Date: 26/27th April 1944 (Wednesday/Thursday)
Unit: No. 44 Squadron (Rhodesia)
Type: Lancaster I
Serial: LL920
Code: KM-V
Base: Dunholme Lodge, Lincolnshire.
Location: Oberkirchen
Pilot: F/O. Gordon Williams Oldham D.F.C. 160013 R.A.F.V.R. Age 23. Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Frank Birkett Walker 937534 R.A.F.V.R. Age 23. Killed
Nav: Fl/Sgt. John Andrew McKerrow 1381921 R.A.F.V.R. Age ? Killed
Air/Bmr: F/O. Leslie William Petts 151756 R.A.F.V.R. Age 30. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. William Frederick Williams 1750303 R.A.F.V.R. Age 20. Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Robert Day Frame 1560058 R.A.F.V.R. Age 34. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Gilbert Wheeler Whittles 1836276 R.A.F.V.R. Age 19. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off from Dunholme Lodge, Lincolnshire. at 21.39 hrs as part of a 206 Lancaster's, 11 Mosquitoes from 5 group and 9 further Lancaster's from 1 group to bomb the ball bearing production plant. Another huge failure with very light damage done on the ground due to strong head winds making the markers inaccurate from the Mosquito pathfinder force. It is reported that only 2 people were killed on the ground in the target area but a total of 21 Lancaster's lost! 125 aircrew killed and a further 28 being made P.O.W's.
Lancaster LL920 was lost when it collided with another Lancaster I ME679 DX-K from 57 Squadron piloted by Sd/Ldr. Michael Innes Boyle D.F.C. when all but one of his crew were also killed. The only survivor being that of WO2 Waddell R.C.A.F. he was made a POW at the Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria camp.
F/O. Gordon Williams Oldham D.F.C. had a girlfriend at the time, also a pilot (Ferry) serving in South Africa. Gordon ran a store with his father prior to call up.
Memorial at All Saints Church, Great Steeping (Courtesy Dave Hitchborne)
Durnbach War Cemetery (Courtesy C.W.G.C.)
Burial details:
F/O. Gordon Williams Oldham D.F.C. Durnbach War Cemetery Collective grave 8.K. 22-25
Born in Rhodesia in 1921.
Fl/Sgt. John Andrew McKerrow. Durnbach War Cemetery Collective grave 8.K. 22-25
Son of John Andrew and Margaret McKerrow; husband of Marie McKerrow, of Derby.
F/O. Leslie William Petts. Durnbach War Cemetery Collective grave 8.K. 22-25
Son of Charles and Elizabeth Petts; husband of Vera Elizabeth Petts, of Catford, London.
Sgt. William Frederick Williams. Durnbach War Cemetery Collective grave 8.K. 22-25
Son of George and Mary Ann Williams, of Weston Rhyn, Shropshire.
Fl/Sgt. Robert Day Frame. Durnbach War Cemetery Collective grave 8.K. 22-25
Son of James and Jeanie Day Frame, of Lanark.
Sgt. Gilbert Wheeler Whittles. Durnbach War Cemetery Collective grave 8.K. 22-25
Son of James Whittles and Annie Waller Whittles, of Machen, Monmouthshire.
With thanks to Mark Palethorpe for further information on Gordon Oldham D.F.C. Mark is in contact with the navigator who served with F/O. Oldham on his first tour of thirty operations.
Page of remembrance created for relatives of the crew after being contacted by Paul Rogers, a relative of the rear gunner Sgt. Whittles
With thanks to Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt for the information supplied from the "Bomber Command War Diaries" and of course to Bill Chorley for "Bomber Command Losses" Vol. 5. The Commonwealth Graves Commission.
