RAF Base at Ludford Magna, UK

[rwenman]

View attachment 305783
photo of 101 squadron crew DV276
Pilot: P/O. John Batten-Smith D.F.C. 171042 R.A.F.V.R. Age 22. Killed
Co/pilot: P/O. Howard Ernest Beer 172469 R.A.F.V.R. Age 21. Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Robert Armstrong 1567337 R.A.F.V.R. Age 20. Killed
Nav: P/O. Graham Harries Williams 173444 R.A.F.V.R. Killed
W/OP/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Robert Russell Roberts 1341705 R.A.F.V.R. Age 23. Killed
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Allan Henry Ross 1344679 R.A.F.V.R. Age 22. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Hugh Fleming McClenaghan 1822320 R.A.F.V.R. Age 19. Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Arthur Haynes 1454945 R.A.F.V.R. Age 21. Killed (1)

Please let me know if you can identify the men in this photo from the crew listing. Robert Russell Roberts is 3rd from right.

 

[rwenman]

Please let me know if you can identify the men in this photo from the crew listing. Robert Russell Roberts is 3rd from right.

Robert was married to.my mother. I would appreciate any help finding information about the crew, their operations, and service records. Especially interested in connecting with any men who served with the 101st during this time. Thanks Rob Wenman

 

[rwenman]

Just found the site - our next door neighbour, a bomber pilot on Lancasters, was based at Ludford Magna and was on the Nuremburg raid in March 44. His squdron lost 54 men that night. His abiding memory of the airfield is the mud and the cold - apparently it was nicknamed Mudford Magna. Picture Post, the news magazine, did a whole feature article on the place - he remembers the photographers coming down. It would be interesting to find a copy...

Hello, my mothers first husband (Robert Russell Roberts) was crew member on DV-276, shot down and killed with the rest of the crew during the Nuremberg Raid on 1944. I am attempting to help memorialize these brave men, with documenting their lives and time a Ludford Magna through what photos documents and stories I can find.

I saw your posting about your neighbor... Is it possible he may have known these men? I wonder if he has any photos or documents he would be willing to share?

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks

Rob Wenman

 

[kim jenkins]

My Grandfather - Murray Hann served at Ludford Magna he was a bomb aimer. I have a few details and photos. He was proud of his involvement at the end of the War with ops Manna and Exodus. Here's some info on flights I got from Austin Condon:

Crew:
F/O Collett – Pilot, F/O M Hann – Bomb Aimer, F/S D Horner – Navigator, F/O Thompson – Rear Gunner, F/S Smedley – Mid Upper Gunner, F/S A Condon – Wireless Operator. (All RAAF). F/S Mattin – Engineer. (RAF)
Date Plane type Designation Day/Night Target Time
5/3/45 Lancaster SR-H Night Chemnitz 9-55
7/3/45 Lancaster SR-D Night Dessau 9-15
15/3/45 Lancaster SR-H Night Hanover 7-45
18/3/45 Lancaster SR-H Night Hanau 7-00
21/3/45 Lancaster SR-B Night Heide 4-40
22/3/45 Lancaster SR-F Night Bruchstrasse 5-50
23/3/45 Lancaster SR-C Day Bremen 5-15
14/4/45 Lancaster SR-Z Night Potsdam 9-45
18/4/45 Lancaster SR-D Day Heligoland 4-20
22/4/45 Lancaster SR-L Day Bremen 4-55
25/4/45 Lancaster SR-G Day Berchtesgaden 7-50
27/4/45 Lancaster SR-H Day "Exodus" Bringing our own POW's Home. Base - Brussels - London – Base. 24 POW's on each aircraft 6-15
29/4/45 Lancaster SR-G Day "Mana" Food drop for Dutch civilians. The Hague 2-25
1/5/45 Lancaster SR-G Day "Mana" Food drop Rotterdam 3-15
2/5/45 Lancaster SR-G Day "Mana" Food drop the Hague 2-35
7/5/45 Lancaster SR-D Day "Mana" Food drop Rotterdam 3-20
9/5/45 Lancaster SR-D Day "Exodus" POW return. Base – Brussels – London 3-45
10/5/45 Lancaster SR-Q Day "Exodus" crashed on takeoff from Brussels

No one was injured when they crashed and they caught another flight home. Their last flight from 101 Squadron Ludford Magna was on 19/5/45 and that was just a training flight.

If anybody has recollections or information of this period they'd like to share it would be appreciated.

Thanks

Hi Aaron,
I am the daughter in law of Andrew Thompson, the rear gunner who flew with you grandfather. His family would like yo make contact with you by email. We have a log book. We would like to share info,
Kim