Failed To Return
F/Lt D J Foster Crew
The F/Lt D J Foster crew were posted to 550 Sqdn from 11 Base w.e.f 13/09/44:
- F/L D J Foster (P)
- Sgt F P Newcombe (F/Eng)
- Sgt S Pick (Nav)
- F/O H A G Gadd (B/A)
- Sgt P R Kingman (W/Op)
- Sgt W Smith (MU/AG)
- Sgt J Leonard (R/AG)
The ORB records that when the Foster crew was posted to 550 Squadron the air-gunner with the crew was Sgt Smith (2211150) who generally flew, according to the ORB ops listing, as MU/AG.
F/Lt D J Foster and crew were lost on the 2/3rd November 1944 over Dusseldorf in PD255. Sgt Morgan was flying as the R/AG that night, while Sgt Leonard moved to the MU/AG role.
- F/L D J Foster (P) KIA
- Sgt F P Newcombe (F/Eng) KIA
- Sgt S Pick (Nav) KIA
- F/O H A G Gadd (B/A) KIA
- Sgt P R Kingman (W/Op) KIA
- Sgt J Leonard (MU/AG) KIA
- Sgt V C Morgan (R/AG) KIA
In fact Sgt Morgan should have not been flying that night as it was not his normal crew (the Sgt GH Town crew), but a member of the Foster crew was ill so he took his place. The assumption is that it was Sgt Smith who was ill, and therefore missed the fateful flight, with Sgt Leonard moving to fill his place while Sgt Morgan stood-in for Sgt Leonard's usual position.
Other information about the flight and the target available here.
The entry on the 550 Squadron Roll of Honour is available here.
Claim by Fw Artur Jansen Stab I/NJG11 - 10km South of Dusseldorf: 4,500m at 19:31. Fw Jansen wrote in his Leistungsbuch "Witness: Flak unit South of Dusseldorf, 2 attacks from below and behind, 1 in a dive from behind, aircraft spiralled down to starboard, witnesses crash fire". (Nachtjagd Combat Archives 1944 Part 5 - Theo Boiten) Crashed Allrath, Grevenbroich, Nordrhein-Westfalen
Thanks to John Jones for providing the above link to information.
F/Sgt V C Morgan
It was early 1949 before the Morgan family were told where he had crashed. Enquiries into the loss of PD255 were made in November 1948. A report dated 10 December 1948 gives the information that: 'Witnesses state that between 2000 and 2200hrs on 2 November 1944 an aircraft approached burning mid-air. It made one large loop and crashed near the railway station Erkrath into a field'. (Source: Susan Wilkes)
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Sgt V C Morgan
Photo kindly made available by Susan Wilkes (niece of F/Sgt Victor Charles Morgan (Ted) - Air gunner) |
F/O H Gadd
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F/O H Gadd
Photo kindly made available by Peter Shortland (nephew of F/O H Gadd - Air Bomber) |
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F/O H Gadd - newspaper report confirming the Flying Officer's death
Kindly made available by Peter Shortland |
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Flying Log (Air-Bomber), recording several training flights (fighter affiliation, cross-countries) and several operations over enemy territory
Source: Peter Shortland |
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Flying Log (Air-Bomber), operations to Stuttgart, Essen and Cologne. 1st Nov 1944 a training flight "washed out"
Last entry dated 6 Nov 1944 "Operation to Dusseldorf. Missing from Operation". Source: Peter Shortland |
Sgt S Pick
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Sgt Sydney Pick - newspaper report recording "missing in action, presumed dead"
Kindly made available by Peter Shortland |