Maurice Garton DFC RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron – 1944.
The Garton crew was posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds on the 16 July 1944 from 11 Base.
The crews consisted of :-
F/O M Garton
Sgt H N Kinnear
W/O K J Graham RAAF
F/O F C Davis
Sgt F T Jackson
Sgt G Brown
Sgt T O Duncan
……….
Garton flew his first operation as Second Dickie in the crew of P/O L J L Green on the 20 July 1944 to Wizernes in Lancaster PA985.
He then captained his own crew on the following operations :-
31-Jul-44 - Le Havre - Naval forces - Lancaster - ND613 - F/O M Garton
03-Aug-44 - Troissy-St-Maximin - V weapon - Lancaster - ND613 - F/O M Garton
04-Aug-44 - Pauillac - Oil - Lancaster - PD236 - F/O M Garton
05-Aug-44 - Blaye - Oil - Lancaster - PD236 - F/O M Garton - Base closed due to low cloud. Diverted to Ossington.
10-Aug-44 - Dugny - Oil/Fuel - Lancaster - N/K - F/O M Garton
11-Aug-44 - Douai - Railway yards - Lancaster - JA962 - F/O M Garton
14-Aug-44 - Fontaine-le-Pin - Army support - Lancaster - LM116 - F/O M Garton
15-Aug-44 - Le Culot B - Airfield - Lancaster - LM177 - F/O M Garton
16-Aug-44 - Stettin - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ND861 - F/O M Garton
18-Aug-44 - Ertvelde Rieme - Oil - Lancaster - ND861 - F/O M Garton
25-Aug-44 - Russelheim - Factory - Lancaster - ND861 - F/O M Garton
26-Aug-44 - Kiel - Point of Aim - Lancaster – ND861 - F/O M Garton
05-Sep-44 - Le Havre - Army support - Lancaster - ND861 - F/O M Garton
06-Sep-44 - Le Havre - Army support - Lancaster - ND861 - F/O M Garton - Aborted by Master Bomber due to cloud cover over target.
08-Sep-44 - Le Havre - Army support - Lancaster - ND861 - F/O M Garton - Aborted by Master Bomber due to cloud cover over target.
10-Sep-44 - Le Havre - Army support - Lancaster - ND861 - F/O M Garton
12-Sep-44 - Frankfurt - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ND861 - F/O M Garton
15-Sep-44 - Oslo Kattegat and River Elbe - Mine laying - Lancaster - ND861 - F/L M Garton
17-Sep-44 - Eikenhorst - V weapon - Lancaster - ND861 - F/L M Garton
23-Sep-44 - Neuss - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ND861 - F/L M Garton
05-Oct-44 - Saarbrucken - Army support - Lancaster - ND861 - F/L M Garton – Early return - Engine unserviceable.
07-Oct-44 - Emmerich - Army support - Lancaster - ND861 - F/L M Garton
19-Oct-44 - Stuttgart - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ND861 - F/L M Garton
23-Oct-44 - Essen - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ND861 - F/L M Garton
25-Oct-44 - Essen - Point of Aim - Lancaster - JA857 - F/L M Garton
28-Oct-44 - Cologne - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ND861 - F/L M Garton
30-Oct-44 - Cologne - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ND861 - F/L M Garton
31-Oct-44 - Cologne - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ND861 - F/L M Garton
02-Nov-44 - Dusseldorf - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ND861 - F/L M Garton
06-Nov-44 - Heligoland Bight - Mine laying - Lancaster - PB465 - F/L M Garton
09-Nov-44 - Wanne Eikel - Oil - Lancaster - ND861 - F/L M Garton
On the 22 December 1944 Garton and Davis were transferred to 238 Squadron Transport Command
……….
Maurice Garton was awarded a DFC gazetted 23 March 1945.
During his RAF career he served as a flying instructor at Shawbury, Training Command from 1 June 1942 to 27 March 1943. During his tour with 103 Squadron he comments he had no bullet holes, flak holes and no crew injured. He also states he never lost an engine although the Operational Record Book refers to one early return due to engine being unserviceable. The ORB may however be wrong.
He also flew the following types. Miles magister, De Havilland Tiger Moth, Airspeed Oxford, Avro Anson, Vickers Wellington, Handley Page Halifax, Avro Lancaster and Douglas Dakota
Compiled by David Fell
|
