F/S Leslie J Collis RAFVR and crew – 576 Sqn - RAF Elsham Wolds - 1944
Failed to Return – 24/25th March 1944 – Lancaster III – LM471 – Op Berlin.
Leslie Collis and his crew were posted to 576 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds in February 1944 or early March 1944. Strangely Collis does not appear to have flown a first op as a co-pilot ( Second Dickey ) with an experienced crew. If he did it is not recorded or at least I cannot find it. It did occur to me that Collis and his crew may have had some operational experience with another Squadron before their posting to 576 Squadron. Be that as it may Collis and crew completed 2 operations ( both to Frankfurt ) with 576 Squadron being lost on their 3rd. See below :-
18/03/1944 – Frankfurt – LL800 – F/S LJ Collis
22/03/1944 – Frankfurt – JA868 – F/S LJ Collis
24/03/1944 – Berlin – LM471 – F/S LJ Collis – FTR - Possible flak victim. Crashed at Beeck N of Duisburg, Germany.
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Leslie Collis and his Flight Engineer Edward Smith were killed and rest at Reichswald War Cemetery, Germany. The remaining members of this crew successfully baled out and were made POW. See details below :-
F/S Leslie John Collis RAFVR - Pilot – 27 – 576 Sqn - Son of Joseph Benjamin and Edith Collis, husband of Constance Mary Collis of Sidcup, Kent – Reichswald War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt Edward Smith RAFVR – Flight Engineer – 27 – 576 Sqn - Son of Edward and Florence Smith, husband of Winifred May Smith of Foleshill, Warwickshire - Reichswald War Cemetery, Germany.
F/O AC Harper RCAF – Air Bomber – 576 Sqn – POW – Camp L1 – POW No 3819
Sgt RJ Roper RAFVR - Navigator – 576 Sqn – POW – Camp L1 - POW No 4081
.Sgt P McDougall RAFVR – Wireless Operator / Air Gunner – 576 Sqn – POW– Camp L1 - POW No 3828
.Sgt B Warren RAFVR - Air Gunner – 576 Sqn - POW - Camp L7 – POW No 43396
Sgt Joseph Robinson RAFVR – Air Gunner - 576 Sqn - POW Camp L6/357 – POW No 2187
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24 Mar 44 – Berlin – Germany – Night. Cloud reported was 6 to 8/10ths just over the target. It was clear again south of the target and all the way to the east coast. Fighters were very active all the way I and out of enemy territory. F/L Underwood and crew returned early due to engine failure. 2 of our aircraft failed to return from this operation – F/O Brooke and F/S Collis and crews. All the rest of our aircraft reached the primary target successfully. On return all aircraft but 3 were diverted to different stations.
F/L Shearer put up a very good show. They were shot up by both flak and a single engined aircraft. He flew back on 2 engines and on landing the 3rd motor cut out but he crash landed successfully. None of his crew were hurt.
F/S Young also was quite badly shot up by flak and a single engined aircraft. The starboard outer wing was very badly holed.
All aircraft returned to base and crews reported good results.
( 811 aircraft. The Night of the Strong Winds. Inaccurately forecast northerly winds of great strength carried the bombers well south at every stage of the operation. This resulted in the stream becoming very scattered and caused considerable difficulties with target making which drifted well to the south west of the city. Some damage was inflicted on the south western suburbs but the attack was not a success. On the return flight many bombers drifted south over the Ruhr defences and became flak victims. For a more detailed description of this operation see the item in the Articles and Misc Section of this website. )
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Lancaster LM471
Aircraft lost on its first operation.
Item compiled by David Fell
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