F/S John M Booth RAAF and crew – 576 Squadron - RAF Elsham Wolds – 1943
Failed to Return - 2nd/3rd December 1943 – Lancaster I – W4337 – Op Berlin
Lancaster W4337 in which Booth’s crew were killed pictured whilst on the strength of 103 Sqn at Elsham Wolds August 43
John Booth was born on 1st May 1922 in Auburn, New South Wales, Australia and enlisted in the RAAF on the 11th October 1941 in Sydney. After training in Australia he left in July 1942 for further training in Canada and just before leaving Australia he married Audrey Gough.
On arrival in the UK he trained with 15 (P)AFU and 27 OTU before being posted to 1656 HCU on 5th September 1943.
Whilst training with 1656 HCU Booth and his crew were involved in a crash on take off involving Lancaster W4924 at Lindholme airfield.
“On the morning of 11th November 1943 the crew of this aircraft were to take off from Lindholme airfield at 10.58hrs to undertake a training flight but as the aircraft picked up speed on the runway the pilot's foot slipped and pushed the right hand rudder pedal as far forward as it would travel. The aircraft swerved off the runway and could not be brought under control, the undercarriage collapsed and it skidded to a halt badly damaged.”
With his crew he was then posted to C Flight 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds on 18th November 1943 but did not fly any operations with this Squadron. They were then transferred to 576 Squadron with the rest of 103 Squadron C Flight when this new Squadron was formed at Elsham Wolds on 25th November 1943.
Booth's crew were lost on their first operation on the 2/3rd December 1943 Berlin flying W4337.
The Lancaster came down near Monchengladbach with 5 of the crew killed and 2 missing. This was also the first loss sustained by 576 Squadron.
5 of this crew rest in the Rheinberg War Cemetery and the 2 missing ( Godfrey and Richards ) are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial
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F/S John Milton Booth RAAF - Pilot – 21 - 576 Sqn - Robert Herbert and Vivienne Eileen Booth; husband of Audrey Mavis Booth of Leichhardt, New South Wales, Australia – Runnymede Memorial
Sgt George Henry Kaye RAFVR – Flight Engineer – 19 – 576 Sqn - Son of George and Kate Stockdale Kaye of Askern, Yorkshire – Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt Lloyd William Lewis Godfrey RAAF – 26 – 576 Sqn - Son of William and Florence Emma Ann Godfrey, of Cheltenham, South Australia – Runnymede Memorial.
F/S Murray Noel Jennings RAAF ( pictured below ) – 21 – 576 Sqn - Son of James Walter and Alma Valerie Jenning, of Coonabarabran, New South Wales, Australia - Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.
F/S Maurice William Jones RAAF – 29 – 576 Sqn - Son of William Henry and Florence Belle Jones; husband of Olive Anna Jones of Rose Park, South Australia - Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.
F/S Douglas Richard Gordon Taskis RAAF ( pictured below ) – 27 – 576 Sqn - Son of Richard Gordon and Elsie Vera Taski, of Mullengandra, New South Wales, Australia - Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.
F/S Robert Edward Duncan Richards RAAF – 28 – 576 Sqn Son of Robert John and Linda May Richards of Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia - Runnymede Memorial.
F/S Murray Noel Jennings RAAF
F/S D R G Taskis
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Lancaster W4337
This was a veteran machine with a colourful record. It joined 103 Squadron in November 1942 and was detailed for 65 ops during its time with that unit. However in 8 of these it did not take off, once due to weather related issues and the other 7 to mechanical issues. In addition it was forced to return early 6 times due to mechanical problems. One of these early returns involved the hydraulics becoming completely unserviceable and a crash landing at base after jettisoning the bomb load.
It was also damaged by flak to a greater or lesser degree four times and involved in two combats with one German night fighter destroyed.
Left Ken Berry DFM and Right Ken Bickers DFC
Whilst with 103 Squadron the aircraft was flown by a number of prominent crews notably those of Ken Berry DFM and Ken Bickers DFC. Also John Rule and crew for whom I have recently produced a Profile on my 103 Squadron RAF website.
Item written by David Fell with thanks to the Aircraft Accidents in Yorkshire web site and also PATS for the photo of W4337 and the Berry and Bickers families for the photos of Ken Berry and Ken Bickers. Taskis photo Gunter Zeh.
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