Sgt Jack Parkinson RAFVR and crew – 576 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1944.
Missing - 12/13th May 1944 – Lancaster III – ND403 – Bullseye Exercise.
Jack Parkinson and his crew were posted to 576 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds from training at 11 Base in May 1944. Regrettably their career with 576 was very short. They were lost without trace whilst carrying out a Bullseye practise bombing exercise. This loss has always been something of a mystery and I can only assume, whatever the cause, has happened over the sea off the coast and was sudden and dramatic as they were never able to get away an SOS call or any radio signal at all. This was possibly due to some catastrophic structural failure or maybe a lightning strike emanating from a localised storm but who knows. Plenty of Bomber Command aircraft were lost during training but most were accounted for one way or another.
Jack Parkinson and his crew are all commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial to the Missing
The crew was as follows:-
P/O Jack Parkinson RAFVR – Pilot - 22 – 576 Sqn - Son of Gordon Frederick and Nora Eileen Parkinson, of Hoylake, Cheshire – Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Anthony Frank Raymond RAFVR ( pictured above ) – 21 – 576 Sqn - Son of Allan Frank Raymond, and of Annie E. L. Raymond, of Felsted, Essex - Runnymede Memorial
F/S Edward Johnson RAFVR – 21 - 576 Sqn - Son of Robert and Ethel Johnson, of Brighton, Sussex; husband of Rose Ann Johnson, of Brighton - Runnymede Memorial
Sgt George William Wilson RAFVR - 25 – 576 Sqn - Son of John and May Wilson, of Ripley, Derbyshire; husband of Constance Irene Wilson, of Matlock, Derbyshire - Runnymede Memorial
Sgt Kevin Victor Mant RAFVR - 20 – 576 Sqn - Son of Victor George and Esther Mant, of Luton, Bedfordshire - Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Herbert Horace Dixon RAFVR ( pictured above ) - 33 – 576 Sqn - Son of Herbert James Dixon and Hannah Maria Dixon; husband of Ena Dixon, of Rainhill, Lancashire - Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Alfred Eland RAFVR – 576 Sqn - Son of Mr. and Mrs. A. V. Eland, of Washington, Co. Durham - Runnymede Memorial.
If anyone can add anything to this we shall be most interested to hear. Contributions from family members of the crew will be most welcome.
Item compiled by David Fell with thanks to the Les Dixon for permission to use the photo of his late uncle and Philip Isbell for the photo of Frank Raymond
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