Enlisted at the Combined Recruiting Centre (CRC), Duke’s Road, Euston, London, as Aircraftman Second Class (AC2), and mustering as Air Crew Hand (Wireless Operator (Air)).

Transferred to the Reserve, pending call-up.

Called up to No. 3 Recruit Centre (RC), Padgate, Warrington, Cheshire.

Remustered as under training Air Gunner.

No. 18 Recruit Centre (RC), Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Yorkshire.

Air Crew Reception Centre (ACRC), Lord’s Cricket Ground, St John’s Wood, London.

No. 14 Initial Training Wing (ITW), Bridlington, Yorkshire.

No. 2 Air Gunnery School (AGS), Dalcross, Inverness-shire, Scotland.

Defiant/Anson tbc

Promoted to Leading Aircraftman (LAC).

Awarded Air Gunner’s (AG) brevet, promoted to Sergeant, and remustered as Air Gunner.

No. 28 Operational Training Unit (OTU), Course 15, Wymeswold, Leicestershire; joins L R B Matthews crew.

Wellington

Attached to No. 28 OTU satellite, Ossington, Nottinghamshire.

Wellington

Returned to No. 28 Operational Training Unit (OTU), Wymeswold, Leicestershire.

Wellington

No. 1662 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU), Blyton, Lincolnshire.

Halifax

Attached to No. 1481 (Bomber) Gunnery Flight (BGF), Binbrook, Lincolnshire.

Wellington

Returned to No. 1662 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU), Blyton, Lincolnshire.

Halifax

No. 1 Lancaster Finishing School (LFS), Hemswell, Yorkshire.

Lancaster

No. 101 Squadron, Ludford Magna, Lincolnshire.
Ops (8), L R B Matthews crew
27 Sep 43 – Hanover
29 Sep 43 – Bochum; faulty engine
03 Oct 43 – Kassel
07 Oct 43 – Stuttgart
22 Oct 43 – Kassel; abortive: engine fail
03 Nov 43 – Dusseldorf
10 Nov 43 – Modane
26 Nov 43 – Stuttgart

Lancaster

No. 576 Squadron, ‘B’ Flight, Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire.
Ops (1): L R B Matthews (1)
04 Dec 43 – Leipzig; lost in JB550 UL-T2, aged 20

Lancaster

Leipzig; lost in JB550 UL-T2, aged 30
Hit by flak on way to the target in the vicinity of Burg at about 2300 hrs or possibly shot down by Fw. Heinz Oberheide of 4./NJG3 at 0322 to the SW of Leipzig at 21,000 ft. and caught fire. Part of the bombload jettisoned before the aircraft fell apart and crashed in two pieces, one near the brickworks in Stegelitz and the other in a field near Landhaus Zeddenick, near Möckern, 14 miles East of Magdeburg. The two villages are approximately 4 miles apart, which might suggest strong winds. Only one crew member (unknown) baled out but did not survive. 

Buried originally locally in the two villages, he and the crew were reinterred at City Cemetery, Möckern and were reinterred on 19 Jul 47 at the Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery, Charlottenburg, grave 6.H.2

“LOVED BY US ALL AND ALWAYS IN OUR THOUGHTS. MUM, DAD, CYRIL AND BEATTIE”

Lancaster

Personal Records Restricted - not available to the public

Personal Documents Restricted - not available to the public