| The graves of a Lancaster crew of the 101st Squadron Royal Air Force |
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The crew was part of a force of 360 Lancasters to attack Hanover. The weather over Germany was extremely bad and as such the force encountered little opposition on the route to the target. However, once over the target German night fighters intercepted and 18 Lancaster's were lost. The raid was not a success due to the weather with much of the bomb load being dropped in open country north and north west of the city. |
| David Ford |
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Sergeant (Flight Engineer)
1603153
18 October 1943
101 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
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| John Francis Hoban |
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Sergeant (Wireless Op./Air Gunner)
1452681
18 October 1943
101 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Son of Ethel Hoban,
of Old Trafford, Manchester. |
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| Francis Peter Humphries |
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Flying Officer (Pilot)
133641
18 October 1943
101 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
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| Albert Alwyn Oliver |
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Pilot Officer (Pilot)
161605
abt. 1921
18 October 1943
22
101 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Son of George and Louisa Florence Oliver,
of Lower Edmonton, Middlesex. |
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| Ernest Frederick Alan Rowe |
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Flight Sergeant (Air Bomber)
R/154101
18 October 1943
101 (R.A.F.) Sqdn. Royal Canadian Air Force
Son of Ernest and Mary Scott Rowe. |
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| Ronald Thorogood |
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Sergeant (Air Gunner)
1812195
abt. 1924
18 October 1943
19
101 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Son of William and Margaret Honor Thorogood,
of Crouch End, London. |
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| Kenneth Wylam Walker |
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Sergeant (Navigator)
1487606
abt. 1922
18 October 1943
21
101 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Son of Matthew and Isabella Walker,
of Stocksfield, Northumberland. |
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| John Thomas Wigley |
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Sergeant (Air Gunner)
1819124
18 October 1943
101 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
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| The graves of the R. A. F. crew of the Lancaster II DS740, QO-Z |
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Leaving RAF East Moor, Yorkshire at 17:02 hrs. Each aircraft from 432 Squadron loaded with a 4,000 lb. "Cookie" and 2 x 1,000 lb. GP. bombs and 10 x containers of incendiary bombs. Part of a force of 498 aircraft targeting the aircraft component and other armament manufacturing facilities in and around the city of Brunswick (Braunschweig).
Flying almost due east, the bomber stream crossed the North Sea and entered enemy held territory over North Holland. The Germans thouight that Berlin was the intended target. Turning south east toward Brunswick. Most of the combats took place after the bombing run had been completed and they were on the homeward trip. The bombers were met by many German night fighters infiltrating the stream. Although 10 were shut down before the target had been reached. The returning crews reported at least 50 combats on the bombers by night fighters.
In all, 38 aircraft were lost during the raid which turned out to be very unsuccessful in terms of damage to the target and the loss of so many aircrews.
No details of claims for DS740, indeed 25 of all the losses were confirmed as that by action from the night fighters, but no details available which aircraft such was the ferocity of the action.
Being an important industrial area the target was heavily defended by flak installations and Luftwaffe night fighters. Although weather played an important part in the failure of the operation, with low cloud, full moon and icing on the bombers. Reports state that only ten houses were destroyed, with 14 fatalities on the ground. The majority of the bombs dropped in open countryside.
Bomber Command lost 41 Lancaster and a Mosquito on this operation, either due to fighters, flak or crashing on return. 233 aircrew were killed, 43 taken PoW, 1 evaded capture with one being injured.
Please see "Aircrew Remembered" for more information and pictures. |
| Kenneth Edgar Evans | Geoffrey Vernon Holmes |
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Sergeant (Flight Eng.)
1605227
abt. 1925
14 January 1944
19
432 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn. R. A. F. V. R.
Son of Edgar Edward Evans,
and of Lilian Maud Evans,
of Romford, Essex. |
Flying Officer (Navigator)
129368
abt. 1922
14 January 1944
22
432 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn. R. A. F. V. R.
Son of Charles and
Dora Marguerite Holmes,
of Sale, Cheshire. |
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| Edward Frederick Howe |
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Flight Sergeant (Wireless Op./Air Gunner)
1380267
abt. 1923
14 January 1944
21
432 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn. R. A. F. V. R.
Son of Percy James Howe and Florence Mary Howe,
of Gidea Park, Romford, Essex. |
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| David Thomas Lyng | Donald Arthur Rae |
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Pilot Officer (Navigator)
J/19590
14 January 1944
19
432 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn. R. A. F. V. R.
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Pilot Officer (Pilot)
J/17895
abt. 1923
14 January 1944
21
432 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn. R. A. F. V. R.
Son of William and Elsie Rae,
of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. |
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| Two further crew members were killed and are interred in the Hanover War Cemetery: |
| Charles Francis Tarr |
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Sergeant (Air Gunner)
1068226
abt. 1915
14 January 1944
21
432 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Son of Alfred and Harriet Evelyn Tarr,
of Gorton, Manchester,
husband of Doris Tarr. |
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| Willard Henry Hoppus |
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Warrant Officer Class II (Air Gunner)
R/105586
abt. 1918
14 January 1944
21
432 Sqdn. Royal Canadian Air Force
Son of Clarence Leroy Hoppus and Lottie Amanda Hoppus,
of Lacombe, Alberta, Canada. |
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The graves of the crew of the Lancaster ND441 of the 12th Squadron Royal Air Force
Nuremberg - The blackest night in RAF history: 30/31 March 1944
Operation Grayling |
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| William McAlister Aikman |
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Flight Sergeant (Radio Operator)
1349585
abt. 1922
31 March 1944
22
12 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Son of William and Margaret Aikman,
of Glasgow. |
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| Franklin Walter Peppiatt |
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Pilot Officer (Air Gunner)
J/85345
31 March 1944
12 (R.A.F.) Sqdn. Royal Canadian Air Force
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| William Harrold Frederick Smedmore |
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Sergeant (Air Gunner)
1601321
abt. 1924
31 March 1944
20
12 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Son of William and Helen Smedmore,
husband of Beatrice Smedmore,
of Flamstead End, Hertfordshire. |
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| The following soldiers probably belonged to the same aircrew. They are also interred in Hanover War Cemetery: |
| Jack Edgar Prior |
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Pilot Officer (Navigator)
173394
abt. 1923
31 March 1944
21
12 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Son of Percy and Elsie Prior,
of Guildford, Surrey. |
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| Percival Harold Lambert |
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Sergeant (Flight Engineer)
1637396
31 March 1944
12 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
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| Carl William Kruger |
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Flying Officer (Air Bomber)
J/22096
31 March 1944
12 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
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| Douglas Mintie Carey |
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Flight Lieutenant (Pilot)
J/16480
Distinguished Flying Cross
abt. 1922
31 March 1944
22
12 (R.A.F.) Sqdn. Royal Canadian Air Force
Son of William Lawson Carey and Myrtle Eva Carey,
of Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. |
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