F/O Gordon W Exel RCAF and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1944/45
Failed to Return – 5/6th March 1945 – Avro Lancaster III – ME392 – Op Chemnitz.
Gordon Exel and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds from 1668 Heavy Conversion Unit on the 21st November 1944
15-Dec-44 - Ludwigshafen/Oppau – Lancaster – NG360 – F/O GW Exel RCAF
17-Dec-44 - Ulm - Lancaster - LM132 – F/O GW Exel RCAF
22-Dec-44 - Koblenz - Lancaster - NF909 - F/O GW Exel RCAF - Bad weather at base. All aircraft diverted to Langham.
28-Dec-44 - Munchengladbach - Lancaster - LM682 - F/O GW Exel RCAF
29-Dec-44 - Scholven Buer - Lancaster - LM131 - F/O GW Exel RCAF - Hit by flak. No injuries.
31-Dec-44 - Osterfeld - Lancaster - LM131 - F/O GW Exel RCAF
02-Jan-45 - Nuremberg - Lancaster - LM131 - F/O GW Exel RCAF
05-Jan-45 - Hanover - Lancaster - LM131 - F/O GW Exel RCAF
07-Jan-45 - Munich - Lancaster - LM131 - F/O GW Exel RCAF
14-Jan-45 - Merseburg - Lancaster - LM131 - F/O GW Exel RCAF
16-Jan-45 - Zeitz - Lancaster - LM295 - F/O GW Exel RCAF
28-Jan-45 - Stuttgart/Zuffenhausen - Lancaster - LM131 - F/O GW Exel RCAF
01-Feb-45 - Ludwigshafen - Lancaster - LM131 - F/O GW Exel RCAF
08-Feb-45 - Politz - Lancaster - LM131 - F/O GW Exel RCAF
13-Feb-45 - Dresden - Lancaster - LM131 - F/O GW Exel RCAF
14-Feb-45 - Chemnitz - Lancaster - LM131 - F/O GW Exel RCAF
01-Mar-45 - Mannheim - Lancaster - LM131 - F/O GW Exel RCAF
02-Mar-45 - Cologne - Lancaster - LM131 - F/O GW Exel RCAF
05-Mar-45 - Chemnitz - Lancaster - ME392 - F/O GW Exel RCAF - FTR - Lost without trace.
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The Exel crew - Back L to R - Griffin, Exel, Cooke, McKenna.
Front L to R - Wilson, King, Monaghan
F/O Gordon Wynne Exel RCAF
F/O Gordon Wynne Exel RCAF ( pictured above )– Pilot – 103 Sqn – Runnymede Memorial
Sgt G H Wilson RAFVR – 103 Sqn – POW – Camp N/K – POW No N/K
F/O Michael Francis Griffin RCAF ( pictured below ) - 30 - 103 Sqn – Son of Michael and Mary Anne Griffin of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada; husband of Eileen Griffin - Runnymede Memorial
F/O J H McKenna RCAF – 103 Sqn – POW – Camp N/K – POW No N/K
F/S F P Monaghan RAFVR – 103 Sqn – POW – Camp N/K – POW No N/K
F/S J L Cooke RCAF – 103 Sqn – POW – Camp N/K – POW No N/K
W/O D King RAFVR – 103 Sqn – POW – Camp N/K – POW No N/K
F/O Michael Francis Griffin RCAF
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05-Mar-45 - Chemnitz
103 Squadron detailed 14 aircraft for this attack on Chemnitz. All took off in poor weather of low cloud and drizzle. F/O Ross returned early with an unserviceable engine. On arrival in the target area it was found to be covered in 10/10ths cloud with tops around 11000 ft. On instructions from the Master Bomber all crews bombed the Wanganui flares. These were however very scattered and it was feared the attack was inaccurate and poor but cloud prevented any accurate observation. Bombing took place from between 15000 ft to 17000 ft. Defences were a very light heavy flak barrage. Plenty of fighters were seen and F/O Short was attacked by 3 Ju 88s in the target area. But no personal injuries were sustained. Dummy TIs were seen approximately 20 miles from the town on the run in. F/L Norem and F/O Exel are missing from this operation. All the remaining aircraft returned safely.
For this attack on Chemnitz Bomber Command detailed a total of 760 aircraft - 498 Lancasters, 256 Halifaxes, 6 Mosquitos - to continue Operation Thunderclap. The operation started badly when 9 aircraft of No 6 Group crashed near their bases soon after taking off in icy conditions. No 426 Squadron, at Linton-on-Ouse, lost 3 out of their 14 Halifaxes taking part in the raid in this way, with only 1 man surviving. 1 of the Halifaxes crashed in York, killing some civilians. 22 further aircraft were lost in the main operation - 14 Lancasters and 8 Halifaxes.
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Lancaster - ME392
This machine was lost on its 3rd operation. See below :-
01-Mar-45 - Mannheim - Lancaster - ME392 - F/L WW Anderson RAAF
02-Mar-45 - Cologne - Lancaster - ME392 - F/L WW Anderson RAAF
05-Mar-45 - Chemnitz - Lancaster - ME392 - F/O GW Exel RCAF - FTR - Lost without trace.
Item compiled by David Fell. Photos from my archive and the Canadian Virtual War Memorial
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