CREW MEMBER PROFILE |
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Surname: |
BALFOUR |
First Name/s: |
Alexander |
 |
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Service No/s: |
1021030 |
Service: |
RAFVR |
Branch: |
Flight Engineer |
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Awards: |
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SERVICE RECORDS |
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Date |
Event |
Aircraft Flown |
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|---|---|---|---|
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05 May 1944 |
1656 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF Lindholme |
Halifax |
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21 May 1944 |
1 Lancaster Finishing School, RAF Lindholme |
Lancaster |
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01 Jun 1944 |
Joined B Flight, 576 Squadron, RAF Elsham Wolds (specific date not known) |
Lancaster I & III |
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01 Sep 1944 |
No further flying found in ORB. |
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576 Squadron FLYING RECORDS |
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Date |
Aircraft |
Code |
Flight Details |
T/O |
Land |
Flt Time |
Crew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
07 Jun 1944 |
ME792 |
UL-B2 |
Training |
nk |
nk |
4h25 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Day cross-country |
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|
09 Jun 1944 |
JB460 |
UL-V2 |
Training |
nk |
nk |
4h00 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Day cross-country. Pre-operational training |
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|
10 Jun 1944 |
ME800 |
UL-W2 |
Training |
nk |
nk |
2h45 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
‘Y’ (H2S) cross-country and practice bombing |
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|
11 Jun 1944 |
ND903 |
*UL-R2 |
Training |
nk |
nk |
2h10 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
‘Y’ (H2S) cross-country |
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|
12 Jun 1944 |
ME583 |
UL-T2 |
GELSENKIRCHEN |
2305 |
0430 |
5h25 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Gelsenberg AG synthetic oil plant, Nordstern |
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|
14 Jun 1944 |
ME583 |
UL-T2 |
LE HAVRE |
2050 |
0110 |
4h20 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Docks and ‘E’-Boat pens. |
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|
16 Jun 1944 |
UL-T2 |
STRERKRADE |
2325 |
0415 |
2h30 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
|
NOTES: |
Target: Ruhr-Chemie AG synthetic oil plant at Holten. |
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|
17 Jun 1944 |
ME583 |
UL-T2 |
AULNOYE |
2350 |
0450 |
5h00 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Road/rail bridge near the marshalling yards at Aulnoye-Aymeries. Low cloud obscured the Target Indicators so the Master Bomber ordered crews to return to base with their bombload. |
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|
23 Jun 1944 |
ME800 |
UL-W2 |
SAINTES |
2215 |
0610 |
7h55 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Marshalling yards. |
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|
24 Jun 1944 |
ME583 |
UL-T2 |
FLERS |
0135 |
0535 |
4h00 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: V1 flying bomb launch site. |
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|
27 Jun 1944 |
ME583 |
UL-T2 |
CHATEAU DE BERNAPRE |
0135 |
0605 |
4h30 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: V1 flying bomb launch site. |
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|
29 Jun 1944 |
JA868 |
UL-V2 |
DOMLEGER |
1145 |
1530 |
3h45 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: V1 flying bomb storage and supply depot. |
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|
02 Jul 1944 |
LM594 |
UL-G2 |
DOMLEGER |
1210 |
1610 |
4h00 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: V1 flying bomb storage and supply depot. |
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|
04 Jul 1944 |
JB555 |
UL-R2 |
ORLEANS |
2205 |
0435 |
6h30 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Marshalling yards. |
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|
05 Jul 1944 |
JB555 |
UL-R2 |
DIJON |
2100 |
0615 |
9h15 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Marshalling yards. Diverted to Coningsby due to low cloud at Elsham Wolds. |
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|
06 Jul 1944 |
JB555 |
UL-R2 |
Coningsby to Elsham Wolds |
nk |
nk |
0h15 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Return from diversion |
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|
07 Jul 1944 |
PB265 |
UL-V2 |
CAEN |
1920 |
2330 |
4h10 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Enemy armour strongpoint on the N outskirts of the town. Flown in support of the advancing Allied ground forces. |
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10 Jul 1944 |
UL-R2 |
Training |
nk |
nk |
0h30 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
|
NOTES: |
Fighter affiliation. |
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11 Jul 1944 |
PB265 |
UL-V2 |
Training |
nk |
nk |
3h55 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
‘Y’ (H2S) day cross-country |
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|
12 Jul 1944 |
PB265 |
UL-V2 |
REVIGNY |
2115 |
0540 |
8h25 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Marshalling yards. Target was obscured by low cloud, so the Master Bomber ordered crews to return with their bombs. Diverted to Harwell due to weather at Elsham Wolds. |
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|
13 Jul 1944 |
PB265 |
UL-V2 |
Harwell to Elsham Wolds |
nk |
nk |
0h45 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Return from diversion. |
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|
14 Jul 1944 |
PB265 |
UL-V2 |
|
2105 |
0535 |
8h30 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Marshalling yards. Target was obscured by low cloud, so the Master Bomber ordered crews to return with their bombs. Diverted to Langar due to weather at Elsham Wolds. |
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|
15 Jul 1944 |
PB265 |
UL-V2 |
LANGAR TO ELSHAM WOLDS |
nk |
nk |
0h15 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Return from diversion. |
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|
18 Jul 1944 |
PB265 |
UL-V2 |
SANNERVILLE |
0325 |
0730 |
4h05 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Area ‘H’ – fortified positions occupied by Panzer tank regiments. Flown in support of the British Army involved in Operation GOODWOOD. |
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|
18 Jul 1944 |
PB265 |
UL-V2 |
SCHOLVEN/BUEN |
2300 |
0335 |
4h35 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Synthetic oil plant. |
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|
20 Jul 1944 |
PB265 |
UL-V2 |
WIZERNES |
1905 |
2235 |
3h30 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: V2 rocket launch site. |
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|
23 Jul 1944 |
PB265 |
UL-V2 |
KIEL |
2240 |
0355 |
5h15 |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Enemy naval base and Kiel canal. |
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|
24 Jul 1944 |
PB265 |
UL-V2 |
STUTTGART |
2110 |
FTR |
uk |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Built-up area. Attacked by a fighter just south of Orleans which badly damaged the wing. The aircraft was eventually abandoned over liberated the Cotentin Peninsula, Normandy by all except the pilot, Flt Off Sarvis, who did not survive. Balfour and Gordon evaded capture, the remaining four landed in Allied territory. The loss of PB265 is described below. |
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|
24 Jul 1944 |
PB265 |
UL-V2 |
STUTTGART |
2110 |
FTR |
uk |
P1 Flt Off R.J. Sarvis USAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Built-up area. Attacked by a fighter just south of Orleans which badly damaged the wing. The aircraft was eventually abandoned over liberated the Cotentin Peninsula, Normandy by all except the pilot, Flt Off Sarvis, who did not survive. Balfour and Gordon evaded capture, the remaining four landed in Allied territory. The loss of PB265 is described below. |
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PERSONAL INFORMATION |
|
Personal Records Restricted - not available to the public |
PHOTOS & DOCUMENTS |
|
Personal Documents Restricted - not available to the public |
