OK, Paul - here we go...

7 Squadron were the first squadron in the RAF to be equipped with 4-engined bombers, flying their first 'op' with the Short Stirling on 10/11 February 1941.

7 is probably the most famous Stirling squadron as it had the great honour to be selected as one of the first three squadrons to form the legendary Pathfinders ( 8 Group ), with 35 ( Halifax ) and 83 ( Lancaster ) squadrons - all transferring to 8 Group in August 1942.

So your relative was a bona fide Pathfinder - one of Bomber Command's 'elite'.

7 operated from RAF Oakington in Cambridgeshire, and the raid in question must be the Wuppertal raid of 24/25 June, 1943. 630 aircraft took part, with 34 failing to return - including 10 Stirlings, two of which were from 7 Squadron. ( Interestingly, 7 also lost a Lancaster that night; they were starting the slow process of 'converting' to Lancs ).

So your relative would appear to have been a crewmember of one of the following aircraft : -

Stirling I R9281 'MG-V'
Stirling III EF932 'MG-N'

- both of which were 'presumed lost in the sea'.

( Sergeant S A Errington was a member of the latter crew but maybe I'm presuming a bit too much there ).

Legendary Pathfinder Group Captain 'Hamish' Mahaddie flew Stirlings with 7 Squadron until March 1943 and wrote a classic memoir entitled 'Hamish' ( Ian Allan 1989 ) - well worth reading for a flavour of 'ops' at that time.

NOW - to find out more, our colleagues above have given some good pointers. Information about 7 Squadron operations can be found in the PRO, where you can get copies of the Operational Records Book pages, and deduce a bit more about your relatives' career with the squadron.

For actual service details of an individual, you need to get in touch with the MOD records branch and prove your relationship with that individual ( personnel records are not available to general researchers or historians - they are not 'in the public domain' ).

Some of this stuff can be pretty 'dry' but can be useful in building up an overall picture and the ORB's can be sometimes fascinating.If you wish to pursue things further at the PRO, I can help you there.

I do hope that this helps and it's some use - I've really enjoyed looking it up !

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson