Mission target: Berlin
Lancaster: T for Tommy
No.625 Squadron
R.A.F. Kelsteen.
Nr. South Lincs.
Took off: 27/27th Nov. 1943 approximately
17.22 hours should return 01.30
F/O Mc.Scorley
F/O Jack Donald Lynch, bomb aimer (Canadian)
Sgt. Brien Liell Gooding, flight engineer (22)
F/O George F.R. Green, navigator
Sgt. Eric Lewis Foulkes (20) radio operator
Sgt. Nelson Bolt mid upper gunner (still missing)
P/O Peter Reginald Paice tailgunner
Shot down by a Me.110 nightfighter, pilot: Uffz. Amsberg
above Eerbeek and crashed on the estate Varenna about 300 m from the
Arnhemse weg (road).
After the war 6 crewmembers where indentified and sadly
enough mid upper gunner Sgt. Nelson Bolt was never found and is still
missing. No remains or traces found at the crash site.
They had a mascot a little black dog named Darkie and
very attached to the little dog. They were convinced that if they were shot
down he would run away, It sounds strange but, in the afternoon of the 26th
November 1943 the dog was until the very last moment with the crew. After
they took off Darkie is never seen since.
One of the attachments is a Dutch police report written
on 26 Nov. 1943 around 23.10 (L.Davidson)
It says:
He was told by telephone that there was a crash reported
near “De Woeste Hoeve” (monument with the cross) from a burning aircraft. He
immediately went to the site and noticed that the location was Varrena
estate belonging to Mr. Delcourt van Krimpen situated Arnhemseweg-Woeste
Hoeveweg and there lies a burning aircraft.
After a investigation he concluded that the aircraft was
a British bomber fiercely burnt and also the crew.
The site was closed down by the Germans from the Hermann
Goring Division with the barracks nearby Hoenderloo
No collateral damage was done and no civilians where
injured.
A copy of the Police report link
A
moving letter from the Wing Commander Preston of 625 Squadron to the Mother
of FO Rob Mc Sorley
Link Letter 1
Link Letter 2
The little dog
they adopted for their mascot, often accompanied them on test flights over
England, making about 150 flight hours in the process.
When they took
off for a bombing mission, she would wait for them to return, sitting by the
door of the briefing room.
Pictures of George Green the navigator on T for Tommy
A
Picture of T for Tommy from 625 Squadron, this crew is unidentified and a different crew to the one flying her when she was shot down.
Link Back to Arnhem page
