F/O Richard S Bastick RAFVR and crew - 576 Sqn – RAF Fiskerton – 1944/45.
Failed to Return - 20/21 February 1945 - Lancaster I – NF975 – Op Dortmund
Richard Bastick ( pictured above ) and his crew were posted to 576 Sqn probably late October 44. Bastick is not shown in the 576 ORB as flying a Second Dickie / co-pilot trip.
He took his crew on their first operation on the 4/5th November 1944 and they completed 14 operations before being lost on their 15th.
Tour details below :-
04/11/1944 – Bochum – PD309 – P/O RS Bastick
06/11/1944 – Gelsenkirchen – NF976 – F/O RS Bastick
09/11/1944 - Wanne Eikel – NG119 – F/O RS Bastick
11/11/1944 – Dortmund – ME317 – F/O RS Bastick
16/11/1944 – Duren – ME317 – F/O RS Bastick - Damaged by light flak.
21/11/1944 – Aschaffenburg – ME317 – F/O RS Bastick
29/11/1944 – Dortmund – NG119 – F/O RS Bastick - Flak hit. Lost port inner engine. Continued on 3 engines.
29/12/1944 - Scholven Buer – NF975 – F/O RS Bastick
05/01/1945 – Royen – NF975 – F/O RS Bastick
14/01/1945 – Leuna – NF975 – F/O RS Bastick
16/01/1945 – Zietz – NF975 – F/O RS Bastick
22/01/1945 – Duisburg/Hambourn – NF975 – F/O RS Bastick
01/02/1945 – Ludswigshafen – NF975 – F/O RS Bastick
03/02/1945 – Bottrop – NF975 – F/O RS Bastick
20/02/1945 – Dortmund – NF975 – F/O RS Bastick – FTR - Lost without trace.
All the crew were killed and are
This crew flew unchanged with the exception of Wireless Operator Sgt D Gould who was replaced by Sgt Jack Coates in mid January 1945. Coates had flown with FltO Robert Sarvis during the summer before Sarvis was killed and was very near the end of his tour.
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F/O Richard Stanley Bastick RAFVR – Pilot – 24 – 576 Sqn - Son of Horace Gordon and Rose Lilian Bastick of Woolwich, London – Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Frederick George James Martin RAFVR – 23 – 576 Sqn - Son of Frederick Richard and Lily Maud Martin, husband of Esther Martin of Sacriston, Co. Durham - Runnymede Memorial.
F/S William Victor Bibby RAFVR – 25 – 576 Sqn - Son of William Victor and Catherine Jane Bibby of Narberth, Pembrokeshire - Runnymede Memorial.
F/S William Gordon Frost RAAF – 23 – 576 Sqn - Son of Lindsay and Elsie Frost of Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia - Runnymede Memorial.
F/S Jack Coates RAFVR – 21 – 576 Sqn - Son of William and Elizabeth Coates of Accrington, Lancashire, husband of Margery Coates of Accrington - Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Henry Alfred Sargent RAFVR – 23 – 576 Sqn - Son of John F. and Florence M. A. Sargent of Dagenham, Essex - Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt Robert Leslie L Swaffer RAFVR – 20 – 576 Sqn - Son of Frederick William James Swaffer and Florence Ellen Swaffer of Chiddingstone Hoath, Kent - Runnymede Memorial.
F/S William Gordon Frost RAAF
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20 February 45 – Dortmund – Germany – Night. 17 aircraft were detailed. Weather for take off was fine and clear with no cloud to about 0500E where 10/10ths stratus with tops at 3000 ft was encountered. This persisted into the target area with slight breaks. This cloud was of little depth but ground detail was obscured. Conditions for return were similar with a slight mist at base on landing.
PFF opened the attack with red and green TIs and R/P Flares. Marking appeared rather scattered. Most crews bombed ground markers and good explosions observed.
Incendiary loads were carried and fires were reported over a large area,. The glow beneath cloud could be seen 90 miles away on the homeward route.
Accurate predicted flak bursting 16000 to 20000 ft was encountered early in the attack but later aircraft reported negligible heavy flak in loose barrage between 12000 ft and 20000 ft.
Fighters were active. F/O Haywood in T2 was attacked by one unidentified aircraft. This aircraft opened fire at 800 yards. Evasive action was taken and the attack broke off with no damage to our aircraft. F/L Leyton-Brown in N2 and F/O Carter in D2 reported 1 Fw190 but did not engage. 5 bombers were seen to go down in flames over the target. 2 parachutes from 1 aircraft and 1 from a second aircraft were seen to open.
On the homeward route F/O Carter in D2 was engaged by friendly flak at position 5045N 0445E time 0155 hrs while flying at 10000 ft. This aircraft turned on IFF for 5 minutes. A second aircraft was engaged by predicted flak at the same time and fired off colours of the day.
From this operation F/O Bastick and crew failed to return.
Training – 1 “ Y “ simulated bombing exercise, 1 air to sea firing exercise and 1 “ Y “ cross country.
( 528 aircraft attacked from 1, 3, 6 and 8 Groups. The intention was to destroy the southern half of the city and it was claimed that this had been achieved. No reports are available form Dortmund. 14 Lancasters were lost. )
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Lancaster NF975
This machine was a veteran of 51 operations including 1 Early Return and was lost on its 52nd.
It was first flown on operations on the 29/30th August 1944 to Stettin by F/O N Layden RAFVR and crew. Layden and crew took it 23 times in total.
Compiled by David Fell with photos courtesy of the Coates family and Chris Payne and the Australian Virtual War Memorial
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