Operation: Nickel, France

Date: 4th/5th April 1943 (Sunday/Monday)

Unit No: 297 Squadron, 38 Group

Type: Whitley V

Serial: BD544

Code: QA:B

Base: RAF Thruxton, Hampshire

Location: Weyhill, Hampshire

Pilot: Fg Off. Louis Andrew Sproule 116629 RAFVR Age 27. KiA

2nd Pilot: Lt. David William Home Dickson 112927 North Staffordshire Reg. Age 23. Injured

Nav: WO. John Benjamin Burrows 400317 RAAF Age 21. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Fg Off. Bernard Bullivant 115673 RAFVR Age? Injured (1)

Air Gnr (Rear): Flt Sgt. Derrick Augustine Brooks 128963 RAFVR Age? Injured (1)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Note: 297 Squadron was first formed as the Parachute Experimental Squadron on the 15th December 1941, initially they were based at Ringway in Manchester but after only a week were moved to Netheravon. In February 1942, the first Whitley aircraft began to arrive and these were used to help train paratroopers. The Squadron moved to RAF Hurn on the 4th June, and then to RAF Thruxton on the 24th October. From these bases a steady programme of training with the Airborne Forces continued, but 297 Squadron also conducted a number of "Nickel" raids; dropping leaflets over occupied territory.

On the 4th April the squadron sent six (6) aircraft on 'Nickelling' operations over, Montluçon, Troyes, Paris, Limoges, Nantes and Rouen.

Aircraft was returning from Operational flight on which intense Flak had been encountered, which caused the Pilot to suspect that his fuel system had been damaged. Owing to fog, the aircraft was diverted on the way home, but the Pilot considered he could not with safety make the diversion, and decided to try and Land at Base using the Beam approach he apparently allowed the aircraft to get too low, with the result that it hit the ground about a mile short of the aerodrome. Mark II airfield lighting was in use; rockets and Verey lights were fired.

The aircraft hit the ground about a mile short of the airfield at 01:21 hrs at Weyhill railway station.

Above L-R: Ground crew, Flt Lt. Arthur William Slipper, Plt Off. Derek Augustine Brook, Sqn Ldr. Lawrence Denis Emblem, Fg Off. David Pickard, Flt Lt. Bernard Bullivant, Ground crew. (Courtesy Bruno Lecaplain - used with permission)

It was considered the main cause of the crash was pilot fatigue and mental stress and that it was not possible to identify how much fuel they had remaining as the aircraft was a total wreck, both engines thrown out of the aircraft on impact. Although the pilot initially survived he died on the way to hospital.

The Australian navigator WO. Burrows was killed instantly. The second pilot, Army Lieutenant Dickson suffered head injuries but recovered. The other two crew members escaped with slight injuries.

(1) Fg Off. Bullivant and Flt Sgt. Brooks both escaped injury and evaded capture later in the war. On the night of the 28th July 1944 297 Sqn Albermarle P1400 was attacked by a night fighter with the aircraft crashing near Muneville-sur-Mer (3 KiA, 3 Evd)

Burial details:

Above Grave marker for Fg Off. Sproule and his wife Margaret (Courtesy of Lynda McOmish)

Fg Off. Louis Andrew Sproule. Rutherglen Cemetery, Division Q. Grave 88. Adoptive parents Andrew Towart and Annie Ewen (née Carragher) Sproule of Glasgow, Scotland. Husband to Margaret Buchanan (née Dougray) Sproule of Glasgow, Scotland.

Tragically Margaret died on the 27th February 1946 aged 29.

WO. John Benjamin Burrows. Cannock Cemetery. Division. A. Sec. 1. Grave 1175. Grave inscription: "STILL LIVING, STILL OURS FATHER AND MOTHER". Born on the 11th July 1921 at Coburg, Victoria. Son of Alexander and Ada Frances Burrows, of Middle Brighton, Victoria, Australia. Husband of Marjorie Ruth Burrows, of North-Close, The Canonry, Salisbury, England.

With many thanks to David Franklin who brought this loss to our attention. He discovered a clip showing a Mr. Hannah McFadyen who had been looking after the grave of the Australian crewmember for several years. Bruno Lecaplain and 38 Squadron Website. (May 2018). Next of Kin details for Fg Off. Sproul and details for Lt. Dickson by Aircrew Remembered with thanks to Gordon McNeillie, courtesy of his sister Lynda McOmish, for the grave marker image for Fg Off. Sproule (Nov 2025).

Other sources listed below:

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