CREW MEMBER PROFILE

Surname:

BENSON

First Name/s:

Herbert Frederick

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Service No/s:

(657955) 159879

Service:

RAFVR

Branch:

Pilot

Awards:

DFC
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SERVICE RECORDS

Date

Event

Aircraft Flown
25 Nov 1943

Joined 576 Sqn at Elsham Wolds, Linconshire

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16 Nov 1944

Set Rank from Flight Record

576 Squadron FLYING RECORDS

Date

Aircraft

Code

Flight Details

T/O

Land

Flt Time

Crew

16 Nov 1944

LM594

UL-A2

DUREN

1250

1810

5h20

P1   Fg Off H.F. Benson
P2   
FE   Sgt H. Woolstenhulme
AB   Fg Off H.G. Mather
NAV  Fg Off P.C. Milner
WOp  Fg Off F. Wilson
MUG  Sgt R.C. Griffiths
RG   Sgt R. Goldsbury

NOTES:

Target: Enemy positions and lines of communication. Flown in close support of the American 1st and 9th Armies. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie', 6x 1000lb and 6 or 7x 500lb bombs tbc. FIDO deployed to aid returning aircraft in thick fog.

18 Nov 1944

ME735

UL-B2

WANNE-EICKEL

1600

2140

5h40

P1   Fg Off H.F. Benson
P2   
FE   Sgt H. Woolstenhulme
AB   Fg Off H.G. Mather
NAV  Fg Off P.C. Milner
WOp  Fg Off F. Wilson
MUG  Sgt R.C. Griffiths
RG   Sgt R. Goldsbury

NOTES:

Target: Krupps synthetic oil plant. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie' and 16x 500lb bombs.

27 Nov 1944

NF975

UL-J2

FREIBURG

1620

2320

7h00

P1   Fg Off H.F. Benson
P2   
FE   Sgt H. Woolstenhulme
AB   Fg Off H.G. Mather
NAV  Fg Off P.C. Milner
WOp  Fg Off F. Wilson
MUG  Sgt R.C. Griffiths
RG   Sgt R. Goldsbury

NOTES:

Target: Troop concentrations in the built-up area. Flown in support of the French 1st Army. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie', 5x 1000lb and 6x 500lb bombs.

29 Nov 1944

PD271

*UL-T2

DORTMUND

1220

1720

5h00

P1   Fg Off H.F. Benson
P2   
FE   Sgt H. Woolstenhulme
AB   Fg Off H.G. Mather
NAV  Fg Off P.C. Milner
WOp  Fg Off F. Wilson
MUG  Sgt R.C. Griffiths
RG   Sgt R. Goldsbury

NOTES:

Target: Industrial and rail targets within the built-up area. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie', 5x 1000lb and 7x 500lb bombs. Hit by flak.

04 Dec 1944

ME317

UL-C2

KARLSRUHE

1635

2255

6h20

P1   Fg Off H.F. Benson
P2   
FE   Sgt H. Woolstenhulme
AB   Fg Off H.G. Mather
NAV  Fg Off P.C. Milner
WOp  Fg Off F. Wilson
MUG  Sgt R.C. Griffiths
RG   Sgt R. Goldsbury

NOTES:

Target: Built-up area. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie', 14x No.14 incendiary clusters, and 120x 4lb incendiaries.

06 Dec 1944

NN749

UL-G2

MERSEBURG / LEUNA

1635

0050

8h15

P1   Fg Off H.F. Benson
P2   
FE   Sgt H. Woolstenhulme
AB   Fg Off H.G. Mather
NAV  Fg Off P.C. Milner
WOp  Fg Off F. Wilson
MUG  Sgt R.C. Griffiths
RG   Sgt R. Goldsbury

NOTES:

Target: IG Farben Industrie synthetic oil refinery. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie', 3x 1000lb and 6x 500lb bombs.

12 Dec 1944

JB410

UL-H2

ESSEN

1610

2150

5h40

P1   Fg Off H.F. Benson
P2   
FE   Sgt H. Woolstenhulme
AB   Fg Off H.G. Mather
NAV  Flt Off P.C. Milner
WOp  Fg Off F. Wilson
MUG  Sgt R.C. Griffiths
RG   Sgt R. Goldsbury

NOTES:

Target: Krupp munitions factory and the rail centre at 5126.5N 00701E. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie' and 16x 500lb bombs.

17 Dec 1944

NN749

UL-G2

ULM

1515

2250

7h35

P1   Fg Off H.F. Benson
P2   
FE   Sgt H. Woolstenhulme
AB   Fg Off H.G. Mather
NAV  Fg Off P.C. Milner
WOp  Fg Off F. Wilson
MUG  Sgt R.C. Griffiths
RG   Sgt R. Goldsbury

NOTES:

Target: Marshalling yards and the Magirius-Deutz & Kassbohrer lorry factories. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie', 6x No.15 and 5x No.14 incendiary clusters and 120x 4lb incendiaries.

05 Jan 1945

LM227

UL-I2

ROYAN

0155

0905

7h10

P1   Fg Off H.F. Benson
P2   
FE   Sgt H. Woolstenhulme
AB   Fg Off H.G. Mather
NAV  Fg Off P.C. Milner
WOp  Fg Off F. Wilson
MUG  Sgt R.C. Griffiths
RG   Sgt R. Goldsbury

NOTES:

Target: Enemy garrison and supply depot. Flown in support of the Free French forces besieging the town. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie' and 15x 500lb bombs.

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