CREW MEMBER PROFILE

Surname:

BATTIN

First Name/s:

Derek Alfred William

Service No/s:

1575827 186729

Service:

RAFVR

Branch:

Pilot

Awards:

DFC

Return

SERVICE RECORDS

Date

Event

Aircraft Flown

01 Jun 1941

Probably enlisted in Birmingham between Jun 41 and Jul 42 as AC2. Precise date tbc

01 Sep 1944

No.1668 Heavy Conversion Unit, Bottesford. Precise date tbc..

Lancaster

26 Oct 1944

Commissioned as Plt Off on probation (emerg) from Warrant Officer (London Gazette 12 Dec 44, p5683)

Lancaster

08 Nov 1944

No.625 Sqn, 'C' Flight, Kelstern

Lancaster

01 Apr 1945

Promoted to Acting Flying Officer. Precise date tbc.

05 Apr 1945

No.576 Squadron, 'C' Flight, Fiskerton

Lancaster

10 Apr 1945

Following tthe operation to Plauen on 10 April 1945, Battin and his crew were screened when a tour was reduced again to 30 ops.

Lancaster

26 Apr 1945

Promoted to Flying Officer (war substantive) (London Gazette 25 May 45, p.2662)

Lancaster

01 May 1945

Flying instructor (until 1946) - date unknown.

25 Jul 1945

DFC awarded for services on No.625 Squadron (London Gazette 20 Jul 45, p3782)

576 Squadron FLYING RECORDS

Date

Aircraft

Code

Flight Details

T/O

Land

Flt Time

Crew

09 Apr 1945

NG418

UL-E2

KEIL

1900

0125

6h25

P1   Fg Off D.A.W. Battin
P2   
FE   Sgt A. Steel
AB   Flt Sgt G. Dingle
NAV  Fg Off D.J. Carter
WOp  Flt Sgt F.B. Mulligan
MUG  Sgt L. Bennett
RG    E. Barrett

NOTES:

Target: Shipping, the Deutsche-Werke U-Boat yard and the industrial centre on the East side of Kiel harbour. Load: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’, 16x 500lb bombs. The Admiral Scheer heavy cruiser was sunk on this raid

10 Apr 1945

NG418

Ul-E2

PLAUEN

nk

nk

nk

P1   Fg Off D.A.W. Battin
P2   
FE   Sgt A. Steel
AB   Flt Sgt G. Dingle
NAV  Fg Off D.J. Carter
WOp  Flt Sgt F.B. Mulligan
MUG  Sgt L. Bennett
RG    E. Barrett

NOTES:

Target: Marshalling yards. Load: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’, 10x 500lb bombs.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Details

Personal 

Derek Battin was born on 06 May 1922 in Fulham, London, son of William Battin and Florence Annie Green. The family moved to Worcester when Derek was a young boy when father was employed at Gascoynes, seed merchants. He had two siblings; Joan Florence b.1919 and Norman b.1926.

He attended the Royal Grammar School in Worcester and enlisted straight from school.

In mid 1952 Derek married Margaret Doreen Boulton in Martley, Worcs and they had two children; James b.1956, Sandra b.1959 

 

Following the war, Derek was employed as a clerk and Sales Manager at Meco Engineering, Worcester.

On 24 Jan 2005 Derek passed away at Upton Snodsbury, Worcs, aged 82.

 

PHOTOS & DOCUMENTS

Details

Battin crew L-R nk nk Carter Battin nk nk nk - NG418 UL-E2 - Apr 45

John Stait

Aero Club Licence

Aero Club

Nose art

Matt Wood

Derek Battin's Headstone at St Kenelm's Churchyard, Upper Snodsbury

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