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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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83 Squadron Crest
24/25.-8.1942 No. 83 Squadron Lancaster I R35610 OL-G Fl/Lt. Matheson DFC bar

Operation: Frankfurt

Date: 24/25th August 1942 (Monday/Tuesday)

Unit: No. 83 Squadron (Pathfinder)

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: R5610

Code: OL-G

Base: RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire

Location: Morkhoven, Belgium

Pilot: Fl/Lt Oliver Rayner Matheson DFC - Bar. 84010 RAFVR Age 26. Evaded capture (1)

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Peter Squires 1096448 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Obs: Fl/Lt. Robert Murray Buchan DFC. 89769 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Air/Bmr: Fl/Lt. John Wilfred Dicker AUS/402274 RAAF Age 21. PoW No: 641 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan (L3)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. W.R. Cubberley 624855 RAFVR PoW No: 27030 Camp: Stalag Lamsdorf (344)

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Edward Vincent Norman 962166 RAFVR Age 27. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Harold Denzil Quintrell 553387 RAF Age 20. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire (then Hunts) at 20:51 hrs to bomb Frankfurt - 226 aircraft taking part - 104 Wellingtons, 61 Lancasters, 53 Stirlings, 8 Halifaxes taking part.

Above: area of loss, insert Fl/Lt. Matheson DFC -bar.

The Pathfinders experienced great difficulty with cloudy conditions with most of the bombing falling in open country north and west of the target.

Reports from the area report that 17 large and 53 small fires in the target area with moderate property damage. 5 people killed on the ground with a further 95 injured. The allies lost some 16 aircraft - including the C/O of 7 squadron.

Lancaster I R5610 was shot down by Oblt. Walter Barte of 4./NJG1 at 01:46 hrs 1 km south east of Morkhoven with interception at 4,700 mtrs. This was his 6th claim of the war of 17 night victories - he survived. No further details. (shown right - see Kracker archive)

Also lost from the squadron on the same operation:

Lancaster I R5623 OL-C Flown by 20 year old, W/O. II. Lloyd Truman Goodfellow R/75207 RCAF from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada killed with all his crew. (Goodfellow Lake, Saskatchewan named after the pilot)

(1) Born in Hampstead, London on the 02nd August 1916 - joining the RAF in September 1939. Evaded capture via France and Gibraltar - arriving back in England at Poole in Dorset on the 19th October 1942 via a Polish manned (some sources state that it was Moroccan) Felluca - the ‘Seawolf’ a converted sardine fishing boat. (sample shown left)

DFC Citation:

“One night in April, 1941, Pilot Officers Matheson and Fowler were captain and navigator respectively of an aircraft detailed to attack a target in Berlin. On the first run anti-aircraft fire inflicted severe damage on the aircraft causing it to lose height. Nevertheless, Pilot Officer Matheson regained height and, guided by Pilot Officer Fowler made a second run over the target, which was successfully bombed. Previously both officers had been concerned in a successful attack on Kiel. Pilot Officer Matheson and Pilot Officer Fowler have completed numerous operational missions and both have displayed persistent devotion to duty, great courage and outstanding skill”.

DFC Bar:

“In air operations, this officer has displayed courage and fortitude of a high order”.

Burial details:

Sgt. Peter Squires. Morkhoven Communal Cemetery. Grave 1. Son of William Squires, and of Rhoda Squires, of Low Row, Yorkshire, England. Grave inscription reads: “They Do Not Die That Can Bequeath Some Influence On The Land They Leave”.

Obs: Fl/Lt. Robert Murray Buchan DFC. Morkhoven Communal Cemetery. Grave 4. Son of Maj. Andrew Buchan and Jeanie M. Buchan, of Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, Scotland. Grave inscription reads: “With Proud And Loving Remembrance Of My Dear Son”.

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Edward Vincent Norman. Morkhoven Communal Cemetery. Grave 3. No further details - are you able assist? Grave inscription reads: “Years Pass By But Memories Stay As Near And Dear As Yesterday. Joan”.

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Harold Denzil Quintrell. Morkhoven Communal Cemetery. Grave 2. Son of Alexander Harold and Grace Annie Quintrell, of Penryn, Cornwall, England. Grave inscription reads: “At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember”.

Researched for Charlie Matheson - relative of Fl/Lt. Matheson and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to sources as shown. Also to Michel Beckers for grave photographs. (WO 3311 927 National Archives - Kew)

KTY - 26.10.2017

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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