R C Bailey DFC RAFVR and crew – 576 Squadron - 1944
The Bailey crew were posted to 576 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds from 11 Base in early June 1944. The exact date is not recorded. The crew was as follows :-
P/O RC Bailey
Sgt W Fairfull
Sgt T Gosney
Sgt F J P Smith
Sgt G E Fentham
Sgt A Newman
Sgt E Womack
The Bailey crew
According to the 576 Squadron Operational Record Book the crew flew unchanged throughout its tour which was as follows :-
Bailey flew his first operation as Second Dickie / co pilot on the 17/06/1944 to Aulnoye in Lancaster LM532 with P/O DW McIvor RCAF and crew
He then flew the following operations with his own crew all but one in Lancaster NE115
27/06/1944 - Chateau Benapre - V weapon – NE115 – P/O RC Bailey
29/06/1944 – Domleger - V weapon – NE115 – P/O RC Bailey
30/06/1944 - Oisemont Neuville Au Bois - Army support – NE115 - P/O RC Bailey
02/07/1944 – Domleger - V weapon – NE115 – P/O RC Bailey
07/07/1944 – Caen - Army support – NE115 – P/O RC Bailey
12/07/1944 – Revigny - Railway yards – NE115 – P/O RC Bailey
14/07/1944 – Revigny - Railway yards – NE115 – P/O RC Bailey
17/07/1944 – Sanneville - V weapon – NE115 – P/O RC Bailey
18/07/1944 - Scholven Buer – Oil – ME854 – P/O RC Bailey
20/07/1944 – Wizernes - V weapon – NE115 – P/O RC Bailey
23/07/1944 – Kiel - Point of Aim – NE115 – P/O RC Bailey
25/07/1944 – Stuttgart - Point of Aim – NE115 – P/O RC Bailey
28/07/1944 – Stuttgart - Point of Aim – NE115 – P/O RC Bailey
31/07/1944 - Le Havre - Naval forces – NE115 – P/O RC Bailey
03/08/1944 – Troissy-St-Maxim - V weapon – NE115 – P/O RC Bailey
04/08/1944 – Pauillac – Oil – NE115 – P/O RC Bailey
05/08/1944 – Blaye – Oil – NE115 – P/O RC Bailey
07/08/1944 – Fontenaye - Army support – NE115 – P/O RC Bailey
18/08/1944 - Ertvelde Rieme – Oil – NE115 – F/O RC Bailey
25/08/1944 – Russelheim – Factory – NE115 – F/O RC Bailey
26/08/1944 – Kiel - Point of Aim – NE115 – F/O RC Bailey
31/08/1944 – Agenville - V weapon – NE115 – F/O RC Bailey
03/09/1944 – Eindhoven – Airfield – NE115 – F/O RC Bailey
05/09/1944 - Le Havre - Army support – NE115 – F/O RC Bailey
06/09/1944 - Le Havre - Army support – NE115 – F/O RC Bailey
08/09/1944 - Le Havre - Army support – NE115 – F/O RC Bailey
10/09/1944 - Le Havre - Army support – NE115 – F/O RC Bailey
12/09/1944 – Frankfurt - Point of Aim – NE115 – F/O RC Bailey
15/09/1944 - Oslo, Kattegat and River Elbe - Mine laying – NE115 – F/O RC Bailey
05/10/1944 – Saarbrucken - Army support – NE115 – F/O RC Bailey
07/10/1944 – Emmerich - Army support – NE115 – F/O RC Bailey
14/10/1944 – Duisburg - Operation Hurricane – NE115 – F/O RC Bailey
14/10/1944 – Duisburg - Operation Hurricane – NE115 – F/O RC Bailey
19/10/1944 – Stuttgart - Point of Aim – NE115 – F/O RC Bailey
According to the 576 Operational Record Book all were completed satisfactorily with no early returns or incidents recorded
Bailey with ground crew
..........
F/O Bailey was awarded a DFC which was gazetted 16/02/1945. Post war Bailey remained in the RAF and was mentioned in the London Gazette in July 1952
R C Bailey joined 238 Sqn at Merryfield on completion of his tour
On 17 Feb 45 he was the co-pilot of Dakota KN251 F/L Rose captain. This aircraft crashed just after take-off at Castle Benito, Libya on a trip to RAF Station Lydda, Palestine following starboard engine trouble and the aircraft being overloaded. KN251 went through the wire at the end of the runway and caught fire.
Incidentally RAF Station Lydda is now the Israeli Lot Air Force Base which they share with the Ben Gurion Airport.
..........
Lancaster NE115
Above - NE115 B Squared. The airman featured is possibly Bailey as the photo was taken when the aircraft had completed 52 ops at a time when Bailey and crew were its regular users.
This machine gave good service being detailed for 66 operations. It was mostly flown by the Bailey, Templeman-Rooke, Guilfoyle and lastly the Mulrooney crews with whom it was lost – see below :-
02/11/1944 – Dusseldorf - Point of Aim – NE115 – F/L JJ Mulrooney – FTR - Crashed in Germany.
Compiled by David Fell photos from my archive.
....................
|
