Operation: München, Germany

Date: 7th/8th January 1945 (Sunday/Monday)

Unit No: 12 Squadron, 1 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: PB851

Code: PH:S

Base: RAF Wickenby, Lincolnshire

Location: Lost without trace.

Pilot: Fg Off. Robert Donald Keith Hanbidge J88499 RCAF Age 23. MiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Robert Rickeard 617244 RAF Age 24. MiA

Nav: Flt Sgt. George Flaxman 1578541 RAFVR Age 36. MiA

Bomb Aimer: Flt Sgt. Henry Croucher 1566946 RAFVR Age 22. MiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. Noel Gordon Prescott 1582098 RAFVR Age 22. MiA (1)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Flt Sgt. John Gynane R251217 RCAF Age 20. MiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Flt Sgt. Grant Durnan R251374 RCAF Age 19. MiA

Crew of PB851 L-R rear: Sgt. Robert Rickeard, Fg Off. Robert Hanbidge, Johnson (listed as spare man so it would seem that Flt Sgt. Prescott took his place on this flight) Front: FltSgt. John Gynane, Flt Sgt. Henry Croucher, Flt Sgt. George Flaxman, Flt Sgt. Grant Durnan (courtesy Mary Jane Pfeifer)

This photo shows them in front of LM509 PH:M “Minnie The Moocher”.

Above left to right: Fg Off. Robert D.K. Hanbidge, Flt Sgt. John Gynane, Flt Sgt. Grant Durnan – all as Sgts. (from their Service Records)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Lancaster I PB851 took-off from RAF Wickenby at 18:33 hrs. on an operation to München. 645 Lancasters taking part on this operation, together with 9 Mosquitoes.

Claimed as a successful raid with the areas being severely damaged. This being the last major raid of the war to München. Some 503 people being killed on the ground, 984 injured and a further 70,000 being made homeless.

The aircraft was lost without trace. Earlier reports that one of two German night fighters had claimed PB851 have not been confirmed by modern day research.

Operations flown by this crew:

28th October 1944 - Cologne - LM509 PH:M (Minnie the Moocher)
30th October 1944 - Cologne - JB559 PH:Z
31st October 1944 - Cologne - PD369 PH:1
4th November 1944 - Bochum - PD207 PH:W
6th November 1944 - Gelsenkirchen - PD275 PH:K
9th November 1944 - Wanne Eickel - PD207 PH:W
27th November 1944 - Frieberg - PB476 PH:Y
29th November 1944 - Dortmund - PB476 PH:Y
4th December 1944 - Karlsruhe - ME316 PN:V
28th December 1944 - Bonn - ME323 PH:P
31st December 1944 - Osterfeld - PB476 PH:Y
5th January 1945 - Royan - ME316 PH:V
7th January 1945 Munich - PB851 PH:S (lost without a trace)

(1) Noel Gordon Prescott’s parents ran a sweet shop in Spalding, Lincolnshire. Noel was known as Gordon by his family. Worked as a linotype operator for the Spalding Free Press and had a reputation for having lots of girlfriends.

He joined the RAF in 1943 and 12 Squadron in 1944. After being involved in a motorcycle accident near Sleaford breaking his leg. After his recovery he was assigned to a new crew flying under Fg Off. Hanbidge from September 1944.

Above: Flt Sgt. Prescott in centre with his parents and two of his original crew.

Above: The original crew with Flt Sgt. Prescott 2nd right, back row - it is thought that this original crew survived the war.

Flt Sgt. Prescott centre row, 2nd from right, taken during training (courtesy Julia Fordham)

Flt Sgt. Prescott - last entry in log book (courtesy Julia Fordham)

Burial details:

Above: The Runnymede Memorial (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

Fg Off. Robert Donald Keith Hanbidge. Runnymede Memorial Panel 279. Born on the 11th March 1921 in Kerrobert, Saskatchewan. Son of Robert Leith Hanbidge QC. and Jane (née Mitchell) Hanbidge of Kerrobert, Saskatchewan, Canada.

His father, known as Dinnie to all, was Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan in the early 1960’s.

Sgt. Robert Rickeard. Runnymede Memorial Panel 276. Born in the 2nd Qtr of 1920 in Tynemouth, Cumberland. Son of John and Sarah (née Douglas) Rickeard. Husband to Mary (née Branningan) Rickeard of Annitsford, Northumberland, England.

Flt Sgt. George Flaxman. Runnymede Memorial Panel 271. Born on the 24th December 1908 in Stamford, Lincolnshire. Son of Frederick Lewis (deceased in March 1934) and Hannah (née Taylor) Flaxman of Derby, Derbyshire, England.

Brother of Elsie and Margaret Flaxman of Derby. A family superstition handed down over the generations was that his sister Elsie burning some cabbage trimmings on the fire caused George’s loss

Flt Sgt. Henry Croucher. Runnymede Memorial Panel 270. Born in 4th Qtr of 1922 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Son of Albert Sidney and Jane (née Thompson) Croucher of Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

Flt Sgt. Noel Gordon Prescott. Runnymede Memorial Panel 272. Born on the 26th December 1922 in Spalding, Lincolnshire. Son of Robert James and Mary Ellen (née Stretton) Prescott of Spalding, Lincolnshire, England.

Plt Off. John Gynane. Runnymede Memorial Panel 280. Born on the 18th October 1924 in Ontario, Canada. Son of John Edward and Alice Ann (née Clayton) Gynane of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.

Flt Sgt. Gynane was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J95297 Plt Off. on the 6th January 1945.

Plt Off. Grant Durnan. Runnymede Memorial Panel 280. Born on the 18th March 1925 in Toronto, Ontario. Son of Leslie and Mary Marsha (née Coe) Durnan of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Flt Sgt. Durnan was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J95296 Plt Off. on the 6th January 1945.

Researched by Linda Ibrom for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to relatives of the crew. Photo credits and information of Flt Lt. Noel Prescott to Julia Fordham. Information on operations flown by this crew from Mark Morton, great nephew of Flt Sgt. Flaxman. The niece of the pilot, Mary Jane Pfeifer contacted us and submitted the crew photo that her grandmother kept and recently discovered - she removed the photo from the frame and discovered all the names had been written on the back (Nov 2015). Reviewed and updated by Aircrew Remembered resulting in a new report with thanks to Roy Bell for the correction to the pilot’s name (Nov 2025).

Other sources listed below:

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