F/O W A Skinner DFC RCAF and crew – 103 Squadron – 1944/45
The Skinner crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds 1 September 1944 from 11 Base.
The crew was as follows:-
P/O W A Skinner RCAF
Sgt Ronald Paton
Sgt J Cameron RCAF
Sgt R W Arbuckle RCAF
F/S J H Audsley RAAF replaced by Sgt P H Hudson 16/1/45 followed by F/S J T Thompson for the remaining two ops
Sgt J J Lahey RCAF
Sgt R A Berry
Six of the Skinner crew
This crew flew the following operations :-
25-Sep-44 - Calais - Army support - Lancaster - LM295 - P/O WA Skinner RCAF – Aborted - Abandoned on Master Bomber's orders. Ordered by base to fly out to sea to jettison part of his load before landing.
28-Sep-44 - Calais - Army support - Lancaster - JB655 – P/O WA Skinner RCAF – Aborted - Raid cancelled by Master Bomber due to cloud cover over target
05-Oct-44 - Saarbrucken - Army support - Lancaster - ND381 – P/O WA Skinner RCAF
07-Oct-44 - Emmerich - J87369 - Army support - Lancaster - LM132 – P/O WA Skinner RCAF - Landed at Lindholme
11-Oct-44 - Fort Frederik Hendrik - Army support - Lancaster - PB528 – P/O WA Skinner RCAF
14-Oct-44 - Duisburg - Operation Hurricane - Lancaster - ND381 – P/O WA Skinner RCAF
14-Oct-44 - Duisburg - Operation Hurricane - Lancaster - ND381 – P/O WA Skinner RCAF
23-Oct-44 - Essen - J87369 - Point of Aim - Lancaster - PB563 – P/O WA Skinner RCAF
25-Oct-44 - Essen - Point of Aim – Lancaster - ND381 – P/O WA Skinner RCAF
28-Oct-44 - Cologne - Point of Aim - Lancaster - PB563 – P/O WA Skinner RCAF
30-Oct-44 - Cologne - Point of Aim - Lancaster - PB563 – P/O WA Skinner RCAF
09-Nov-44 - Wanne Eikel - Oil - Lancaster - PB563 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
11-Nov-44 - Dortmund - Oil - Lancaster - PB563 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
16-Nov-44 - Duren - Army support - Lancaster - PB563 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
18-Nov-44 - Wanne Eikel - Oil - Lancaster - PB563 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF - Bad weather at base. Diverted
21-Nov-44 - Aschenaffenburg - Railway yards - Lancaster - PB563 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
27-Nov-44 - Freiburg - Army support - Lancaster - PB563 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
29-Nov-44 - Dortmund - Point of Aim - Lancaster - LM295 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
04-Dec-44 - Karlsruhe - Point of Aim - Lancaster – PB563 - F/O WA Skinner RCAF
06-Dec-44 - Leuna - Oil - Lancaster - PB528 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
12-Dec-44 - Essen - Point of Aim - Lancaster - PB563 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
17-Dec-44 - Ulm - Point of Aim - Lancaster - PB563 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
29-Dec-44 - Scholven Buer - Oil - Lancaster - PB563 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
31-Dec-44 - Osterfeld - Railway yards - Lancaster - PB563 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
02-Jan-45 - Nuremberg - Point of Aim - Lancaster - PB563 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
05-Jan-45 - Hannover - Point of Aim - Lancaster - PB563 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
07-Jan-45 - Munich - Point of Aim - Lancaster - PB563 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
14-Jan-45 - Merseburg - Oil - Lancaster - PB563 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
16-Jan-45 - Zeitz - Oil - Lancaster - PD272 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
28-Jan-45 - Stuttgart/Zuffenhausen - Aero engine factory - Lancaster - PB563 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
01-Feb-45 - Ludwigshafen - Point of Aim - Lancaster - PB563 – F/O WA Skinner RCAF
Skinner was posted out 15 February 1945 22 OTU
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Skinner was awarded a DFC gazetted 2 March 1945 – citation below :-
Flying Officer William Archibald SKINNER (Can/J.87369), R.C.A.F., 103 Sqn This officer was pilot and captain of an aircraft detailed to attack Munich. On the outward flight, trouble developed in the port inner engine. The oil and coolant temperatures rose and flames issued from the exhaust manifold. The propeller had to be feathered.
This did not deter Flying Officer Skinner from continuing to the target which, despite fighter interference and opposition from the ground defences, was attacked successfully. The weather was bad but Flying Officer Skinner flew the aircraft back to base. His determination was typical of that which he has shown throughout his tour of operational duty.
Ronald Paton RAFVR - Flight Engineer
Compiled by David Fell with crew photo courtesy of Kevin Audsley and Paton photo from Peter Rose.
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