F/S Arthur Tilley – 103 Squadron - 1941/42
Arthur “Art” Tilley was posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Newton around the summer of 1941. He was one of the airmen featured on the 103 Squadron group photo taken at the end of August 1941. There was some suggestion that he was RCAF but that is not noted in the Squadron records.
Be that as it may Tilley flew a lengthy and eventful tour before leaving the Squadron in August 1942.
He flew as co-pilot with several different captains on a number of operations from March 1942 all completed successfully as follows :-
3/3/42 – Paris – X9675 – F/S S S Martin
9/3/42 am – Essen – R1344 – F/S S S Martin
9/3/42 pm – Essen – R1344 - F/S S S Martin
26/3/42 – Essen – X9666 – F/L C E Saxelby
27/3/42 – St Nazaire – T2617 – S/L D W Holford
2/4/42 – Poissy – DV679 – S/L D W Holford
5/4/42 – Cologne – DV697 – Sgt J W Potts
23/4/42 – Rostock – Z1141 – P/O J K Tett
24/4/42 – Rostock - T2921 – F/S L Bray
25/4/42 – Rostock – DV697 - S/L D W Holford
………
Tilley was then made up to captain of his own Wellington crew and flew with a variety of aircrew.
19-May-42 – St Nazaire – Docks – Wellington – X9675 – F/S A Tilley – Did Not Take Off – Last minute sickness
05-Jun-42 - Terschelling/Dutch coast - Mine Laying - Wellington – X9675 - F/S A Tilley
06-Jun-42 – Emden - Point of Aim - Wellington - X9675 - F/S A Tilley
22-Jun-42 – Emden - Point of Aim - Wellington – Z1152 - F/S A Tilley – Early return - Intercom trouble and fluctuating boost gauge.
23-Jun-42 - St Nazaire - Docks and shipping - Wellington - Z1152 - F/S A Tilley - Unable to locate target due to cloud cover and jettisoned bombs
25-Jun-42 – Bremen - Point of Aim - Wellington - Z1152 – F/S A Tilley
………
The Squadron then converted to Halifax bombers
Halifax ops
07-Aug-42 – Duisburg - Point of Aim – Halifax - W1182 – F/S A Tilley – Early return - Aircraft failed to climb and controls unstable
16-Aug-42 – Dusseldorf - Point of Aim – Halifax – W1182 – F/S A Tilley – Early return - Ran into electrical storm outbound. Compass unusable. Jettisoned bombs and returned to base
27-Aug-42 – Kassel - Point of Aim - Halifax – W1182 – F/S A Tilley - Fuel shortage on return. Landed at Downham Market.
01-Sep-42 – Saarbrucken - Point of Aim – Halifax - W1182 – F/S A Tilley
02-Sep-42 – Karlsruhe - Point of Aim – Halifax - W1182 – F/S A Tilley - Did not take off
04-Sep-42 – Bremen - Point of Aim – Halifax - W1182 - F/S A Tilley
14-Sep-42 – Wilhelmshaven - Point of Aim – Halifax - W7772 - F/S A Tilley – Early return - W/T and T/R unserviceable. Port outer engine oil pressure fell to zero and temperature rose excessively. Return journey made with 2 starboard engines running roughly.
02-Oct-42 – Krefeld - Point of Aim – Halifax – W1182 - F/S A Tilley – Early return - IFF unserviceable. Jettisoned bombs and returned to base. This fault does not constitute operational unserviceability.
The crew for the last operation was :-
F/S A Tilley
Sgt J R Hood
F/S N R Lewin
Sgt L L Brazil
Sgt G McKenzie
Sgt G R Andsell
Sgt J Lynch
Tilley was then posted from 103 Squadron and what became of him after that is unknown although he seems to have survived the war.
Compiled by David Fell
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