F/S H J Shean RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1944
Failed to Return – 24/25th July 1944 – Avro Lancaster I – LL941 – Op Stuttgart.
F/S H J Shean and crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds early June 1944. This crew were lost on their 11th operation. See below :-
23-Jun-44 - Saintes - Lancaster - PB147 - F/S HJ Shean
28-Jun-44 - Chateau Benapres - Lancaster - JB555 - F/S HJ Shean
30-Jun-44 - Oisemont Neuville au Bois - Lancaster - ND381 – F/S HJ Shean
02-Jul-44 - Domleger - Lancaster - JB746 - F/S HJ Shean
04-Jul-44 - Orleans-les-Aubrais - Lancaster - NE117 - F/S HJ Shean
07-Jul-44 - Caen - Lancaster - JB746 - F/S HJ Shean
14-Jul-44 - Revigny - Lancaster - LM116 - F/S HJ Shean - Aborted by Master Bomber due to cloud cover over target. Jettisoned long delay bombs. Diverted
17-Jul-44 - Sanneville - Lancaster - ME698 - F/S HJ Shean
20-Jul-44 - Wizernes - Lancaster - LL941 - F/S HJ Shean
23-Jul-44 - Kiel - Lancaster - LL941 - F/S HJ Shean
24-Jul-44 - Stuttgart - Lancaster - LL941 - F/S HJ Shean - FTR – Possibly a collision. Crashed near Jouy-Le-Potier, France
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F/S H J Shean RAFVR – Pilot - 103 Sqn – POW – Camp L7 – POW No 490
Sgt Charles James Baynes RAFVR – Flight Engineer - 24 - 103 Sqn - Son of Denis and Margaret Ann Baynes of Pemberton, Wigan, Lancashire - Jouy-Le-Potier Communal Cemetery, France
F/S Charles Alfred Longland RAFVR – Air Bomber - 23 - 103 Sqn - Son of William Leslie and Rose Margaret Longland of Weybridge, Surrey - La Ferte-St-Aubin Communal Cemetery, France
Sgt Edwin Stewart RAFVR – Navigator - 20 - 103 Sqn - Pellon, Halifax, Yorkshire - Orleans Main Cemetery, France
F/S Herbert Edwin Cowling RAFVR – Wireless Operator - 36 - 103 Sqn - Son of Edwin and Emma Maud Cowling, of Morpeth, Northumberland; husband of Hannah Cowling of Morpeth - Orleans Main Cemetery, France
Sgt John Gibson Whitworth RAFVR – Air Gunner - 23 - 103 Sqn - Son of Harry and Gwenneth Whitworth of Nottingham - Orleans Main Cemetery, France
Sgt John William Smith RAFVR – Air Gunner - 19 - 103 Sqn - Son of John Percy and Ada Elizabeth Smith of Aston, Birmingham - Orleans Main Cemetery, France
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24-Jul-44 - Stuttgart
103 Squadron detailed 15 aircraft for this attack on the Nazi industrial city of Stuttgart. Weather for take off and return was 10/10ths cloud tops around 5000 ft to 6000 ft and this persisted all the way to the target where there was about 9/10ths cloud and all crews bombed sky markers. It was difficult to say whether it was concentrated or not but the Master Bomber was quite good and directed the attack well. If his instruments were accurate it should have been quite successful. Bombing was between 16000 ft and 17500 ft. Flak was moderate and fighter flares fairly numerous. The searchlight belt which was working around the city did not worry our crews unusually. F/S Shean and crew failed to return. All other aircraft returned to base.
For this attack on Stuttgart Bomber Command detailed a total of 461 Lancasters and 153 Halifaxes 17 Lancasters and 4 Halifaxes lost, 4.6 per cent of the force. This was the first of 3 heavy raids on Stuttgart in 5 nights and the only report available is a composite one for the 3 raids. The 3 raids caused the most serious damage of the war in the central districts of Stuttgart which, being situated in a series of narrow valleys, had eluded Bomber Command for several years. They were now devastated and most of Stuttgart's public and cultural buildings were destroyed. The second of the 3 raids, on the night of 25/26 July, was the most successful.
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Lancaster – LL941
This machine was lost on its 20th operation. Most of these were with P/O M B Dyer and crew. See below :-
26-Apr-44 - Essen - Lancaster - LL941 - F/O L Young
27-Apr-44 - Friedrichshafen - Lancaster - LL941 - F/O L Young
01-May-44 - Lyons - Lancaster - LL941 - F/O L Young
03-May-44 - Mailly-le-Camp - Lancaster - LL941 - F/O L Young
07-May-44 - Rennes-St-Jacques - Lancaster - LL941 - F/O L Young
09-Jun-44 - Flers - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O MB Dyer RCAF
12-Jun-44 - Gelsenkirchen - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O MB Dyer RCAF
14-Jun-44 - Le Havre - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O MB Dyer RCAF
16-Jun-44 - Sterkrade - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O MB Dyer RCAF - Combat. Attacked by 2 NFs over target. Evaded. No damage.
17-Jun-44 - Aulnoye - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O MB Dyer RCAF - Aborted by Master Bomber due to cloud cover over target. Jettisoned long delay bombs & returned to base
22-Jun-44 - Mimoyecques - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O MB Dyer RCAF
23-Jun-44 - Saintes - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O MB Dyer RCAF
25-Jun-44 - Flers - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O MB Dyer RCAF
28-Jun-44 - Chateau Benapres - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O MB Dyer RCAF
29-Jun-44 - Domleger - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O MB Dyer RCAF
30-Jun-44 - Oisemont Neuville au Bois - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O BH Hayes
02-Jul-44 - Domleger - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O MB Dyer RCAF
05-Jul-44 - Dijon - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O MB Dyer RCAF
07-Jul-44 - Caen - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O MB Dyer RCAF
12-Jul-44 - Revigny - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O MB Dyer RCAF - Diverted due to rain and low cloud at base
14-Jul-44 - Revigny - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O MB Dyer RCAF - Aborted by Master Bomber due to cloud cover over target. Jettisoned long delay bombs & returned to base
17-Jul-44 - Sanneville - Lancaster - LL941 - P/O MB Dyer RCAF
20-Jul-44 - Wizernes - Lancaster - LL941 - F/S HJ Shean
23-Jul-44 - Kiel - Lancaster - LL941 - F/S HJ Shean
24-Jul-44 - Stuttgart - Lancaster - LL941 - F/S HJ Shean - FTR – Possibly a collision. Crashed near Jouy-Le-Potier, France.
Item compiled by David Fell
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