there are no definite claims for any of the 26 aircraft lost on this operation from night fighters although they were in action over the target area and during the homeward bound journey. The fierce anti-aircraft batteries over the German capital claimed some 17 aircraft shot down.

The raid proved to be the ‘most effective’ bombing attack on Berlin of the whole war. Concentrated bombing destroyed large areas of the centre and west of the city. Amongst the casualties were the 500 occupants of one large public air raid shelter that received a direct hit. Relatively dry weather helped create firestorms, next day the fires were producing smoking columns that rose to 19,000 feet.

JB368 was claimed by 3.& 4/.Schw. Flak Abt.662 and 5/.Schw. Flak Abt.516, exploded in mid air and crashed at Berlin-Haselhorst (East Spandau) at 20.50hrs. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (23 September - 31 December) 1943 Part 3 - Theo Boiten)

Note: The remains of 6 identified crew members and 2 unknown were recovered from the German crash report but no burial particulars were stated and crew therefore are still officially listed as 'Missing believed killed. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (23 September - 31 December) 1943 Part 3 - Theo Boiten).

The crash site was in the Russian Zone and post war access to crash sites for Allied aircraft and grave locations for airmen was severely restricted. Although it appears that the crew were recovered from the crash and buried their remains don't appear to have been recovered and as a consequence are remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.

(1) Plt Off. Bailey and his crew were posted to 49 Sqn on the 29th October 1943 from 1660 HCU. After he was posted missing his crew returned to 1660 HCU on 25th November 1943, they were assigned a new Pilot, Flt Lt. Edward Wells Tickler 142447, on 31st March 1944, they were lost aboard 57 Sqn Lancaster III ND622 on a mission to Nurnberg which was shot down by a night-fighter (4 KiA, 3 PoW).

Burial details

Above: Runnymede Memorial courtesy of the Commonwealth War Grave Commission

Fg Off. Cyril Morgan Cottingham. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 173. Born on the 13th June 1918 in Goginan, Wales Son of William Thomas and Mary Ann (née Jones) of Comox, British Columbia, Canada.

The family emigrated to Canada from Liverpool in February 1927 and arrived in St John, Newfoundland on 6th March 1927, settled in Comax, British Columbia.

Cyril enlisted in the RCAF at Camp Borden on the 17th July 1939. He trained as a meteorologist and between 1st October 1939 and 6th December 1941 he was the assistant meteorologist at Camp Borden. He re-mustered aircrew as a Pilot.

On the 16th April 2004 a new Terminal at Comox Airport in British Columbia, Canada was named 'Cottingham Terminal' in remembrance to Cyril Morgan Cottingham..

Flt Lt. George Cooley Bailey, Runnymede Memorial. Panel 172. Born on the 13th November 1922 in Stamford, Connecticut, USA. Son of Vernon Niles and of Sarah Seymour (née CooleyI Bailey of New Canaan, Connecticut, USA.

Prior to enlisting in the RCAF on the 3rd October 1941 in Montreal George had been a mechanic in an Aircraft factory.

Sgt. Alexander James Mathieson. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 158. Born during 1923 in Aberdeen. Son of Alexander William Douglas and Mary (née McDonald) of Richmond Terrace, Aberdeen, Scotland.

Alexander worked on the Aberdeen Journal newspaper before he enlisted in RAFVR.

Fg Off. Russell Bernard Richard. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 174. Born on the 10th April 1919 in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Son of Harry Bernard and Jean Grassie (née Tobin) of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Prior to enlisting in the RCAF on the 19th October 1939 Russell was a mechanic

Fg Off. Maurice Winter Wright. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 130. Born on the 18th November 1922 in Brentford, Middlesex. Son of Herbert Ernest and Nora (née Rennie) of Arlington Road, St Margarets, Twickenham, Middlesex, England.

His father was a Furrier and Maurice was employed as a Shipping and Fruit Import clerk. Maurice had been a pupil at the Latymer School in Edmonton, joining class 3R on 15th January 1935

Sgt. Geoffrey Tabenor. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 166. Born on the 20th December 1922. Son of Frank Henry and Dorothy Alice Ada (née Bellerby) of Severne Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, England.

Flt Sgt. Colin Edward Byers. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 181. Born on the 17th January 1923 in Vernon, British Columbia. Son of Thomas Edward (deceased) and Elizabeth Stobo (née Lang) of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.

Prior to enlisting in the RCAF on the 20th September 1941 Colin had been a student in Vancouver.

Sgt. George Frederick Alfred John Falck. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 149. Born on the 24th August 1914 in Kennington, Surrey. Son of George Alfred (deceased) and Annie Elizabeth (née Ward) of Hurley Road, Kennington, England.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) for Wayne Cottingham - relative of the pilot who contacted us in July 2016. With thanks to Michel Beckers for pilot photographs. Thanks to Graham Wallace for the update to the Flak claim and the update to Next of Kin details (Mar 2024)

Other sources listed below:

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