Operation: Frankfurt, Germany.

Date: 2nd/3rd December 1942 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit No: 102 Squadron (motto: Tentate et Perficite - 'Attempt and achieve')

Type: Halifax II

Serial: W7913

Code: DY:C

Base: RAF Pocklington, Yorkshire.

Location: Between Resteigne and Grupont (Luxembourg)

Pilot: Flt Sgt. Harry Morrissy R100533 DFM. RCAF Age 25. KiA

Pilot 2: Sgt. Robert Francis Hughes Kenyon 139871 RAFVR Age? KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. John Martin Beart Albrecht 56906 RAF Age 23. KiA

Nav: Fg Off. Donald Edward Pike 120581 RAFVR Age 27. KiA

Bomb Aimer: Sgt. Erlin Leslie Ross Brown 1263694 RAFVR Age 30. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. George Allen Robson 1002130 RAFVR Age 27. KiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. John William Taylor 1390639 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Thomas McCallum 965300 RAFVR Age 22. KiA

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 01:45 hrs from the RAF base in Pocklington, Yorkshire. Part of a 112 aircraft raid on Frankfurt, Germany.

The force was made up with 48 Halifaxes, 27 Lancasters, 22 Stirlings, 15 Wellingtons. Weather for the raid was a thick haze and the pathfinders were unable to establish the location of Frankfurt. Most of the bombing fell in country areas south - west of the city, it is possible that a decoy fire was operating.

3 Halifaxes, 1 Lancaster, 1 Stirling and 1 Wellington were also lost.

Some of the crew of Halifax W7913 - are you able to identify any?

This was the first of his 4 victories until he was shot down and wounded on the 18th/19th March 1945 on finals to Gerotzhofen airfield by an 85 squadron Mosquito crewed by Flt Lt F.D. Winn and Fg Off. T. P Ryan.

Ofhr. Erichsen survived the war living in Erftstadt, Germany.

Burial details:

Flt Sgt. Harry Morrissy DFM. Florennes Communal Cemetery. Row 1. Grave 7. Born 2nd February 1917 in Pennsylvania, USA. Son to Patrick and Sarah (née Bramaghan) Morrissy and Husband to Dorothy Edythe (née Salem) Morrissy of Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, USA.

DFM awarded 18th December 1942, gazetted on the 15th December 1942. Citation reads: One night in November, 1942, Sergeant Morrissy captained an aircraft detailed to attack Turin. During the take off, the hatch cover above his head blew open and all attempts to close and secure it were unavailing. Although it was necessary to jettison the hatch cover, leaving him exposed to intense cold and extreme discomfort, Sergeant Morrissy flew on to the target and successfully bombed it. Throughout the flight, this airman displayed outstanding determination and unswerving devotion to duty.

Sgt. Robert Francis Hughes Kenyon. Florennes Communal Cemetery. Row 1. Grave 2. Next of kin details currently not available - are you able to assist completion of these and any other information?

Sgt. John Martin Beart Albrecht. Florennes Communal Cemetery. Row 1. Grave 6. Grave inscription: 'AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER HIM'. Son of Martin Herbert Beart Albrecht and Dorothy Mary Beart Albrecht and husband of Betty Joan Mary Beart Albrecht, of Exeter, England.

Fg Off. Donald Edward Pike. Florennes Communal Cemetery. Row 1. Grave 1. Grave inscription: 'MY DARLING HUSBAND DONALD. THANK YOU, DEAR, FOR HAPPY TIMES TOGETHER. DOROTHY'. Son of John and Elsie Pike, of Bristol and husband of Dorothy M. Pike, of Bristol, England.

Sgt. Erlin Leslie Ross Brown. Florennes Communal Cemetery. Row 1, Grave 3. Grave inscription: 'WHOM NEITHER SHAPE OF DANGER COULD DISMAY, NOR THOUGHT OF TENDER HAPPINESS BETRAY'. Son of Frank and Winifred Jessie Brown and husband of Frances Eileen Brown, of Welford, Northamptonshire, England.

Sgt. George Allen Robson. Florennes Communal Cemetery. Row 1. Grave 5. Son of George and Margaret Robson, husband of Barbara Robson.

Sgt. John William Taylor. Florennes Communal Cemetery. Row 1. Grave 8. Grave inscription: 'HOW LITTLE WE KNEW AS WE SAID GOOD-BYE WE PARTED FOR EVER AND YOU WERE TO DIE'. Son of John William and Mary Taylor and husband of Doris Anne Taylor, of Holloway, London, England.

Sgt. Thomas McCallum. Florennes Communal Cemetery. Row 1. Grave 4. Grave inscription: 'A TRIBUTE OF LOVE AND REMEMBRANCE TO ONE I SHALL NEVER FORGET'. Son of David and Julia McCallum, husband of Doris Maude (née Fraser), of Inverness, Scotland.

With many thanks to David McCallum (son of Sgt. Thomas McCallum) for photographs and information. Updated by KTY (Nov 2019). Updates by Aircrew Remembered (May 2020).

Other sources listed below:

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