Archive Report: Allied Forces

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06/07.05.1941 No. 75 Squadron Wellington IC R3169 Sgt. Nola

Operation: Hamburg, Germany

Date: 6/7th May 1941 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit: No. 75 Squadron

Type: Wellington IC

Serial: R3169

Code: AA-?

Base: RAF Feltwell, Norfolk

Location: River Humber, Trinity Sands

Pilot: Sgt. David Leo Nola NZ/39930 RNZAF Age 26. Killed

Pilot 2: Sgt. Alexander Coutts Mee NZ/40656 RNZAF Age 23. Killed

Obs: P/O. Clifford Frederick Page 60780 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. John Hall 988980 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

W/OpAir/Gnr: Sgt. Walter Russell 949560 RAF Age 23. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Craven Injured

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off from RAF Feltwell, Norfolk to attack Hamburg. 115 aircraft took part including 50 Wellingtons, 31 Whitleys, 27 Hampdens, 4 Manchesters and 3 Stirlings. Due to poor visibility few aircraft failed to identify the targets. Only 12 bomb loads hit the target area and all aircraft returned.

On the return trip Wellington R3169 crossed the east coast of England and collided with barrage balloon cables. The Wellington crashed out of control in the River Humber near Trinity Sands. 

P/O. Clifford Frederick Page with his wife Muriel Alice (courtesy Anne Boulter)

Sgt. Alexander Mee had previously escaped in another incident on the 19th March 1941 when he parachuted from a 75 Squadron Wellington IC T2736 Which later crashed at Ryhill, near Leeds. All the crew escaped by parachuting, sadly Sgt Gilmore's failed to open and he was the only fatality.

P/O. Clifford Frederick Page

Some of the many photographs supplied by the Boulter family - do you recognise anyone?  Contact us if your relative served with P/O. Clifford Page - we have other photographs supplied by the family - all at a higher resolution. Your relative maybe on them?

Burial details:

Sgt. David Leo Nola. Grimsby (Scartho Road) Cemetery Sec 116. Row J. Grave 5. Son of Ivan John Nola, and of Kate Nola (nee Versalko), of Tatuanui, Auckland, New Zealand.

Sgt. Alexander Coutts Mee. Grimsby (Scartho Road) Cemetery Sec 116. Row G. Grave 5. Son of Alexander Mee and of Jessie Mee (nee Coutts), of Brighton, Otago, New Zealand, nephew of Mr. F. A. Coutts, of Brighton, England.

P/O. Clifford Frederick Page. Gt. Yarmouth (Caister) Cemetery Sec M. Grave 876. Son of Frederick James Page and Hilda Page of Norwich, husband of Muriel Alice Page, of Norwich, Norfolk, England.

Sgt. John Hall. Hull Northern Cemetery Compt. 202. Grave 14. Son of John George and Frances Jane Hall, of Willington Quay, Northumberland, England.

Sgt. Walter Russell. West Bromwich Cemetery New part. Grave 17316 R. Son of Gertrude Russell, of West Bromwich, England, husband of Marjory Russell.

Researched for Anne Boulter (relative of P/O. Clifford Frederick Page) and all the relatives of the crew. With thanks to the following: Anne Boulter for photographs, Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vol 2', T Martin Middlebrook 'Bomber Command War Diaries'. The CWGC.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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