F/O Peter Upton Brooke RAFVR and crew – 576 Sqn - RAF Elsham Wolds - 1944
Failed to Return – 24/25th March 1944 – Lancaster III – LM469 – Op Berlin.
Peter Brooke and his crew were posted to 576 Squadron from 1656 HCU mid early March 44. Brooke flew his first operation on the 15/16 March 1944 as co-pilot in the crew of P/O A J Bodger and crew to Stuttgart in LL794.
Brooke took his own crew on their first operation together on the 18/19th March to Frankfurt which they completed successfully. They were lost on their third operation together 6 nights later.
18/19th March 1944 - Frankfurt - LM469 - F/O PU Brooke
22/23rd March 1944 - Frankfurt - LM469 - F/O PU Brooke
24/25th March 1944 - Berlin - LM469 - F/O PU Brooke – FTR - Crashed at Kohra SE of Naunhof, Germany.
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F/O Peter Upton Brooke RAFVR - Pilot – 21 - 576 Sqn – Rev. W E and Mrs Brooke, “Fairfield”, Normanton Ave, Bognor - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt Ernest Arthur Lodge RAFVR – Flight Engineer - 576 Sqn - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.
T/S Stanley H Chidester USAAF - 576 Sqn – US Military Cemetery, Luxembourg
F/O Norman Ronald George Pronger RAFVR – Navigator - 21 – 576 Sqn - Son of Harold Thomas Pronger, and of Ethel Mildred Pronger of Burgess Hill, Sussex; husband of Audrey Pronger, of Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt A A S Evans RAFVR – Wireless Operator / Air Gunner – 576 Sqn – POW – Camp N/K – POW No N/K Repatriated on Arundel Castle 6th February 1945..
Sgt Arthur Henry Daines RAFVR- Air Gunner - 576 Sqn - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt Noel Vincent Burgess RAFVR – Air Gunner – 576 Sqn - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany
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Peter Upton Brooke RAFVR
Born 1923 the son of Rev. W E and Mrs Brooke of Bognor
From 1935 to 1940 he attended Chichester High School for Boys where he was a member of Sherborne House. He was an accomplished and enthusiastic musician and a member of the school orchestra. He was one of the first boys to attend an RAF University course. This was at Durham University where he was awarded his colours for rowing
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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 LM469
This machine was lost on its third operation all with Brooke’s crew as above
Item compiled by David Fell.
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