|
Search
World War 2 603 Squadron and 57 Squadron Deaths |
Database
contains 1,439 records -
19 January, 2025
|
Within
RAF East Kirby, Lincolnshire are two nameboards listing over 600 men
who died between 1943 and 1945 from 630 Squadron and 57 Squadron. This
database contains all the names of the men from 630 and 57 Squadron
who died between 1939-1947 including those names on the boards. We may
have missed some but hopefully that details can be added to later on.
More can be found about RAF
East Kirkby also 630
Squadron has an Association website. There are 93 Australians, 168
Canadians, 52 New Zealanders, 2 South Africans and 1,114 from the United
Kingdom plus 3 Norwegians and 2 United States of America airmen. Where
information has been found relating to a specific man on a site other
then the CWGC then a link has been added to that information under the
memorial link.
You
can enter all or fields or none to search. Eantering part of
a field will mach that single value. For instance, entering
ED in Surname and 5 in Squadron would return entries for EDMUNDS,
John 57 Squadron, Edwards, Ernest James 57 Squadron.
To
see all entries for 'New Zealand' select that entry from the
list.
To
see all burials or commemorations in 'France' enter 'France
in the box. To see all entries for 'RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL' simply
enter 'RUNNYMEDE' in the box or 'RUNNY' or any starting section.
Not
all records used to build this database refer to a man's squadron;
when a man is latterly discovered to be 57 or 630 Squadron and
deceased then these records are being added as soon as they
are identified. Sorting of records is based on the first few
characters of the surname and may appear out of order at times.
|
|
|
| RAF
Bomber Command |
|
|
RAF
Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to
1968. Along with the United States Army Air Forces, it played
the central role in the strategic bombing of Germany in World
War II. From 1942 onward, the British bombing campaign against
Germany became less restrictive and increasingly targeted industrial
sites and the civilian manpower base essential for German war
production. In total 364,514 operational sorties were flown, 1,030,500
tons of bombs were dropped and 8,325 aircraft lost in action.
Bomber Command crews also suffered a high casualty rate: 55,573
were killed out of a total of 125,000 aircrew, a 44.4% death rate.
A further 8,403 men were wounded in action, and 9,838 became prisoners
of war.
Bomber Command stood at the peak
of its post-war military power in the 1960s, the V bombers holding
the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent and a supplemental force
of Canberra light bombers.
In August 2006, a memorial was unveiled at Lincoln
Cathedral. A memorial in Green Park in London was unveiled by
Queen Elizabeth II on 28 June 2012 to highlight the price paid
by the aircrews.
[Source:
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia] |
|
 LOSSES
DATABASE
The IBCC
Losses Database records the details of 57,861 Bomber Command
deaths during WWII. It provides one of the most comprehensive
record of these losses in the world.
The work to
create this database, which now contains almost 4 million pieces
of data, has taken our team of volunteers 5 years. Led by our
Losses Archivist, and volunteer, Dave Gilbert. The team have cross
referenced the data with innumerable sources including national
and international Rolls of Honour, the Commonwealth War Graves
Commission, Squadron Association logs, the Chorley Volumes and
POW records.
The
database now contains over 3 million individual pieces of information
and will help you discover the story behind each loss. The work
on the database continues with the aim to record every single
loss during WWII from those who served or supported Bomber Command. |
| 630
Squadron |
|
57
Squadron |
 The
squadron was formed at RAF East Kirkby, near Spilsby in Lincolnshire
on 15 November 1943 from 'B' Flight of No. 57 Squadron RAF,
equipped with Lancaster Mk. I bombers as part of No. 5 Group
RAF in Bomber Command. It re-equipped with Lancaster Mk. III
bombers the same month, carrying out strategic bombing roles.
Between 18/19 November 1943 and 25 April 1945, the squadron
took part in many major raids, including each of the 16 big
raids made by Bomber Command on the German capital during what
became known as the "Battle of Berlin".
The
units first operation was the night of 18/19 November 1943 when
9 of its Lancasters bombed Berlin and its last bombing sortie
was 25 April 1945 with 5 Lancasters bombing Obersalzberg. Its
last military operation was minelaying in Onions area (Oslofjord
off Horten) on 25/26 April 1945.
Following
April 1945 the squadron became involved in Operation Exodus:
ferrying POWs back to Britain, finally disbanding on 18 July
1945.
[Source:
Wikipedia] |
|
 57
Squadron was established during World War 1 and was operational
during the inter-war period.
Following
the outbreak of the Second World War the squadron moved to France
as part of the Air Component of the British Expeditionary Force,
operating from Roye/Amy from 24 September 1939 in the strategic
reconnaissance role and moving to Rosières-en-Santerre
on 18 October. Following the German invasion of May 1940, the
squadron re-added bombing to its reconnaissance duties, but was
forced to frequently change bases to avoid the German advance,
moving to Poix on 17 May and Crécy-en-Ponthieu (the site
of the Battle of Crécy in 1346) before evacuating to England
on 21 May. After a brief stay at Wyton the squadron was tasked
with carrying out anti-shipping strikes against the coast of Norway
and moved to RAF Elgin in Scotland.
No. 57 Squadron Avro Lancaster with "Usual" area bombing
load of 4000 pound blast bomb and incendiary bombs
The squadron moved to Feltwell in November 1940 to re-equip with
the Vickers Wellington. In September 1942 the squadron moved to
Scampton and converted to Avro Lancasters. This was followed by
a move to East Kirkby in August 1943 from where it operated for
the remainder of the war, until disbanding on 25 November 1945.
During
the War the squadron flew 5151 operational sorties and lost 172
aircraft.
[Source:
Wikipedia] |
|
|
|
630
Squadron Memorial Board RAF East Kirkby |
|
57
Squadron Memorial Board RAF East Kirkby |
Photographs
Copyright © Judy Foulger 2020 |
| Newspaper
cuttings |
|
|
Extract
from Hampshire Telegraph - Friday 12 May 1944, page
15:
SOUTHSEA
OFFICER
GETS D.F.C.
Gosport Pilot's Courage
TWO
local flying officers of No. 57 Squadron, R.A.F., have been
awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in recognition of gallantry
displayed in operations against the enemy--one on Berlin and
the other on Leipzig.
Firstly there is Flying Officer Frank Albert Thomas, No. 57
Squadron, who has taken part in very many attacks on heavily
defended targets in Germany and has displayed commendable
skill, courage and devotion to duty.
One night in March, he was the pilot of an aircraft detailed
to attack Berlin. Although one engine failed on the outward
flight, Flying Officer Thomas flew on to the target, which
he attacked with his usual determination.
On two other occasions recently this pilot has proved his
skill by successfully attacking his targets despite technical
difficulties.
This officer was born In 1921 at Pembroke, and his home is
at Southsea. Hants. He enlisted for air crew in 1941 and trained
In U.S.A. He was commissioned in 1942 and is entitled to wear
the ribbon of the 1939/43 Star.
Acting Flight Lieut. John Sidney Ludford. No. 57 Squadron,
in February, was the pilot of an aircraft detailed to attack
Leipzig.
When some 100 miles from the target the aircraft was attacked
by a fighter. The hydraulic gear and the starboard inner propeller
was damaged: the electrical circuits were also damaged, causing
a failure of the lighting and heating system.
In no way deterred, Flight Lieut. Ludford flew on to the target
and made a successful attack, afterwards flying safely to
base with the bomb doors open. This officer displayed praise-worthy
courage and determination. He has completed many sorties,
including eight attacks on Berlin.
Flight Lieut. Ludford was born in 1922 at Gosport. He was
educated at North Kensington Central School. He enlisted as
aircraft apprentice in 1938, later trained for air crew in
Canada and was com-missioned in 1943. He is entitled to wear
the ribbon of the 1939-43 star.
|
|
Extract
from Western Morning News - Wednesday 20 September
1944, page 2:
D.F.C.s
For Devon Officers
The
D.F.C. has been awarded to Fig. Off. S. Paul, R.A.F.V.R., No.
51 Squadron. He entered for air crew in 1939, and was commissioned
in 1942. He was born in 1910 at Madras, India, and was educated
at Mount Radford School, Exeter, where his home is.
Flt.
Off. A. J. Lucas, R.A.F.V.R., No. 630 Squadron, also gets the
D.F.C. His home is at Plymouth, where he was born in 1923. He
was educated at Sutton High School, Plymouth. Enlisting in 1941,
he was commissioned this year.
Extract
from Aberdeen Press and Journal - Thursday 30 December
1943, page 4:
AIR
HEROES HONOURED
A
night fighter pilot who destroyed an F.W. 190 on its way to
raid London, and later made perfect landing despite a bullet
in his liver as a result of another engagement, receives the
D.F.C. in a new list of RA.F. awards.
He
is Sqdn. Ldr. John Barry Selway, No. 85 Squadron (A.A.F.), of
Chalfont. St Giles, Bucks, who in his fight with the second
raider, a Junkers 88, was severely wounded and momentarily lost
control.
The
D.S.O. is awarded to Actg. Sqdn. Ldr. Charles Bud John Porter,
D.F.C., No. 51 Squadron, of Hammersmith, who has taken part
in attacks against Berlin, Hamburg, and the Ruhr.
Fit.
Sgt. James White, of No. 630 Squadron, who lives at Clarkston,
Glasgow, pilot and captain of Lancaster which bombed Leipzig
on December 3, wins the D.F.M.
With
his plane badly damaged by an ME. 210, Sgt. White bombed his
target, and by superb airmanship made a perfect landing on a
strange airfield —with his bomb doors opn and a burst
tyre.
|
Some
sources used in building this database: Commonwealth
War Graves Commission, National
Archives of Canada, Australian
War Memorial, South
African War Graves Project, Roll
of Honour pages, Auckland
Museum Cenotaph, 1939 Register
from findmypastco.uk, Baptism
Records from findmypastco.uk, 1911
Census from findmypastco.uk, Burial
Records from findmypastco.uk, The
British Newspaper Archive, International
Bomber Command Losses Database
Click
here to return to Roll of Honour Database page |
