Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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27/28.01.1944 No. 57 Squadron Lancaster III JB366 DX-N P.O. A.O. Wright

Operation: Berlin

Date: 27/28th January 1944 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit: No. 57 Squadron

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: JB366

Code: DX-N

Base: RAF East Kirby, Lincolnshire

Location: Jetsch, 10 km. North West of Luckau, Germany

Pilot: P/O. Antony Oliver Wright 158793 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. J.K. English 967976 RAFVR PoW No: 1176 Camps: Stalag Luft Heydekrug / Stalag Kopernikus

Nav: Fl/Sgt. D.N. Marsh 1452031 RAFVR - PoW No: 1621 Camps: Stalag Luft Heydekrug / Stalag Kopernikus

Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. John D. Rennie R/155649 RCAF PoW No: 1178 Camps: Stalag Luft Heydekrug / Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. G.J. Huxtable 1385692 RAFVR PoW No: 1065 Camps: Stalag Luft Heydekrug / Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Richard Anderson 991776 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Ronald Anthony Cook AUS/423985 RAAF Age 28. Killed

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Relative of the pilot contacted us in June 2016 and would very much like to hear from other relatives of this crew - please contact us in the first instance. Update: January 2017 - another relative contacted us - page updated.

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REASON FOR LOSS:

After taking off at 17:40 hrs. from RAF East Kirby, Lincolnshire it was reported shot down over the target area, one of the four survivors stating that in his opinion the Lancaster had already been struck by rockets.

57 Squadron Lancasters whilst at RAF Scampton (courtesy IWM)

In all 515 Lancasters together with 15 Mosquitoes were committed to the raid on the night of 27/28 January 1944. 33 of the Lancasters did not return.

A diversionary minelaying operation had some effect in drawing off half of the night fighter defences but the remainder was sent up earlier than normal flying out 75 miles over the North Sea from the Dutch coast to meet the oncoming bomber stream.

In the city itself a further 567 people were killed including 132 foreign workers. 20,000 people were bombed out of their homes.

Memorial to 57 and 630 Squadron at East Kirkby

Burial details:

P/O. Antony Oliver Wright. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 213. Son of Oliver and Nelly Wright of Wimblington, Cambridgeshire, England. Also remembered on the war memorial lists for 1939-1945 at Manea and Wimblington. Cambridgeshire, England.

Sgt. Richard Anderson. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 224. Born at 63 Morgan Street, Sunderland, England on the 27th March 1920. Information from his younger brother mentioned that he lived with his Grandfather as he was from a large family and not enough room at the family home. He joined the RAF in April 1940 after having worked as a riveter in the Sunderland shipyards having previously worked at the coal mines. He sent all his meagre salary home to his parents.

Fl/Sgt. Ronald Anthony Cook. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 260. Born on the 29th June 1915 at Parramatta, NSW, the son of George James and Edna Grave Cook of 4 Walker Street, Rhodes, NSW, Australia, and husband of Lila May Cook of 19 Woodside Avenue, Lindfield, New South Wales, Australia.

Researched by Aircrew Remembered, researcher and specialist genealogist Linda Ibrom for relatives of this crew. With thanks to Josef McGrath for photo of his Uncle, the pilot, P/O. Antony Oliver Wright - June 2016. Also, many thanks to James Vanderpeer, younger brother of Richard Anderson who contacted us in January 2017.

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