CREW MEMBER PROFILE |
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Surname: |
BENSON |
First Name/s: |
D "Bennie" |
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Service No/s: |
Service: |
Branch: |
Air Gunner |
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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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25 Nov 1943 |
Joined 576 Sqn at Elsham Wolds, Linconshire |
Auto loaded with upgrade to v1.0.07 |
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576 Squadron FLYING RECORDS |
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Date |
Aircraft |
Code |
Flight Details |
T/O |
Land |
Flt Time |
Crew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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29 Mar 1945 |
LM294 |
UL-P2 |
Training |
1115 |
nk |
5h45 |
P1 Fg Off A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Cross country, high level bombing |
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|
30 Mar 1945 |
ME801 |
UL-N2 |
Training |
1040 |
nk |
1h40 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Fighter affiliation |
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|
10 Apr 1945 |
RA587 |
UL-U |
PLAUEN |
1805 |
0310 |
9h05 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Marshalling Yards Load: All aircraft: 1x 4000lb ‘Cookie’ and 10x 500lb bombs. |
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13 Apr 1945 |
PB753 |
UL-X |
Training |
1350 |
nk |
3h30 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Low level cross country, high level bombing |
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|
14 Apr 1945 |
NN806 |
UL-M |
CUXHAVEN |
1930 |
0100 |
5h30 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Harbour. Flown as a diversion to the main raid on Potsdam Load: B, C, G, N, X, K2: 1x 4000lb ‘Cookie’ and 16x 500lb bombs. All other aircraft: 1x 4000lb ‘Cookie’ and 16x 500lb bombs. |
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18 Apr 1945 |
RA587 |
UL-U |
HELIGOLAND |
1010 |
1450 |
4h40 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Naval base, submarine repair yards, airfield & built-up area. Load: 12x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs |
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20 Apr 1945 |
NN806 |
UL-M |
Training |
nk |
nk |
0h25 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Sack dropping. Practice for Operation Manna |
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22 Apr 1945 |
RA587 |
UL-U |
BREMEN |
1520 |
2050 |
5h30 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Focke-Wulf aircraft factory and enemy troop concentrations. Flown in support of the British XXX Corps attacking the city. Load: 1x 4000lb, 6x 1000lb, 8x 500lb bombs Master Bomber abandoned attack due to cloud cover over target and instructed crews to bring bombs back. The less experienced crews jettisoned their bombload. |
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24 Apr 1945 |
RA587 |
UL-U |
Training |
1405 |
nk |
2h45 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Low level cross country. Map reading. |
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29 Apr 1945 |
ME801 |
UL-N |
VALKENBURG-LEIDEN AIRFIELD |
1150 |
1450 |
3h00 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Operation MANNA (emergency food supplies to the starving Dutch population) Load: All aircraft: 4 blocks |
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|
30 Apr 1945 |
RA587 |
UL-U |
THE HAGUE - DELFT AIRFIELD |
1500 |
1820 |
3h20 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Operation MANNA (emergency food supplies to the starving Dutch population). Load: G, K, Q, U, D2, K2: 3 blocks. All other aircraft: 4 blocks |
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|
01 May 1945 |
ME801 |
UL-N |
ROTTERDAM |
1535 |
1820 |
2h45 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Operation MANNA (emergency food supplies to the starving Dutch population). Load: All aircraft: 4 blocks |
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|
02 May 1945 |
RA587 |
Ul-L |
ROTTERDAM |
1300 |
1545 |
2h45 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Operation MANNA (emergency food supplies to the starving Dutch population). Load: All aircraft: 4 blocks |
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|
03 May 1945 |
RA514 |
UL-R |
VALKENBURG / LEIDEN AIRFIELD |
1025 |
1325 |
3h00 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Operation MANNA (emergency food supplies to the starving Dutch population). Load: All aircraft: 4 blocks |
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|
07 May 1945 |
RA587 |
UL-U |
ROTTERDAM |
1210 |
1550 |
3h40 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Operation MANNA (emergency food supplies to the starving Dutch population). Load: All aircraft: 4 blocks. |
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|
15 May 1945 |
ME801 |
UL-N |
Training |
1445 |
nk |
2h40 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
'Y' Cross country |
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16 May 1945 |
RA587 |
UL-L |
FISKERTON – BRUSSELS B58 |
0725 |
nk |
nk |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
FISKERTON – BRUSSELS B58 Operation EXODUS (repatriating POWs) *On EXODUS flights, the crews carried only one gunner, the crews carried only one Air Gunner who occupied the mid-upper turret. 21 aircraft were scheduled for this operation, but 10 were cancelled before briefing. Carried ground servicing staff & equipment. Passengers: Flt Lts Nesbitt, Richardson; Sgt Bale; Cpls Lampard, Nicholson, Clark,; LACs Frost, Lowry, Kennington, Roberts |
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16 May 1945 |
RA587 |
UL-L |
BRUSSELS B58 – FISKERTON |
1300 |
1425 |
1h25 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Operation EXODUS (repatriating POWs) *On EXODUS flights, the crews carried only one gunner, the crews carried only one Air Gunner who occupied the mid-upper turret. 21 aircraft were scheduled for this operation, but 10 were cancelled before briefing. Carried ground servicing staff & equipment. Passengers: Flt Lts Nesbitt, Richardson; Sgt Bale; Cpls Lampard, Nicholson, Clark; LACs Frost, Lowry, Kennington, Roberts. |
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18 May 1945 |
LM294 |
UL-P |
Training |
1325 |
nk |
2h10 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
'Y' Cross country. |
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19 May 1945 |
LM294 |
UL-P |
Training |
1615 |
nk |
1h30 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
High level bombing. |
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|
04 Jun 1945 |
PB753 |
UL-X |
Training |
1130 |
nk |
4h45 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
'Y' Cross country. |
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05 Jun 1945 |
PA307 |
UL-W |
Cooks Tour |
1135 |
nk |
4h20 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Operation COOKS TOUR Route 13 (5 passengers). Base-Essen-Cologne-Aachen-Antwerp-Base. |
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|
06 Jun 1945 |
RA563 |
UL-Q |
Training |
1545 |
nk |
0h25 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Fighter affiliation |
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07 Jun 1945 |
NF976 |
UL-Z |
Base - Scampton |
1200 |
nk |
0h10 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Base - Scampton |
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11 Jun 1945 |
PB753 |
UL-X |
Training |
0100 |
nk |
1h55 |
P1 A.W. Roberts |
NOTES: |
Night high level bombing. Take off 0100 (on 12 June 1945?). |
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PERSONAL INFORMATION |
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Personal Records Restricted - not available to the public |
PHOTOS & DOCUMENTS |
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Personal Documents Restricted - not available to the public |
