F/O Arthur West RAF and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1944
Failed to Return – 28/29th July 1944 – Avro Lancaster III – LM538 – Op Stuttgart.
Arthur West and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds in May 1944 from Heavy Conversion Unit. They were lost on their 21st operation. See below :-
02-Jun-44 - Calais - Lancaster - JB655 - P/O A West
03-Jun-44 - Wimereaux - Lancaster - JB655 - P/O A West
05-Jun-44 - St-Martin-de-Varreville/Crisbec - Lancaster - ME799 – P/O A West
09-Jun-44 - Flers - Lancaster - JB655 – P/O A West
12-Jun-44 - Gelsenkirchen - Lancaster - JB655 - P/O A West
14-Jun-44 - Le Havre - Lancaster - JB655 - P/O A West
16-Jun-44 - Sterkrade - Lancaster - JB655 - P/O A West
17-Jun-44 - Aulnoye - Lancaster - JB655 - P/O A West - Aborted by Master Bomber due to cloud cover over target. Jettisoned long delay bombs & returned to base
22-Jun-44 - Mimoyecques - Lancaster - JB655 - P/O A West
25-Jun-44 - Flers - Lancaster – N/K - P/O A West
28-Jun-44 - Chateau Benapres - Lancaster - JB655 - P/O A West
30-Jun-44 - Oisemont Neuville au Bois - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O A West
02-Jul-44 - Domleger - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O A West
12-Jul-44 - Revigny - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O A West - Diverted due to rain and low cloud at base
14-Jul-44 - Revigny - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O A West - Aborted by Master Bomber due to cloud cover over target. Jettisoned long delay bombs. Diverted
17-Jul-44 - Sanneville - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O A West
18-Jul-44 - Scholven Buer - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O A West
20-Jul-44 - Wizernes - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O A West
24-Jul-44 - Stuttgart - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O A West
25-Jul-44 - Bois-des-Jardine - Lancaster - LM538 - F/O A West
28-Jul-44 - Stuttgart - Lancaster - LM538 - F/O A West – FTR - Crashed near Bad Rippoldsau, Germany
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F/O Arthur West RAF – Pilot - 29 – 103 Sqn - Son of Harry and Caroline B. West; husband of Margery West of Bingley, Yorkshire - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt Ralph Goodacre RAFVR – Flight Engineer - 19 – 103 Sqn - Son of Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Goodacre, of Wigan, Lancashire - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
F/O James Maher RAFVR – Air Bomber - 28 – 103 Sqn - Son of James and Sarah Maher, of Manchester; husband of Mary Catherine Maher, of Moston, Manchester - Durnbach War Cemetery,Germany
F/S Frederick Albert Charles Varrall RAFVR – Navigator - 25 – 103 Sqn - Son of Frederick A. C. Varrall and Amelia M. Varrall; husband of Amelia E. Varrall of Luton, Chatham - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt William John Crozier Wylie RAFVR – Wireless Operator - 103 Sqn - Son of Margaret Wylie of Belfast, Northern Ireland - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt Timothy Collins RAFVR – Air Gunner - 24 – 103 Sqn - Son of Eugene and Sara Collins of Freemount, Co. Cork, Republic of Ireland - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt George Henry Nairn RAFVR – Air Gunner - 21 – 103 Sqn - Son of William R. Nairn and Ellen Nairn of Sedgley Park, Prestwich, Lancashire - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
West crew Memorial - Bad Rippoldsau - Hinnrich Schuetze
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28-Jul-44 - Stuttgart
This attack is described in the Stuttgart 28/29th July 1944 Article in the relevant section here.
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Lancaster - LM538
This machine was lost on its 12th operation. See below :-
29-Jun-44 – Domleger - Lancaster - LM538 - F/O PJ Abbott
30-Jun-44 - Oisemont Neuville au Bois - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O A West
02-Jul-44 – Domleger - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O A West
04-Jul-44 – Orleans-les-Aubrais - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O HR Anthony
12-Jul-44 – Revigny - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O A West - Diverted due to rain and low cloud at base
14-Jul-44 – Revigny - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O A West - Aborted by Master Bomber due to cloud cover over target. Jettisoned long delay bombs. Diverted
17-Jul-44 – Sanneville - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O A West
18-Jul-44 - Scholven Buer - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O A West
20-Jul-44 – Wizernes - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O A West
24-Jul-44 – Stuttgart - Lancaster - LM538 - P/O A West
25-Jul-44 – Bois-des-Jardine - Lancaster - LM538 - F/O A West
28-Jul-44 – Stuttgart - Lancaster - LM538 - F/O A West – FTR - Crashed near Bad Rippoldsau, Germany
Item compiled by David Fell with photo from my archive.
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