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Operation: Berlin
Date: March 12/13th 1941
Unit: No. 40 Squadron
Type: Wellington Mk1C
Serial: R1013
Code: BL-B
Base: RAF Alconbury
Location: Over Berlin ?
Pilot: Sq/Ldr. Eric Hugh Lynch-Blosse 33194 RAF Age 23. PoW No: 472 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria (1)
2nd Pilot: P/O. Henry Heaton 87046 RAFVR PoW No: 3764 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria.
Obs: Stanley Harold Palmer 76165 RAFVR PoW No: 475 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria.
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. D.R. Clay 759138 RAFVR PoW No: 491 Camp: Stalag Kopernikus
Air/Gnr: Sgt. A. Hammond 900464 RAFVR PoW No: 501 Camp: Stalag Luft Heydekrug
Air/Gnr: Sgt. H. Caldicott 971482 RAFVR PoW No: 487 Camp: Stalag Kopernikus
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off at 19.55 hrs from RAF Alconbury to bomb Berlin. Some 72 aircraft taking part made up from 30 Hampdens, 28 Wellingtons and 14 Whitleys.
Bombing was reported as scattered with most of the bombing falling to the south of the city. Reports state that 60 assorted buildings were hit with none of these classed as destroyed. 11 people on the ground were killed, 24 injured with 80 being bombed out.
The crash scene of Wellington R1013 (courtesy Michel Beckers)
After signalling that they had completed the task and were returning nothing further was heard from them. No claims from night fighters for this Wellington, so likely it had been brought down by flak over the target area.40 Squadron lost another crew on this operation:
Wellington Ic T2515 BL-U - Flown by19 year old Sgt. Douglas William Gough NZ/40764 RNZAF of Wellington, New Zealand. Killed with all other 5 crew.
(1) Sq/Ldr. Lynch-Blosse born on 30th July 1917. Graduated from RAF Cranwell 31st July 1937. Later MiD and in 1952, made an OBE. Died aged 82 on the 25th February 2000.
Burial details:
None - all view survived.
Researched by Michel Beckers for Aircrew Remembered - February 2015 - updated August 2018.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 13 March 2021, 20:48