LEST WE FORGET
Air Operations (No. 466 Squadron Wellington aircraft HE368), Nottinghamshire, 26 January 1943
Date: 26-27 January 1943
Target: Lorient
Total Force: Dispatched – 156, Attacking – 122
RAAF Force: No. 460 Dispatched – 3, Attacking – 2; No. 466 Dispatched – 10, Attacking – 9
Tons of Bombs Dropped: 181
Total Aircraft Lost: 2
RAAF Aircraft Lost: No. 460 – 1
The table does not account for the loss of No. 466 Squadron Wellington aircraft HE368.
Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Against Germany and Italy 1939-1943, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1954 – Page 473
Wellington HE368 took off from RAF Leconfield at 1704 hours on the night of 26/27th January 1943 to carry out a bombing mission against Lorient, France. The aircraft completed the mission but on return it crashed at 2300 hours due to engine failure at Sutton Railway station, 2 kms north north west Retford, Nottinghamshire.
The crew members of HE368 were:
Flying Officer Harry Edwin Bonest (126961) (RAFVR) (Bomb Aimer)
Sergeant Colin Crawford Brownlee (411059) (RNZAF) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant William Charles Bush (1385767) (RAFVR) (Navigator) Fatally injured, Died: 27 January 1943
Sergeant A R Ferris (RAF) (Air Gunner) Injured
Sergeant Donald Maxwell Lang McKenzie (414726) (RNZAF) (Pilot)
No. 460 Squadron lost Lancaster W4837 (Sergeant Harold Bruce Oliver (403368) (Pilot)) on 27 January 1943.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records