F/L Peter E Underwood RAFVR and crew – 576 Sqn - RAF Elsham Wolds - 1944
Failed to Return – 30/31st March 1944 – Lancaster III – LM470 – Op Nuremburg.
Peter Underwood and his crew were posted to 576 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds in February 1944 from 1662 HCU. His crew was made up of :- Sgt R J A Boon, F/O E C Espley, Sgt J A Hildreth, Sgt A E Evans, Sgt H R Lawrence, Sgt L Washer.
Underwood flew his first operation as co-pilot in the crew of Cyril Rollins on the 15/16 February 1944 to Berlin. On the 24/25 February 44 Underwood captained his own crew on their first operation to Schweinfurt. They participated in 6 operations being lost on their 7th. Their tour was as follows :-
24/02/1944 - Schweinfurt – ED888 – F/L PE Underwood
25/02/1944 - Augsburg - ED888 – F/L PE Underwood
18/03/1944 - Frankfurt – LM470 – F/L PE Underwood
22/03/1944 - Frankfurt - LM470 – F/L PE Underwood - ER - Rear gunner unable to close turret doors
24/03/1944 - Berlin - LM470 – F/L PE Underwood - ER - Engine U/S.
26/03/1944 - Essen – DV365 – F/L PE Underwood
30/03/1944 - Nuremberg - LM470 - FTR - Night fighter victim. Crashed at Oberfeld near the village of Thuringen, Germany.
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Underwood and his Wireless Operator, Sgt A E Evans, survived. The remaining 5 were killed and rest at the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.
F/L Peter E Underwood RAFVR – Pilot – 576 Sqn – POW - Camp L1 – POW No N/K
Sgt Roy James Alfred Boon RAFVR – Flight Engineer – 20 – 576 Sqn - Son of James Cecil and Ivy Lilian Agnes Boon of Chalvey, Slough, Buckinghamshire – Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.
F/O Eric Charles Espley RAF – Air Bomber – 576 Sqn – 22 - Son of Dennis James Espley, and of Winifred Rashleigh Espley, of Rhyl, Flintshire.
Sgt John Angus Hildreth RAFVR – Navigator – 34 – 576 Sqn - Son of John and Agnes Isabella Hildreth; husband of Kristeen Elizabeth Hildreth of Greenock, Renfrewshire - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt A E Evans RAFVR – Wireless Operator / Air Gunner – 576 Sqn – POW – Camp L6/357 – POW No 3481.
Sgt Harold Raymond Lawrence RAFVR - Air Gunner – 576 Sqn - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt Leonard George Washer RAFVR – Air Gunner – 24 - 576 Sqn - Son of Herbert Leonard and Florence Anne Washer of Southville, Bristol - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.
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30 Mar 44 – Nuremburg – Germany - Night. 16 aircraft were detailed for this operation. F/O Wood and crew returned early due to U/S rear turret and an engine heating up. Cloud reported by crews on the route to the target was thin and broken only in occasional patches mostly clear but hazy. At target 10/10ths cloud was encountered and on the return legs to the enemy coast 4 to 5/10ths thin cloud broken all along the route back. Sightings of enemy aircraft by gunners were in greater number than usual, mostly south of the Ruhr and the leg into the target. Flak defences were slight to moderate at the target and searchlights had no effect due to the 10/10ths cloud.
F/L Underwood and crew failed to return form this operation. All the rest returned to base.
F/S Scheerboom's gunners put up a very good show on this operation. They sighted a Ju88 which attacked but due to the rear gunners immediate instructions managed to evade and lose him. Hits were claimed on the enemy aircraft by both rear and mid upper gunners. No damage was done to our Lancaster.
F/O Barnsdale's gunners also put up a very good show. They were attacked by an Me109 and the rear gunner gave evasive action and opened fire. Only one attack by the enemy aircraft was made. The Lancaster sustained no damage from this attack and no hits were claimed on the enemy aircraft.
One night cross country was detailed and carried out.
( 795 aircraft. A black night for Bomber Command. The raid was undertaken in a full moon period but went ahead because of the forecast high cloud on the outward flight when the moon would be up. This cloud failed to materialise and the German night fighters made early contact with the bomber stream and inflicted heavy casualties. In addition the bombing on Nuremberg was of no consequence and scattered over a wide area and badly forecast winds resulted in some aircraft bombing Schweinfurt to the north west of the target. Overall the attack was an extremely costly failure. )
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Lancaster LM470
Aircraft lost on its 4th operation all with Underwood's crew as above.
Item compiled by David Fell
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