All the good stuff on PA474 here today made me think that there might be some interest in this picture of a Manchester on Ebay Deutschland:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=017&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=270111036928&rd=1&rd=1

I have also found reference to a “Flt Lt W L M Dick” associated with a 102 Sqn Halifax RG498 lost on 15th March on a raid on Bottrop.

This may be a total red herring, but maybe somebody has a better reference than mine who could shed some more light?

You could try searching the London Gazette records here:

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveSearch.asp?WebType=0&Referer=WW2

According to my references was marked CF-O

“All went well with an initial mission in a Hurricane in France (wooden two-blade prop version) in support of the BEF during Spring 1940.

Mission two was simply to get the same Hurri, now a little care-worn, back to blighty. Simple enough task I thought and planned a logical route back with the intention of crossing Cap Gris Nez to Dover as any pilot of a damaged single might do.”

Interesting, I have just got CFS3s with the same add -on, no probs getting back from France, but cannot get to grips with the bombers on the initial mission, I always get shot down. I thought those He111’s were only meant to have a couple of miserable pop- guns pointing out the back?? 🙂

The aircraft was Lancaster III DV247, coded AS-F Crew:

WO J E Thomas DFC
Sgt J J Robshaw
Sgt W G Bell
Sgt D J Edwards
Sgt E M L Davies
Sgt A V Collins DFM
Sgt W O’Malley

Sgt A V Collins DFM & Sgt W O’Malley are listed as Killed in Action