Alan Yates DFC RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron / 166 Squadron - 1944/45

Photo – Front row L to R - Sgt Arthur R Edwards – Rear gunner, F/S Arthur E Vinnicombe – Air Bomber and Sgt Terence H Davis - Mid upper gunner
Back Row L to R - F/S Malcolm Richardson DFM - Navigator, F/O Alan Yates DFC – Pilot, F/S Donald Butterworth RAAF – Wireless operator
The Yates crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds from 11 Base HCU on the 11 August 1944.
The crew was as shown in the above photo caption plus Sgt P Phillips – Flight Engineer
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Yates flew his first operation as a Second Dickie / co-pilot with F/L J T A Marsden to Russelheim on the 25/26 August 1944.
He then captained his own crew on the following operations.
06-Sep-44 - Le Havre - Army support - Lancaster - LM131 – P/O A Yates - Aborted by Master Bomber due to cloud cover over target. Instructed to jettison 3x1000lb bombs and landed at base.
10-Sep-44 - Le Havre - Army support - Lancaster - NN713 – P/O A Yates
12-Sep-44 - Frankfurt - Point of Aim - Lancaster - NN713 – P/O A Yates
17-Sep-44 - Leeuwarden - Airfield - Lancaster - NN713 – P/O A Yates
23-Sep-44 - Neuss - Point of Aim - Lancaster - NN713 – P/O A Yates
24-Sep-44 - Calais - Army support - Lancaster - NN713 – P/O A Yates - Hit by light flak. Landed away.
27-Sep-44 - Calais - Army support - Lancaster - NN713 – F/O A Yates
05-Oct-44 - Saarbrucken - Army support - Lancaster - NG173 – F/O A Yates
07-Oct-44 - Emmerich - Army support - Lancaster - NG173 – F/O A Yates
On the 15 October this crew were posted to 166 Squaron at RAF Kirmington and completed their tour as follows :-
25-Oct-44 - Essen
28-Oct-44 – Cologne
30-Oct-44 – Cologne
31-Oct-44 – Cologne
02-Nov-44 – Dusseldorf
04-Nov-1944 – Bochum
06-Nov-44 – Gelsenkirken
11-Nov-44 – Dortmund
18-Nov-44 – Wanna Eikel
29-Nov-44 – Dortmund
03-Dec-44 – Urft Dam
06-Dec-44 – Leuna
17-Dec-44 – Ulm
21-Dec-44 – Mine Laying
28-Dec-1944 – Munchengladbach
02-Jan-45 – Nuremburg
16-Jan-45 – Zeitz
22-Jan-45 – Duisburg/Hamborn
02-Feb-45 – Wiesbaden.
Alan Yates completed his tour as a F/L and was awarded a DFC. Malcolm Richardson was awarded a DFM.
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Compiled by David Fell. The photo was sent to me years ago by the either Yates or Butterworth families
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