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Operation: Kiel
Date: 13/14th October 1942 (Tuesday/Wednesday)
Unit: No. 10 Squadron (4 Group)
Type: Halifax II
Serial: W7870
Code: ZA-G
Base: RAF Melbourne, Yorkshire
Location: North Sea, 15 KM North of Schiermonnikoog, Netherlands
Pilot: F/O. John David Lindsay J/9555 RCAF Age 21. Missing
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Robert Gregg 902460 RAF Age 34. Missing (1)
Nav: Fl/Sgt. Francis Xavier Joseph Dunajski R/94590 RCAF Age 23. Missing (2)
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Francis Joseph Hogan R/111255 RCAF Age 24. Missing
W/Op/Air/Gnr: F/O. Raymond Sydney Braley J/10170 RCAF Age 22. Missing
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Alfred Charles Girdlestone 1383954 RAFVR Age 19. Missing
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Alan George Langton 927895 RAFVR Age 21. Missing
The niece of the Flight Engineer would very much like to contact other relatives of the crew and would really appreciate any photographs, in particular of course of Sgt. Robert Gregg - please contact us via the Add Info button or our Help Desk.
REASON FOR LOSS:
288 aircraft took place on a bombing operation on Kiel. Halifax W7870 took off at 18:34 hrs. Decoy fires were lit to divert the bombers, some 50% of the bombing consequently fell in open countryside. However, the City was hit by the remainder of the bomber stream, with the majority of damage created by the use of blast bombs - some 250,000 sq/mtrs of roof tiling and 150,000 sq/mtrs of glass damage. 41 killed on the ground with 101 people injured. Some of the force also bombed Hamburg, thought to be a mistake but killing 8 people with 43 injured.
Above: overview of general area and right Oblt. Paul Gildner (courtesy Kracker Archive)
Early version of a 10 Squadron Halifax - L9619 ZA-E (courtesy IWM - on the 16th February, 1942 this aircraft ran out of fuel and abandoned over Keld, Swaledale, Yorkshire Moors)
(1) The brother of Sgt. Robert Gregg also lost his life in conflict. 25 year old L/Cpl. Thomas Gregg 7012187 of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles was lost on the 01st June 1940 at Dunkirk and is remembered on the Dunkirk Memorial, Column 129. Believed during the evacuation, on board HMS Skipjack (4), 1 of the 4 destroyers sunk by the Luftwaffe that day. 64,000 Allied troops were evacuated this day.(2) Dunajski Lake in Saskatchewan was named after Fl/Sgt. Francis Xavier Joseph Dunajski. A memorial was placed by Doug Chisholm in 2001.(3) This was the 40th kill for Oblt. Paul Gildner who went on to obtain an enormous score of 42 abschüsse, before he was killed on the 24/25th February 1943 in a forced landing near Gilze-Rijen airfield after engine failure.
Above: Runnymede Memorial as photographed by Aircrew Remembered in 2014
Burial details:F/O. John David Lindsay. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 99. From Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Next of kin details not available - can you assist?
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Robert Gregg. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 84. From County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Nav: Fl/Sgt. Francis Xavier Joseph Dunajski. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 103. Son of John and Johanna (née Hernig) Dunajski, of Dilke, Saskatchewan, Canada. Prior to enlisting in February 1941, had been a teacher.
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Francis Joseph Hogan. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 104. Son of Daniel and Anne Hogan, of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
W/Op/Air/Gnr: F/O. Raymond Sydney Braley. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 99. From Westmount, Quebec, Canada. Next of kin details not available - can you assist?
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Alfred Charles Girdlestone. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 83. Son of Frederick Walter and Jessie Louise Girdlestone, of Bromley, Kent, England.
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Alan George Langton. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 87. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard George Langton, of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.
Researched for Angela Wright, niece of Sgt. Robert Gregg. Dedicated to all the relatives of the crew. For further details our thanks to the sources shown below. Also to Halcyon-Class for details on HMS Skipjack.
KTY 16.09.2015.
KTY 17.09.2015 Further details added.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 17 September 2015, 22:20