Carpe Diem - 576 Squadron RAF

CREW MEMBER PROFILE

SHREEVE

First Name/s:

Eric Walter "Ricky"

Service No/s:

1450716

Air Gunner

Return

Date	Event	Aircraft Flown
SERVICE RECORDS
01 May 1943 01 May 1943	Enlisted at Cardington, Beds date and venue TBC.
11 Jul 1943 11 Jul 1943	No. 4 Air Gunnery School (AGS), Morpeth, Northumberland.	Anson
21 Aug 1943 21 Aug 1943	Awarded Air Gunner Flying Badge & promoted to Sergeant (Sgt).
24 Aug 1943 24 Aug 1943	No. 83 Operational Training Unit (OTU), Peplow, Salop; joins Moores crew.	Wellington
21 Dec 1943 21 Dec 1943	No. 1481 (Bomber) Gunnery Flight, Binbrook, Lincolnshire.	Wellington
25 Dec 1943 25 Dec 1943	No. 11 Base, Lindholme, Yorkshire, administrative HQ for 1 Group heavy bomber conversions.
26 Dec 1943 26 Dec 1943	No. 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU), Lindholme, Yorkshire.	Lancaster
01 Feb 1944 01 Feb 1944	Joined No. 103 Squadron, ‘A’ Flight, Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire. Date TBC. Ops (xx): B C Moores crew 24 Feb 44 – Schweinfurt 15 Mar 44 – Stuttgart; landed Wittering 18 Mar 44 – Frankfurt; engine problems: crashed 10m W of Ipswich Events of 18 Mar 1944: Lancaster III JB744 PM-A took off from Elsham at 1907 on a raid to Frankfurt. On the outbound leg, both inner engines failed and the crew decided to jettison their bombload over the sea, following which they reached the East Anglian coast. As they sought somewhere to land they were unable to maintain height and crash landed at 2021 at Hill Farm in Layham, 1m SW Hadleigh, Suffolk hitting trees and setting barns on fire. Crew was: Fg Off E G Moores Fg Off R Wilkinson Sgt H Mardon Flt Sgt E S Moran RCAF Sgt E W Shreeve Sgt R E Greenwood Sgt H A Edwards Moores, Wilkinson and Mardon were injured, but the rest escaped unhurt.	Lancaster
10 Apr 1944 10 Apr 1944	No. 100 Squadron, Grimsby, Lincolnshire. No record of operations in Operational Record Book.
20 Apr 1944 20 Apr 1944	No. 626 Squadron, Wickenby, Lincolnshire. No record of operations in Operational Record Book.
09 May 1944 09 May 1944	No. 576 Squadron, ‘A’ Flight, Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire. Ops (14): J R Stedman crew 19 May 44 – Orleans 21 May 44 – Duisburg 22 May 44 – Dortmund 24 May 44 – Aachen; attacked by Bf-109 27 May 44 – Aachen; attacked by nightfighter 12 May 45 – Gelsenkirchen (Nordstern) 14 Jun 44 – Le Havre 16 Jun 44 – Sterkrade (Holten) 17 Jun 44 – Aulnoye 19 Jun 44 – Sirracourt; op cancelled 22 Jun 44 – Mimoyecques 29 Jun 44 – Domleger 30 Jun 44 – Oisemont/Neuville au Bois 02 Jul 44 – Domleger 04 Jul 44 – Orleans	Lancaster
05 Jul 1944 05 Jul 1944	Attached to Special Duties Flight, Binbrook, Lincolnshire. Ops (2): J R Stedman crew 04 Aug 44 – Pauillac 07 Aug 44 – Fontenay-le-Marmion	Lancaster
13 Aug 1944 13 Aug 1944	Returned to 576 Squadron, ‘A’ Flight, Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire. Ops (9): J R Stedman crew 15 Aug 44 – Le Culot (Beauvechain) 16 Aug 44 – Stettin 25 Aug 44 – Russelsheim 26 Aug 44 – Kiel 31 Aug 44 – Agenville 03 Sep 44 – Eindhoven; hit by flak 05 Sep 44 – Le Havre 06 Sep 44 – Le Havre 10 Sep 44 – Le Havre	Lancaster
10 Sep 1944 10 Sep 1944	Crew screened after 30 Operations on No. 576 Squadron and Special Duties Flight. Eric has further operations on No. 103 Squadron to be included.

Date	Aircraft	Code	Flight Details	T/O	Land	Flt Time	Crew
576 Squadron FLYING RECORDS
14 May 1944	ME726	UL-X²	Training	1345	1455	1h10	P1 Flt Lt S. Slater P2 FE Sgt C.P. Rudland AB Flt Sgt J.M.W. Pasley NAV Sgt D. Waterhouse TBC WOp Sgt P. Harris TBC MUG Sgt E.W. Shreeve RG Sgt M.A. Frost
NOTES:	Air to air
19 May 1944	LM439	UL-I²	ORLEANS	2215	0320	5h15	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Plt Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Fleury-Les-Aubrais marshalling yards. Landed Elsham Load: 11x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs 4 aircraft diverted – not yet identified Landed Elsham
21 May 1944	LM439	UL-I²	DUISBERG	2250	0340	4h50	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Plt Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Built-up Area Load: 1x 4000lb ‘Cookie’, 204x 30lb incendiaries
22 May 1944	LM439	UL-I²	DORTMUND	2225	0310	4h45	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Plt Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Built-up Area Ruhr Load: 1x 4000lb ‘Cookie’, 108x 30lb and 1170x 4lb incendiaries
24 May 1944	LM439	UL-I²	AACHEN	2355	0435	4h55	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Plt Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Aachen West marshalling yards. Engaged in combat by an Me-109 (no report found). Load: 11x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs.
26 May 1944	LM439	UL-I²	Training	nk	nk	1h00	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Plt Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Fighter affiliation and air to sea firing
27 May 1944	LM439	UL-I²	AACHEN	2355	0435	4h40	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Plt Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Rothe Erde marshalling yards. Engaged in combat with an unidentified night fighter (no report found). Load: 11x 1000lb, 4x500lb bombs.
10 Jun 1944	LM439	UL-I²	Training	nk	nk	1h15	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Plt Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Practice bombing and air to sea firing
12 Jun 1944	LM439	UL-I²	GELSENKIRCHEN	2245	0305	4h20	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Plt Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant (Gelsenberg AG) Load: 1,4000lb ‘Cookie’, 16x 500lb bombs
13 Jun 1944	LM439	UL-I²	Training	nk	nk	1h00	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Plt Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Air to air firing. Landed Ingham
13 Jun 1944	LM439	UL-I²	Training	nk	nk	1h00	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Plt Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Air to air firing. Landed Ingham
14 Jun 1944	LM439	UL-I²	LE HAVRE	2030	0040	4h10	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Plt Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Docks & "E" Boat Pens and light naval forces which were harassing the Normandy beachheads Load: 11x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs
16 Jun 1944	LM439	UL-I²	STERKRADE	2305	0340	4h35	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Plt Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Rhur-Chemie AG Synthetic Oil Plant at Holten. Load: 1x 4000lb ‘Cookie’, 16x 500lb bombs 8 crews from 576 and 103 engaged in COMBATS
17 Jun 1944	LM439	UL-I²	AULNOYE	2340	0440	5h00	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Plt Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Road/rail bridge near the marshalling yards at Aulnoye-Aymeries. Load: 18x 500lb bombs Master Bomber told crews to bomb the Target Indicators if visible through the low cloud, and if not, to go home. Most crews returned with bombload intact. Did not bomb due to low cloud obscuring target and Tis, and returned with bombs.
19 Jun 1944	LM439	UL-I²	SIRRACOURT	nk	nk	1h30	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Plt Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Flying Bomb Site. Operation cancelled just after 7 aircraft had departed. Recalled by R/T. Known so far - LM352, LM439, LL799, ME800 & ND903. Not recorded in Record of Events Load: TBC
22 Jun 1944	LM439	UL-I²	MIMOYECQUES	1350	1725	3h35	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Plt Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: V3 Cannon Construction Site. Load: 18x 500lb bombs
29 Jun 1944	LM439	UL-I²	DOMLEGER	1130	1500	3h55	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Plt Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: V1 Flying Bomb Storage Site and Supply Depot. Load: 11x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs
30 Jun 1944	LM439	UL-I²	OISEMONT / NEUVILLE AU BOIS	0535	0930	3h55	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	V1 flying bomb launch site. Load: 11x 1,000lb, 4x 500lb bombs
01 Jul 1944	LM227	UL-I²	AIR TEST	nk	nk	0h50	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Air Test The ORB shows the aircraft as I2 LM439 (4 July 1944 shown as J2). Swift's logbook shows LM227 and comments in his diary about the air test being on a new aircraft which was much more powerful than their old one.
02 Jul 1944	LM227	UL-I²	DOMLEGER	1200	1540	3h40	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: V1 Flying Bomb Storage Site and Supply Depot Load: 7x 1,000lb, 4x 500lb bombs The ORB shows the aircraft as I2 LM439 (4 July 1944 onwards shown as J2). Swift's logbook shows LM227 and comments in his diary about the air test being on a new aircraft which was much more powerful than their old one.
04 Jul 1944	LM227	UL-I²	ORLEANS	2150	0400	6h10	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Marshalling yards. Load: 18x 500lb bombs
13 Aug 1944	ME735	UL-P²	Return to Base	nk	nk	1h30	P1 J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Return from Special Duties Flight
13 Aug 1944	PD235	UL-N²	Finningley to Base	nk	nk	0h30	P1 J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Ferry flight
15 Aug 1944	LM227	UL-I²	LE CULOT (BEAUVECHAIN)	0950	1320	3h30	P1 Fg Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Luftwaffe airfield. Hit by flak but no reports of injuries to crew. Load: 13x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs
16 Aug 1944	LM227	UL-I²	STETTIN	2125	0450	7h25	P1 Fg Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Port and Industrial Areas. Load: 2x 2000lb bombs, 12x 500 ‘J’-Type Incendiary clusters Tasked with windfinding
25 Aug 1944	LM227	U²	RUSSELSHEIM	2005	2355	3h50	P1 Fg Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Opel Motor Factory for V1 wings & fuselages & built-up area Load: 1x 4000lb ‘Cookie’, 12x500 4lb incendiary clusters. Tasked with windfinding
26 Aug 1944	LM227	U²	KIEL	1940	0115	5h35	P1 Fg Off J.R. Stedman P2 Plt Off W.H. Hepburn FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: German Naval installations. Load: 1x 4000lb ‘Cookie’, 108x 30lb and 1170x 4lb incendiaries
28 Aug 1944	LM227	U²	CHAPELLE NOTRE-DAME	1855	2155	3h00	P1 Fg Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: V1 Flying Bomb Launch Site. Load: 13 x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs The Operation Record Book shows Shreeve as rear gunner but this is not in his logbook.
31 Aug 1944	LM227	U²	AGENVILLE	1245	1645	4h00	P1 Fg Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: V1 Flying Bomb Supply Site. Spitfire Escort. Very heavy flak (Swift). Load: 13 x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs
03 Sep 1944	NF975	UL-J²	EINDHOVEN	1520	1910	3h50	P1 Fg Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Luftwaffe airfield. No.2 port tank hit by flak; lost 300 gallons of fuel. Load: 13 x 1000lb, 4 x 500lb bombs One aircraft (unidentified) diverted due weather
05 Sep 1944	LM227	UL-I²	Training	nk	nk	1h10	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Fighter affiliation
05 Sep 1944	LM227	UL-I²	LE HAVRE	1555	1920	3h25	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Enemy strongpoints & HQ in port area Load: 13 x 1000lb, 4 x 500lb bombs
06 Sep 1944	LM227	UL-I²	LE HAVRE	1700	2025	3h25	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Enemy strongpoints & pockets of resistance Load: 13 x 1000lb, 4 x 500lb bombs
08 Sep 1944	LM227	UL-I²	ELSHAM WOLDS TO LUDFORD MAGNA	nk	nk	0h15	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Ferry flight probably with the Trent crew on board.
08 Sep 1944	NG119	*UL-D²	LUDFORD MAGNA TO ELSHAM WOLDS	nk	nk	0h15	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Delivery flight – new aircraft.
09 Sep 1944	LM227	UL-I²	Training	nk	nk	1h15	P1 Gp Capt W.C. Sheen P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	HL bombing
10 Sep 1944	LM227	UL-I²	LE HAVRE	1620	2005	3h45	P1 Plt Off J.R. Stedman P2 FE Sgt R.S. Porter AB Fg Off H.A.W. Rumbelow NAV Sgt E. Swift WOp Sgt W.S. Wooldridge MUG Sgt D.W. Waldron RG Sgt E.W. Shreeve
NOTES:	Target: Enemy strongpoint ½ mile SW of the Forêt de Montgeon. Load: 13 x 1000lb, 4 x 500lb bombs Crew screened after 30 Operations on 576 Squadrons and Special Duties Flight.

PERSONAL INFORMATION
Details
Eric Walter Shreeve was born on 26 April 1923. In 1939 he was living at 3 Coastguard Station, Orford, Suffolk and working as an errand boy. He shared this abode with Edward Shreeve (b. 1907). It is uncler the family connection to Edward. He married Agnes May Hill in January 1945 in Wisbech. They had nine children (five boys and four girls). Following the war, where his final RAF rank was as a Warrant Officer' he became a long distance lorry driver. For the last thirty years of work he worked for British Road Services. He retired in 1988. Eric passed away in August 1998. His ashes were scattered over Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire airfield (where he had served) by the BBMF Lancaster on 11 September 1998. Shreeve Family
From Eric Shreeve (son) I am number four of nine children, having four brothers and four sisters. I have the same name as dad apart from my middle name. However, it’s not about me....... Flight Sergeant Eric Walter Shreeve ... No. 1450717 576 Squadron, Elsham Wolds When dad left the RAF he worked as a long distance lorry driver until he retired. He was VERY proud to have served in the RAF and his service with the Lancaster in particular, but like many who went through the war, was reluctant to talk about the horrors of war, and only occasionally went into detail if prompted by a particular event or happening. He was ecstatic when in the late 70’s he learnt that six of his crew were still alive and planned a reunion, which he of course attended, and subsequent reunions until he was too ill to attend just before his death. I am sure Lancaster aviation fuel replaced the blood in his veins, such was his dedication to his time served with the aircraft as there was always Lancaster memorabilia in our house ... even the house was called Lancaster. I can only imagine what it must have been like ... may be: Briefing at 0400 ... crews assembled ... details of the raid announced. Time to go ... driven out to the Lanc ... climb the ladder ... to their positions ... in dad’s case squeeze down to the rear turret ... engines start ... trundle down the runway (dad initially just a few feet from the ground) ... then in the air... (knowing not all would return). Maybe a little banter over the radio between the crew, whilst you check your equipment ... in the gunners’ case a short burst as they crossed the North Sea to check all ok ... THEN ... Capt Mike Stedman ordered silence over the radio ... we’re now in enemy territory at 21000 ft. You sit there with your own thoughts, with only the drone of the four engines for company, looking out the back of the Lancaster freezing cold ... THEN THE RADIO CRACKLES INTO LIFE ... Ricky, keep alert, German fighters about, and they’ll come in from behind. Dad peers into the sky, eyes straining for ANY sign ... what was that, is it a bird, a plane, is it just a speck on the Perspex, just a shadow, did I imagine it? He operates the turret from left to right and back again ... guns up and down ... peering ... peering ... his nerves are on the edge, his throat is dry, his heart is POUNDING ... 150 + ...THEN ... Rat a tat tat ... Rat a tat tat ... Rat a tat tat ... Rat a tat tat ... I can only imagine ... !!! If only I could talk to him today. Dad died in 1998 aged 75. His wish was for his ashes to be scattered over Elsham Wolds, such was his love of his RAF Lancaster service. A fitting end for tail end Charlie. 1450716 W.O Eric Walter Shreeve 576 Squadron Elsham Wolds. Eric Shreeve

PHOTOS & DOCUMENTS
Details
Moores crew crash on 103 Sqn Hadleigh Community News
Shreeve logbook 1 Shreeve family
Shreeve logbook 2 Shreeve family
Shreeve logbook 3 Shreeve family
Shreeve logbook 4 Shreeve family
Shreeve logbook 5 Shreeve family
Shreeve logbook 6 Shreeve family
Shreeve logbook 7 Shreeve family
Shreeve logbook 8 Shreeve family