F/L P G Cavanagh RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron - 1945
The Cavanagh crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds from 71 Base on the 11 December 1944.
This crew consisted as follows :-
F/L P G Cavanagh
Sgt F W Fairey
F/O D L G Bastow RCAF
F/O J L Sergeant RCAF
F/O A E Smith
Sgt D P Taylor
Sgt D Morris
They flew the following operations :-
07-Jan-45 - Munich - Point of Aim - Lancaster - NG173 - F/L PG Cavanagh
01-Feb-45 - Ludwigshafen - Point of Aim - Lancaster - LM132 - F/L PG Cavanagh
02-Feb-45 - Wiesbaden - Point of Aim - Lancaster - LM132 - F/L PG Cavanagh
03-Feb-45 – Bottrop – Benzol - Lancaster - NG360 – F/L PG Cavanagh
01-Mar-45 - Mannheim - Point of Aim - Lancaster - N/K - F/L PG Cavanagh
02-Mar-45 – Cologne - Army support - Lancaster - N/K - F/L PG Cavanagh
05-Mar-45 – Chemnitz - Operation Thunderclap - Lancaster - RA500 - F/L PG Cavanagh
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On the 17th January 1945 F/L Cavanagh was flying the Elsham Wolds Station Flight Airspeed Oxford on a navigation exercise / comms flight with a crew of three when the starboard engine failed. The pilot crashed landed at St Mary's on the Isles of Scilly. He landed "before the wheels had time to lock" and the aircraft was a write off with no injuries reported.
On the 6th March 1945 Cavanagh was flying another Elsham Wolds Station Flight Airspeed Oxford on a night cross country exercise with a crew of two. The pilot complained of feeling dizzy and made an emergency landing at RAF Fairoaks but overshot and hit a blast wall. The aircraft was written off. No injuries reported in either case but both aircraft were damaged beyond repair.
At this point Cavanagh was taken off operations and his crew transferred to 166 Squadron at nearby RAF Kirmington on the 19 March 1945 with a new pilot, F/O A A Falconer, and flew the following operations :-
22-April-45 – Bremen – Army Support – Lancaster – NN770 – F/O AA Falconer
25-Apr-45 – Berchtesgaden – Hitlers chalet – Lancaster - NN770 – F/O AA Falconer
30-Apr-45 - Manna – Supply dropping - Lancaster – NN770 – F/O AA Falconer
01-May-45 - Manna - Supply dropping – NN770 – F/O AA Falconer
04-May -45 - Manna - Supply dropping – NN770 – F/O AA Falconer
07-May-45 - Manna - Supply dropping – NN770 – F/O AA Falconer
10-May-45 – Brussels - Exodus – Lancaster – NN770 – F/O AA Falconer,
Cavanagh remained at RAF Elsham Wolds till the 15 May 45 when he was transferred to 71 Base.
Compiled by David Fell
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