Tom had tried to stop the flight taking place but was unsuccessful. A fox's mask – approved by King George VI in February 1937. This was due to the fact that he was chosen to be the flight engineer to Wing Commander Craven on a night raid to Berlin on September 29th 1943. They successfully achieved this on 23rd March 1943 by dropping leaflets over Lille, taking off at 7pm and returning after midnight. 9 May-2 September 1939: Bicester To give an idea of the effort involved in the next thirty days there were ten Bomber Command operations to the heart of Germany that comprised of 5572 sorties for the loss of 289 aircraft (nine from 12 Squadron). I suspect Tom and crew were given leave during this period as their next operation was 10 days later. Want to know what life was like during the War? August 1942-November 1942: Vickers Wellington III It may have been a mechanical fault or it may have been as a result of German fighters [at least 5 Lancasters encountered the FW 190's of ZG1 - a German fighter group based near Brest and caused the downfall of Wing Commander Nettleton VC of 44 Squadron]. Sergeant W H Bartlett No. 8 Initial Training Wing (ITW). Disaster struck in the early hours of the 13th. He remembers that one or two Crewmember was lying outside the Fuselage without heavy injuries. - No. I would like to offer my most sincere thanks to all those who have sent me information, photographs and original documents and those who I have spoken to and met whilst researching my grandfather's war career. February 1938-November 1940: Fairey Battle Walked again next night. Tom and crew were stood down for several operations (Gelsenkirchen on the 25th, Cologne on the 28th). The whole trip took just 5 hrs 17 mins. 6 was William (Bill) Reid who famously went on to received a Victoria Cross. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Bob Edgeworth (top left) and Peter Young (top right). The Lend-Lease agreement between Britain and America was signed in the spring of 1941 and allowed the US and Canada to provide staff and facilities to train a large number of RAF aircrew, often employing civilian instructors. He is is buried in Pershore Cemetery Worcestershire. They must have felt really lucky to be in a plane that flew its previous crew through a whole tour, totally defying the odds. I managed to get in touch with a daughter of Tom Fee who is living in Australia - she sent me some poignant photos of her father and lent me his logbook. It would be a bloody battle for both sides. (d.30th May 1943), Hatch Norman Morgan. public. 12 Squadron was at the forefront of this battle and the whole squadron would have been stunned when no less than five aircraft failed to return from the Dusseldorf operation on … F/O (d.16th Jan 1944), graham Albert Edward. 12 Squadron Book of Rememberance showing the name of Tom Routledge Below is an extract from the 12 Squadron Record Book 25th May 1943 12/X F/O F.J. Wright - On return it was found that the Wireless Operator F/S T.A. This was Wally's 28th operation. In the event that you consider anything on this page to be in breach of the site's House Rules, please click here. Not only was this their maiden flight, but it was also that of their aircraft a Lancaster Bomber ED995. referenced. I would be delighted to hear from anyone who may have any information regarding the above airmen. 14th of January 1944. During the afternoon of 25 June another aircraft crashed during a training flight killing all on board. - Cookies. Contact us for more information on joining. PILOT F/O JIMMY WRIGHT WHO BRILLIANTLY FLEW ED995 FOR 30 OERATIONS. We currently have a huge backlog of submissions which need to be edited for display online, if you have a good standard of written English, an interest in the two World Wars and a little time to spare online we would appreciate your help. 46 Squadron (RAF) Fighter Command 1939-1941, Mediterranean 1942-1944, Transport Command 1945 Burst of flak cut petrol line. Wilfred Ernest "Fuller" Clark 12 Squadron (d.14th April 1943). Son of Harry and Ethel Adeane Young, of Woodford Green, Essex. We are now on Facebook. Now more details on the wreck in Kreuzfeld: If you look at the google map you mention http://maps.google.de/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=de&geocode=&q=Hameln+Kreuzfeld , you see the house number 16 with a grey roof (wait a moment after opening the sattelite view). Our house was about 300 m air line away from the Kreuzfeld (street) where one night a bomber crashed. This view kept Tom Swallow going through. In the main they survived the war and I have had the great honour to meet and talk to many of them.