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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: Chiad Fhear on Thursday 06 April 17 15:20 BST (UK)
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Hi there
Donald was born on 27 July 1919 in Balcarres, Sascatchewan, Canada, and died as the result of a flying accident on 7 January 1945 over Hohrodberg, Departement du Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France.
He was a Flight Sergeant, Air Gunner, (R268487), enlisting in the R.C.A.F. 16 September 1963, after a short period of service in the 2nd Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. He flew with 103 Squadron R.A.F.
His body was interred in a communal grave with the others of the crew in the Munster Communal Cemetery, Haut-Rhin, France (CWGC records)
I can't find any detail for the event. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Chiad Fhear
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If you are able to get to Kew or can get it copied, the Sqn ops book is here http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2503455
There is a Facebook page which you may have seen.
maxD
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Hi MaxD
Regrettably, it's along way from Fife in Scotland to Kew and I don't subscribe to Facebook or other "Social Media"
Chiad Fhear
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Understood. Facebook - likewise!!
Book here https://www.amazon.co.uk/103-Squadron-Bomber-Command-Profiles/dp/1911255002/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491492321&sr=8-1&keywords=103+squadron
The site gives the ISBN number so you could ask your local library if they can get it, or try a book shop for a cheaper version.
maxD
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Thanks again maxD
I'll ask at the Library tomorrow and see if they can get me a copy.
Meantime, I've been trawling - not surfing - the 'net all afternoon and have picked up a wee bit more information that shows Donald was a gunner on Lancaster Mk1, Ser. No. MM766, thought to be en-route to bomb Munich, Germany, when it crashed near Hohrod, District of Kleinkopf, Germany. Presumably it was shot down or may have suffered catastrophic engine failure.
I've searched his service records which a researcher has (kindly) uploaded to their tree on Ancestry.
Hopefully the book will give me more.
Chiad Fhear
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Hi,
From Bomber command Losses I found the following info;
7-8 January 1945, Operation Munich, Lancaster NN(not MM)766 PM-R 103 Sqdn .
Took off 1823 Elsham Wolds, Outbound crashed onto highground near Hohrodberg(Haut Rhin), 4 Kms N from the small town of Munster. Initially, the crew were buried by local nuns some 25 metres from the point of impact, but since then their bodies have been brought to the communal cemetery at Munster. A memorial, however, has been placed at the crashsite. F/O Lougheed RCAF was the son of Dr.M.S.Lougheed of Winnipeg
P/O W.J.McArthur RCAF, Sgt R.P.Candy, F/O R.J.Lougheed RCAF, F/Sgt M.Greenstein RCAF, WO2 M.H.Horne RCAF, F/Sgt D.J.McAulay RCAF, F/Sgt D.F.Campbell RCAF.
Will see if I can find something about this aircraft and crew from the 103 ORB's. Also you can visit the association website: www.elshamwolds.org.uk
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Thanks lancaster103
Much appreciate the information. Everything comes to he who waits ;)
Chiad Fhear
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Hi
I have found him and his crew with photos of the graves.
http://www.francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=2151
Regards
Svenja
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Thank you Svenja
Chiad Fhear
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...Took off 1823 Elsham Wolds, Outbound crashed onto high ground near Hohrodberg (Haut Rhin), 4 Kms N from the small town of Munster ...
Hi Lancaster103
The link from Svenja leads on to a Forum with details of the crash following a mid-air collision with Lancaster ND968 of 460 Squadron, which was able to return safely to Lincolnshire.
Chiad Fhear
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Hi there,
I don't know whether anyone has got back to you with details on your man and his crew from the 103 Squadron Operational Record Books,but this is what I have found.I have recently made a nominal index of all aircrew who served with 103 Squadron and are mentioned in the O.R.B.s,so hopefully this will be a fairly full account.
Posting details are not very full in the O.R.B.s-only officers are mentioned and then not all and with no service numbers-so it is hard to be definitive about when N.C.O.s were posted in and whether they were originally posted in with the crews that they flew with operationally.
Bearing that in mind,it seems likely that the McArthur crew,with whom your man flew,was posted in 10/11/44,the posting-in date given for the only officer member of the crew F/O.Lougheed-W/O.McArthur was commissioned 16/12/44.W/O.McArthur flew his second pilot sortie on 11-12/1/44 and then took his own crew on their first sortie 18-19/11/44 on Wanne Eickel.The crew were lost on their twelfth sortie.
Your man,who appears at times with the initials D.P.,flew on only eight of these sorties.No reason is given for his absences.
If you would like a full list of his sorties,please let me know.
Hope this is of interest,
Regards,Mark Simpson.
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Hi Mark
Thanks for that additional information, but I think I may now have enough information for Donald that has emanated from additional sources.
Your input is greatly appreciated
Chiad Fhear