NX562

Lancaster Mk. I

Initial record to be updated when first event found

UL-F²

Change of Sqn Code based on Flight Record created

UL-F

DORTMUND / HARPENER WEG

Fg Off D.E. Till

Harpenerweg oil refinery RUHR. Load: All aircraft: 1x 4000lb ‘Cookie’ and 16x 500lb bombs. Crew screened (tour completed). Derek Till: 'Our last trip was to Dortmund in the Ruhr in daylight. Because ltem was undergoing a maintenance inspection, we had to take another aircraft, to the great disappointment of my crew and our ground staffsince we'd hoped to finish in "ltem", the aircraft that we had come to love so well. The practice was to associate a crew with the same aircraft whenever possible, which built up a strong relationship between the air and ground crews At this time Item had done over 90 trips, including our 28, and went on to do over 100 before being withdrawn from service. (This is written up in the book about the 23 Lancs that completed 100 ops, 'Claims to Fame - The Lancasters' by Norman Franks. He interviewed me and Norm Bryan and there are several photos of crew and ground-crew in the book. Earlier we did a trip in another veteran 576 Lanc that did over 100 ops - "Nan".) On our last trip, I was the first to take off and we really belted to be first home. I did a low level "beatup" along the main runway before entering the circuit and I hate to say it, but I made one of my worst landings. I had flown the Lanc for the last time. My tour had taken 232hrs flying time, almost three-quarters at night, for an average of 6 l/4 hrs per operation. I felt a great sense of satisfaction and relief, tremendous camaraderie with my crew, love for the wonderful aircraft, and gratitude for the skill and conscientiousness of the ground crew. I think the dominant feeling during this period was self-preservation - "lets get on with it and get out of here". We'd all volunteered, of course for something vaguely hazardous, but I don't think any of my crew relished the excitement of battle. I couldn't imagine volunteering for a second tour of ops, although I admired those who did. One bright spot during the tour was when Derek Holland got married in a small country church close to Birmingham. I was Best Man, and the rest of the crew occupied a rear pew, having come straight from the village pub.' No. 576 Squadron - Tlll groundcrew: Norman Bryan, Senior Fitter, Bernie Klixman, Fitter, Tom Cookson, Rigger.

PADERBORN

Fg Off O.R. Herbert

Target: Built-up Area & Troop Positions (flown in support of the US Army surrounding the ‘Ruhr pocket’)

LUTZKENDORF

Fg Off O.R. Herbert

Target: Wintershall AG synthetic oil refinery

KIEL

Fg Off O.R. Herbert

Target: Shipping, the Deutsche-Werke U-boat yards & the industrial centre on the East side of Kiel Harbour

CUXHAVEN

Fg Off O.R. Herbert

Target: Harbour area. This operation was flown as a diversion to the main raid on Potsdam.

HELIGOLAND

Fg Off O.R. Herbert

Target: Naval base, submarine repair yards, airfield & built-up area.

BREMEN

Fg Off O.R. Herbert

Target: The Focke-Wulf aircraft factory and enemy troop concentrations (flown in support of the British XXX Corps attacking the city). Master Bomber cancelled mission due to cloud cover over target and instructed crews to bring bombs back. The less experienced crews jettisoned their bombload.

BERCHTESGARTEN

Fg Off O.R. Herbert

Target: Hitler’s ‘Eagle’s Nest’ complex & SS barracks

VALKENBURG AIRFIELD

Fg Off O.R. Herbert

Operation MANNA: dropping food and supplies to the starving Dutch population

DELFT AIRFIELD

Fg Off O.R. Herbert

Operation MANNA: dropping food and supplies to the starving Dutch population

ROTTERDAM

Fg Off G.A. Titchener

Operation MANNA - the dropping of vital supplies to the starving Dutch people. Load: 4 blocks.

ROTTERDAM

Fg Off G.A. Titchener

Operation MANNA - the dropping of vital supplies to the starving Dutch people. Load: 4 blocks.

ROTTERDAM

Fg Off G.A. Titchener

Operation MANNA - the dropping of vital supplies to the starving Dutch people. Load: 4 blocks.

FLENSBURG

Fg Off G.A. Titchener

Exercise POST MORTEM I - testing the German air defence network.

FLENSBURG

Fg Off G.A. Titchener

Exercise POST MORTEM III - testing the German air defence network.

FLENSBURG

Fg Off G.A. Titchener

Exercise POST MORTEM 5 - testing the German air defence network.

NORTH SEA

Fg Off D.J. Sullivan

Bomb disposal incendaries, North Sea

NORTH SEA

Fg Off D.J. Sullivan

Bomb disposal incendaries - North Sea

FISKERTON TO POMIGLIANO

Fg Off G.A. Titchener

Operation DODGE - the repatriation of Allied servicemen from Italy. The crew suffered an engine failure and therefore returned on three to Fiskerton from 4300N 00350E (just South of Montpellier, France). This is the last known flight for the crew on 576.

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