F/S Leslie R B Matthews RAFVR and crew – 576 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1943
Failed to Return - 3/4th December 1943 – Lancaster III – JB550 – Op Leipzig
This crew were lost on their first operation with the newly formed 576 Squadron. It seems likely that they were one of the new crews that were posted in from Heavy Conversion Unit when the Squadron formed at the end of November. They certainly were not those from 103 Squadron which formed B Flight 576 Sqn. They may possibly have been one of the 4 experienced crews that joined from 101 Squadron and were the backbone of A Flight 576 Squadron. The Bodger and Whalley crews certainly came from 101 Squadron. The other two I do not know at the time of writing.
Be that as it may the Matthews crew failed to return from this operation to the distant and difficult target of Leipzig deep inside Germany. This was a very successful attack and the most damaging on Leipzig during the war
The Lancaster is believed to have crashed at Mockern 10 miles south east of Jena. All the crew were killed and now rest in the Berlin 1939 - 45 War Cemetery.
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F/S Leslie Ronald Bruce Matthews RAFVR - Pilot – 32 – 576 Sqn - Son of Percy Lionel and Frances Mary Matthews of Anerley, London – Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt Arthur Dewhirst Roulson RAFVR - Flight Engineer – 21 – 576 Sqn Son of Ernest William and Clara Roulson of Brighouse, Yorkshire - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.
F/S Rodney Herbert Sinclair RNZAF ( pictured above ) – Air Bomber – 24 – 576 Sqn - Son of James Robert and Anne Sinclair of Opotiki, Auckland, New Zealand - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.
F/O Ronald Sydney Bowden RAFVR – Navigator – 30 – 576 Sqn - Son of Thomas and Ellen Bowden; husband of Ethel Ada Bowden, of Ramsgate, Kent - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt Clarence Herbert Bayram RAFVR - Wireless Operator / Air Gunner – 576 Sqn - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt Donald Jack Bealey RAFVR - Air Gunner – 22 – 576 Sqn - Son of Herbert William and Emma Bealey of Norwich - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt Donald William Blackman RAFVR - Air Gunner – 30 – 576 Sqn - Son of William Alfred and Beatrice Emily Blackman of Forest Gate, Essex; husband of Peggy Blackman - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.
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3 Dec 43 – Leipzig – Germany - Night – Main briefing for this sortie was held at 1800 hours and the final briefing at 2200. 6 aircraft of this Squadron took off at 2355 hours. Reports show that another success was achieved and that Leipzig suffered a severe blow. Conditions, however, at the target were unsuitable for photography. 3 photographs brought back indicate technical success but no ground detail was recorded. F/S Matthews and crew are missing from this operation and no word has been received from them.
( 527 aircraft. This distant target was accurately marked and the bombing was very effective with a large area of industrial premises and housing severely damaged This was the most destructive raid on Leipzig in WW2 )
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Lancaster JB550
This Lancaster flew 5 ops with 103 Squadron before being allocated to 576 Squadron. It was lost on its first operation with that squadron.
In its short operational career it had 3 early returns. One due to flak damaged, one to a sick navigator and the third unspecified mechanical issues. All these were with F/S F Law and crew.
The other pilots who flew this aircraft were F/S J E Bellamy and the redoubtable F/S Edgar T Jones RCAF DFC and bar ( pictured above )
10-Nov-43 – Modane – Lancaster – JB550 – F/S JE Bellamy
18-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB550 – F/S F Law – ER - Hit by flak. SO engine US. Bombed flak concentration near Hanover.
22-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB550 – F/S ET Jones RCAF
23-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB550 – F/S F Law – ER - Navigator sick.
26-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB550 – F/S F Law – ER.
Item compiled by David Fell with Jones photo from my archive and Sinclair photo from the Auckland War Museum On Line Cenotaph.
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