F/L Arthur L Stepharnoff RCAF and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1944/45
Failed to Return – 16/17th March 1945 – Avro Lancaster I – NG492 – Op Nuremberg
Arthur Stepharnoff ( pictured above ) and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds from Heavy Conversion Unit 11 Base on the 14th October 1944. They were reaching the end of an extended tourr and lost on their 30th operation. See below :-
04-Nov-44 - Bochum - Lancaster - PB563 - P/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
06-Nov-44 - Gelsenkirchen - Lancaster - LM272 - P/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
16-Nov-44 - Duren - Lancaster - ND861 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
18-Nov-44 - Wanne Eikel - Lancaster - PB528 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF - Bad weather at base. Diverted
21-Nov-44 - Aschenaffenburg - Lancaster - LM132 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
27-Nov-44 - Freiburg - Lancaster - NF913 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
06-Dec-44 - Leuna - Lancaster - JA857 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF - ER - Navigational aids U/S
12-Dec-44 - Essen - Lancaster - PB528 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
15-Dec-44 - Ludwigshafen/Oppau - Lancaster - PB528 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
17-Dec-44 - Ulm - Lancaster - PB528 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
22-Dec-44 - Koblenz - Lancaster - LM132 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF - Bad weather at base. All aircraft diverted to Langham.
29-Dec-44 - Scholven Buer - Lancaster - PB528 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
06-Jan-45 - Stettin Bay - Lancaster - LM682 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
07-Jan-45 - Munich - Lancaster - NF913 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
28-Jan-45 - Stuttgart/Zuffenhausen - Lancaster - PA217 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
01-Feb-45 - Ludwigshafen - Lancaster - PA217 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF - Combats. Attacked 3 times by NFs over target and homebound. Rear gunner injured. Landed at Manston
04-Feb-45 - Elbe Estuary - Lancaster - NG360 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
07-Feb-45 - Kleve - Lancaster - NG492 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
13-Feb-45 - Dresden - Lancaster - NG492 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
14-Feb-45 - Kadet Channel - Lancaster - N/K - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
18-Feb-45 - Elbe Estuary - Lancaster - LM131 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
20-Feb-45 - Dortmund - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF
21-Feb-45 - Duisburg - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF
23-Feb-45 - Pforzheim - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF
24-Feb-45 - Kattegat - Lancaster - NG360 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF
01-Mar-45 - Mannheim - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF
11-Mar-45 - Essen - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF
12-Mar-45 - Kattegat - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF
15-Mar-45 - Misburg - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF
16-Mar-45 - Nuremberg - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF - FTR - Crashed in Germany.
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F/L Arthur Lloyd Stepharnoff RCAF - Pilot - 22 - 103 Sqn - Son of William Allen Stepharnoff and Eva Mary Stepharnoff of Kingsville, Ontario, Canada - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt John Grant RAFVR - 103 Sqn – Son of Robert Fraser Grant and Margaret McGinnes Grant of Glasgow - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
W/O Rowland Ira Parks RCAF - 22 - 103 Sqn – Son of Rowland and Alma Claudine Parks of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
P/O Harry Kenneth Stott RAFVR - 103 Sqn - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
F/S Alan Davies RAFVR - 103 Sqn - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
F/S Wilfred Whitehead RAFVR - 21- 103 Sqn – Son of Wilfred and Maggie Whitehead of Leigh, Lancashire - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
F/S Robert Wilkinson RAFVR - 22- 103 Sqn – Son of Harry and Isabella Murray Wilkinson of Chilwell, Nottinghamshire - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
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16-Mar-45 - Nuremberg
103 Squadron detailed 15 aircraft for this attack on Nuremburg. All took safely in good weather and on arrival in the target area it was found quite clear. Pathfinders were right on time and the markers were well placed and concentrated and all crews bombed on the Master Bombers instructions who was very clear and precise. Bombing was believed to have achieved good results as fires were observed. Bombing took place from between 16500 ft and 18000 ft. Defences consisted of a light flak barrage with some searchlight activity. Many fighters were seen and a large number of aircraft were seen to go down in the target area. F/L Stepharnoff, F/O Watt and F/O Armour are missing from this operation. The remaining aircraft landed safely at base in good weather.
For this attack on Nuremberg Bomber Command detailed a total of 231 Lancasters of No 1 Group and 46 Lancasters and 16 Mosquitos of No 8 Group. 24 Lancasters, all from No 1 Group, lost, 8.7 per cent of the Lancaster force and 10.4 per cent of the No 1 Group aircraft involved. Most of these losses were due to German night fighters, which found the bomber stream on its way to the target. A local report states that the southern and south-western districts were hit as well as the ruins of the Altstadt which was destroyed in a previous raid. A serious fire was established in the Steinbuhl district. The main railway station was also on fire and the city's gasworks were so badly damaged that they did not resume production before the end of the war. This was the last heavy Bomber Command raid on Nuremberg.
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Lancaster - NG492
This machine was lost on its 19the operation. All in 1945 in quick succession. See below :-
28-Jan-45 - Stuttgart/Zuffenhausen - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L MR Norem
01-Feb-45 - Ludwigshafen - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L MR Norem
02-Feb-45 - Wiesbaden - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L JE Holland
02-Feb-45 - Wiesbaden - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L MR Norem
04-Feb-45 - Elbe Estuary - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L JE Holland
07-Feb-45 - Kleve - Lancaster - NG492 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
08-Feb-45 - Politz - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L JE Holland
13-Feb-45 - Dresden - Lancaster - NG492 - F/O AL Stepharnoff RCAF
14-Feb-45 - Chemnitz - Lancaster - NG492 - F/O WE Baker RCAF
20-Feb-45 - Dortmund - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF
21-Feb-45 - Duisburg - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF
23-Feb-45 - Pforzheim - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF
01-Mar-45 - Mannheim - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF
07-Mar-45 - Dessau - Lancaster - NG492 - F/O AC Watt RCAF
11-Mar-45 - Essen - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF
12-Mar-45 - Kattegat - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF
13-Mar-45 - Herne - Lancaster - NG492 - F/O JA Laviolette RCAF
15-Mar-45 - Misburg - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF
16-Mar-45 - Nuremberg - Lancaster - NG492 - F/L AL Stepharnoff RCAF - FTR - Crashed in Germany.
Item compiled by David Fell. Photo courtesy of Canadian Virtual War Memorial
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