P/O James W Alcorn RAAF and crew - 576 Sqn - RAF Elsham Wolds - 1944
Failed to Return - 24/26th June 1944 - Lancaster III - JB460 - Op Flers.
James Alcorn was born in Casino New South Wales Australia on the 10th October 1923. His home town is shown as Robertson Wingecarribee New South Wales and his former occupation is shown as lorry driver. He enlisted in the RAAF 24th April 1942 in Sydney New South Wales.
He was posted with his crew to 576 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds in early June 1944 and was lost on his first operation. This was a night attack on the “Constructional Works” at Flers which I presume was a V weapon site although this is not clear.
24/06/1944 - Flers - JB460 - P/O JW Alcorn - FTR - Lost without trace.
Claim by Oblt Ernst-Georg Drunkler 1/NJG5 - Channel 23km West of the mouth of the River Somme (PC): 2,800m at 03:45
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P/O James William Alcorn RAAF – Pilot - 20 – 576 Sqn – Son of Robert Elderslie Alcorn and Alma Mildred Alcorn of Robertson, New South Wales, Australia - Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt John Mannion RAFVR – 19 – 576 Sqn - Son of John Henry Mannion and Lily Mannion Over Peover, Cheshire – Runnymede Memorial.
F/S Reginald Kenneth Begg RAAF ( pictured below ) – 21 – 576 Sqn – Reginald Haussen Begg and Irene R Begg of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia – Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Thomas Eric Hayes RAFVR – 576 Sqn - Son of John and Lily Hayes of Haydock, Lancashire - Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Thomas Arthur Roby RAFVR – 20 – 576 Sqn - Son of Thomas and Emily Roby of Orrell, Wigan, Lancashire - Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt John Boyle Cowie RAFVR – 24 – 576 Sqn – Son of Mrs J Cowie of Airth, Stirlingshire - Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Alan Thompson Tait Morrell RAFVR – 576 Sqn - Runnymede Memorial.
F/S Reginald Kenneth Begg RAAF
Sgt John Mannion RAFVR
Claim by Oblt Ernst-Georg Drunkler 1/NJG5 - Channel 23km West of the mouth of the River Somme (PC): 2,800m at 03:45
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1 Group ORB
24 June 44 – Flers – France - V Weapon Site – Night. 102 aircraft from this Group. 2 markers were provided by 1 Gp Special Duties Flight. There were layers of low cloud en route and on return but the skies at the target were clear with some ground haze. Pathfinders marked with red TIs followed by greens which were slightly short of the initial markers and in the later stages of the attack some green TIs were dispersed. Crews however bombed the centre of the green TIs but no ground details was observed. The Master Bomber was not heard to give aiming instructions and it is thought that if the marking was well placed this was a successful attack.
Searchlights were numerous and active and several aircraft were coned but were not heavily engaged by flak. At the opening of the attack slight loose heavy and light flak was encountered to 10,000ft to 14,000ft increasing in intensity slightly in the later stages. Few fighters were seen but 3 combats occurred on the homeward route.
(It is probable that a night fighter accounted for JB460 and the aircraft crashed into the sea.)
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576 Sqn ORB
24 June 44 – Flers – France - V Weapon Site - Night. 18 aircraft detailed. Weather 3 to 4/10ths cloud to south coast and on outward route but cleared over the Channel and to the target with same conditions on return. Slight haze around target.
PFF opened the attack a few minutes late but crews report well concentrated TIs and could not see the bombing results due to the ground haze.
Flak light to moderate and searchlights quite active. A few sightings of enemy aircraft in target area.
P/O Alcorn and crew failed to return.
( 739 aircraft to attack 7 V Weapon sites which were now becoming a priority for Bomber Command, the 8th Air Force and the 2nd Tactical Air Force. Results of each attack were difficult toassess in view of the destruction around each site )
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Lancaster JB460
This machine flew the following ops during its career. The first 3 were with 103 Squadron also at RAF Elsham Wolds. During the last of these it sustained flak damage. After repair it was transferred to 576 Squadron in March 1944.
Details of operations flown shown below.
103 Sqn
03-Nov-43 – Dusseldorf – Lancaster – JB460 – F/L CP Ready
10-Nov-43 – Modane - Railway yards – Lancaster – JB460 – F/L CP Ready
18-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB460 – P/O MP Floyd - Hit by flak. Temporarily lost control. Bale out order given rescinded when control regained soon after.
576 Sqn
24/03/1944 - Berlin - JB460 – P/O VP Tomlin
26/03/1944 – Essen – JB460 – P/O VP Tomlin
30/03/1944 – Nuremberg – JB460 – F/O GAJ Wood – ER - Engine overheating and rear turret U/S
10/04/1944 - Aulnoye - Railway yards – JB460 – P/O PA Thomas
18/04/1944 – Rouen – Railway yards – JB460 – P/O VP Tomlin
22/04/1944 – Dusseldorf – JB460 – P/O VP Tomlin - DNTO - Cancelled
24/04/1944 – Karlsruhe – JB460 – P/O VP Tomlin.
26/04/1944 – Essen – JB460 – P/O VP Tomlin
27/04/1944 – Friedrichshafen – JB460 – P/O VP Tomlin
03/05/1944 – Mailly-le-Camp – JB460 – P/O VP Tomlin
07/05/1944 - Rennes St Jacques – Airfield – JB460 – P/O VP Tomlin
09/05/1944 – Mardyck - Coastal gun batteries – JB460 – P/O VP Tomlin
11/05/1944 - Hasselt -Railway yards -JB460 - P/O VP Tomlin
19/05/1944 - Orleans - Railway yards - JB460 - P/O GA Langford
21/05/1944 - Duisburg - JB460 - P/O GA Langford
22/05/1944 - Dortmund - JB460 - F/O WA Rainey
24/05/1944 - Aachen - Railway yards - JB460 - F/O WA Rainey
27/05/1944 - Aachen - Railway yards - JB460 - P/O VP Tomlin
02/06/1944 - Calais - Coastal gun batteries - JB460 - P/O VP Tomlin
03/06/1944 - Wimereux - Coastal gun batteries - JB460 - P/O VP Tomlin
05/06/1944 - St Martin-de-Varreville/Crisbeq - Coastal gun batteries - JB460 - P/O VP Tomlin
06/06/1944 - Vire - Railway communications - JB460 - P/O VP Tomlin
12/06/1944 - Gelsenkirchen - Oil - JB460 - P/O VP Tomlin
14/06/1944 - Le Havre - Naval forces - JB460 - P/O VP Tomlin
16/06/1944 - Sterkrade - Oil - JB460 - P/O VP Tomlin
17/06/1944 - Aulnoye - Railway yards - JB460 - P/O VP Tomlin
22/06/1944 - Mimoyecques - V weapon - JB460 - F/S HD Murray
23/06/1944 - Saintes - Railway yards - JB460 - P/O VP Tomlin
24/06/1944 - Flers - V weapon - JB460 - P/O JV Alcorn - FTR - Lost without trace.
Compiled David Fell and John Jones. Begg photo courtesy of the Australian Virtual War Memorial. Mannion photo IBCC
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