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World War Two / Re: 50 Squadron crew, June '41
« on: Thursday 03 September 09 14:42 BST (UK) »
This is a message mainly for Stenner153.
I noticed that you are the son of Sqn Ldr Charles Stenner, sometime of 106 Sqn. On the first 1000 bomber raid on 30 May 1942 your father was the pilot of a scratch crew, where the 2nd pilot was George Lancey of 97 Sqn. Up till then Lancey had been flying as 2nd pilot with Flg Off David Maltby, but he was one of the few qualified pilots excused as it was his wedding day. (Interestingly enough Guy Gibson also missed the 1000 bomber raid, as he was sick.) It seems that Lancey went to the wedding (in Kent) but left the reception early enough to get back to Coningsby for the operation. He went back to Canada after the war, and died in the 1970s, but I was sent photocopies of pages from his log book by his son.
The reason for my interest is because I am the nephew of David Maltby, who later went on to join 617 Squadron and took part in the Dams Raid in May 1943, when he dropped the bomb which caused the final breach in the Möhne Dam. Four months later he and all his crew were killed returning from an aborted mission to the Dortmund Ems Canal. I've told the whole story in my recent book, Breaking the Dams and on my website http://www.breakingthedams.com Hope this is of interest and reaches you, Stenner153!
I noticed that you are the son of Sqn Ldr Charles Stenner, sometime of 106 Sqn. On the first 1000 bomber raid on 30 May 1942 your father was the pilot of a scratch crew, where the 2nd pilot was George Lancey of 97 Sqn. Up till then Lancey had been flying as 2nd pilot with Flg Off David Maltby, but he was one of the few qualified pilots excused as it was his wedding day. (Interestingly enough Guy Gibson also missed the 1000 bomber raid, as he was sick.) It seems that Lancey went to the wedding (in Kent) but left the reception early enough to get back to Coningsby for the operation. He went back to Canada after the war, and died in the 1970s, but I was sent photocopies of pages from his log book by his son.
The reason for my interest is because I am the nephew of David Maltby, who later went on to join 617 Squadron and took part in the Dams Raid in May 1943, when he dropped the bomb which caused the final breach in the Möhne Dam. Four months later he and all his crew were killed returning from an aborted mission to the Dortmund Ems Canal. I've told the whole story in my recent book, Breaking the Dams and on my website http://www.breakingthedams.com Hope this is of interest and reaches you, Stenner153!