Lancaster PA278 disappearance

Lancaster PA278 disappearance
A Lancaster bomber in flight
Type Avro Lancaster
Serial PA278
Owners and operators Royal Air Force
In service 1945
Fate Lost on 4 October 1945.

The Lancaster PA278 disappearance involved Avro Lancaster Mk.I PA278, "F for Freddie", operated by No. 103 Squadron RAF (103 Sqn) of Bomber Command just after the end of the Second World War.

It disappeared over the Mediterranean, probably near Corsica, on 4 October 1945 with its crew of 6 airmen and 19 female service personnel - the worst loss of female British and Commonwealth service personnel from the Second World War II to date.[1][2]

The Lancaster

PA278 was one of a batch of 265 Lancasters built by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd at its Broughton factory near Chester between June 1944 and September 1945. On completion it was assigned to 103 Sqn of Bomber Command and flew operationally on a number of bombing attacks in March and April 1945.[3][4]

Operation Dodge

From 3 August 1945 103 Sqn was one of the heavy bombers squadrons participating in Operation Dodge in which veteran soldiers of the Eighth Army were flown home from Italy and the Central Mediterranean. An embarkation centre was established at Bari airfield, on the Adriatic coast of southern Italy. An airfield at Naples, Italy was also used for geographic convenience.[5][6]

It was a six-hour flight back to England and normally a maximum of 22 soldiers would be transported home as the internal confines of a Lancaster were not really suitable for passengers. Often the return trip to Italy saw aircraft transporting essential members of services out to Italy.[7]

103 Sqn usually despatched between six and ten aircraft for Operation Dodge several days each week, the aircraft and crews would stop overnight in Italy and return with their passengers the following day or the day after that. Most of the trips were uneventful although squadron records do show that Warrant Officer Francis flying Lancaster "B for Baker" and Flying Officer Leigh flying "G for George" both had to land at Marseille in France due to engine failure, on 19 August 1945 and 5 September 1945 respectively.

Disappearance

A Lancaster in flight.

On 3 October 1945 the weather was poor and low cloud base precluded flying for much of the day. Eight Lancasters of 103 Sqn were available for "Operation Dodge" and took off for Italy starting at 23:30 hours GMT. Two aircraft returned with engine trouble, one crew borrowed an aircraft from No. 100 Squadron RAF and took off again at 01:30 hours GMT. Two aircraft, including PA278 "F for Freddie", landed at RAF Glatton near Huntingdon to embark passengers who were commencing service in Italy or were returning from leave.[8][9]

PA278 was flown by Geoffrey Taylor's experienced crew who had flown together on some of the last bombing attacks of World War II during April 1945, although obviously their bomb aimer was not required and on this occasion the rear gun turret was manned by the squadron gunnery leader Flight Lieutenant John Wymark,[10] who had been decorated with the Distinguished Service Order[11] and Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery in three tours of duty.[12]

PA278 took off from RAF Glatton at 00:30 hours GMT on 4 October 1945 flown by Flight lieutenant Geoffrey Taylor,[13] (pilot) aided by Sergeant Richard Steel,[14][15] (flight engineer) leading the second transport aircraft into the air. It carried its crew of six and was scheduled fly to Naples with 17 female soldiers of the Auxiliary Territorial Service under Staff Serjeant Jessie Ellen Semark,[16] Senior Matron Gertrude Irene Sadler of the South African Military Nursing Service[17] and Nursing Sister Jane Simpson Annand Curran,[18] of Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service.[19]

The passengers sat in canvas folding seats down the length of the fuselage beneath where Sergeant William Kennedy,[20] sat in his sling seat in the "Mid-Upper" gun turret, but no heating or parachutes were available for them and there was no oxygen supply for passengers so the aircraft flew at 2,000 ft (610 m).[21]

The prescribed route was directly across France and over the Mediterranean coast west of Marseille. Flight Sergeant Jack Reardon,[22] (navigator) gave the correct course out over the sea but sometime afterwards, approximately 30 miles north-north-west of Cap Corse, Corsica, Flight Sergeant Norman Robbins,[23] (wireless operator) radioed the other aircraft reporting some engine problems and advising that "F for Freddie" would be turning back to land at Marseille. The partner aircraft continued onwards for Naples but noted a flash of flame at 04:40 hours GMT.[24]

Nothing further was heard of PA278 or her crew and passengers and no wreckage was sighted during the air-sea rescue operations. On the outward flight every aircraft reported poor weather in the vicinity of Corsica.[25]

Aircrew and passengers

Name Rank Nation Age Status Number Unit Commemorated
Geoffrey Taylor Flight lieutenant United Kingdom UK 24 Pilot 189687 No. 103 Squadron RAFRunnymede Memorial
Jack Anthony Reardon Flight Sergeant United Kingdom UK Navigator 1626816 No. 103 Squadron RAFRunnymede Memorial
Norman Reginald Robbins Flight SergeantUnited Kingdom UK 20 Wireless Operator 1894110 No. 103 Squadron RAF Runnymede Memorial
Richard George Steel Sergeant United Kingdom UK 20 Flight Engineer 1818104 No. 103 Squadron RAF Runnymede Memorial
William John Kennedy Sergeant United Kingdom UK Mid-Upper Gunner 2208930 No. 103 Squadron RAF Runnymede Memorial
John Percy Whymark DSO DFC Flight lieutenant United Kingdom UK 25 Rear Gunner 53481 No. 103 Squadron RAF Runnymede Memorial
Gertrude Irene Sadler Senior MatronSouth Africa RSA 41 Passenger 254580 S A Military Nursing Service Cassino Memorial
Jane Simpson A Curran Nursing Sister United Kingdom UK Passenger 236425 QAIMNS Brookwood Memorial
Jessie Ellen Semark[26] Staff Serjeant United Kingdom UK 29 Passenger W/7326 Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial
Heather Cosens Corporal United Kingdom UK 25 Passenger W/184715 Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial
Jill Goring CorporalUnited Kingdom UK 23 Passenger W/237256 Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial
Williamina Allan Lance Corporal United Kingdom UK 37 Passenger W/23244 Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial
Sheila MacLeod Lance Corporal United Kingdom UK Passenger W/170036 Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial
May Eleanor Mann Lance Corporal United Kingdom UK 23 Passenger W/236937 Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial
Enid Dacia Rice Lance Corporal United Kingdom UK 24 Passenger W/144264 Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial
Stefahia Courtman Private Mandatory Palestine BMP Passenger W/Pal/203386 Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial
Phyllis Kathleen Bacon Private United Kingdom UK 34 Passenger W/77415 Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial
Barbara Diana Cullen[27] PrivateUnited Kingdom UK 30 Passenger W/252761Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial
Agnes Edwards Private United Kingdom UK 28 Passenger W/258692Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial
Rhoda Alice Fraser PrivateUnited Kingdom UK 24 Passenger W/155271Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial
Bessie Goodman Private United Kingdom UK 25 Passenger W/143732Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial
Joan Larkin Private United Kingdom UK 25 Passenger W/154454Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial
Alice Lillyman Private United Kingdom UK 22 Passenger W/74459Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial
Betty Evelyn Precious PrivateUnited Kingdom UK 24 Passenger W/147946Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial
Marion Taylor Private United Kingdom UK 22 Passenger W/99752Auxiliary Territorial Service Brookwood Memorial

News blackout

Due to the large number of female service personnel lost in the disappearance of PA278 "F for Freddie" a widely repeated story is that the news was not released to the press until March 1946,[28] although this is incorrect as on 17 November 1945 it was being reported widely in local newspapers in the UK.[29]

See also

References

Bibliography
  • Halley, James J. "Lancaster File". London: Air Britain., 1985. ISBN 978-0851301075.
  • Cummings, Colin. "The Price of Peace". Nimbus., 2004. ISBN 978-0952661955.
  • Mason, Francis K. "The Avro Lancaster". London: Air Britain., 1989. ISBN 978-0946627301.
  • Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • Charlwood, Don. No Moon Tonight. London: Goodall Publications Ltd., 1984. ISBN 0-907579-06-X.
  • Finn, Sid. Black Swan: A History of 103 Squadron RAF. Newton Publishers, 1989. ISBN 1-872308-00-7.
  • Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE, BA, RAF(Retd.). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 2nd edition 1976. ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
  • Public Record Office AIR 27 103 Squadron files.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
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