My great uncle, Stewart James Olsen Robinson, was a tail gunner in a Lancaster bomber in the RCAF. His final rank was Pilot officer and he was in 424 squadron. I think they were called the tigers. He died on April 5 1945 he was 19 years old. I am looking for any information I can get on my uncle. I know a little about the mission he died on. I have a document that says my uncle's plane was listed as missing, but then it says that the pilot had to abort his first attempt at landing, then he circled around the airfield and hit a water tower or something. The plane crashed and thats all I really know. I don't know if anybody survived the crash or how badly they had been damaged before getting back to england.

I have finished two years of university working on a history major, and I would like to continue to get a PhD in history, specifically concentrating on World War 2. So I have studied a lot of world war 2 sources. The following is what I put together using any information I have, and guessing on some parts using the knowledge I have gained. I don't know if there is any way to know how badly shot up the plane was, but if they were listed as missing, chances are they couldn't keep up with the squadron and had to land at a different airfield than the rest of the squadron. The pilot went in for a landing and for some reason had to abort and circle around for another attempt. While circling around the pilot crashed into a tower of some sorts, possibly a water tower. This crashed the plane, and I have no knowledge of what happened then. I know the names of all those who were on the plane with him on that final mission. I know what mission it was, well I know where they were going, they were going to Merseburg, or Meresberg to bomb a factory. I would just really like to know what happened on my uncles final mission. I just want to find as much information on my uncle as possible. If someone could tell me the best way to get this information I would be really appreciative. I would also appreciate any information anyone has on my uncle. Thanks.

Stewart, welcome.

There are some Limeys here who are pretty good about locating RAF casualties. I feel certain that they can help you. Best of success to you.

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Best Regards,
JW

Try getting his Service Records from here.
Canadian Forces after 1918 (including Second World War) - Military - What to Search: Topics - Canadian Genealogy Centre - Library and Archives Canada

Our member "Liberator" has a list of Bomber Command Losses so hopefully he'll see this thread and be able to give you more info on the rest of the crew.
Hope this small bit of info helps and Welcome to the Forum.

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Spencer Dunmore & William Carter's history of 6 Group, 'Reap The Whirlwind', carries this small piece of information about a 424 Squadron loss on that night ; -

'...105 bombers from the Canadian Group constituted part of a force of more than 300 aircraft attacking the Leuna synthetic oil plant at Merseburg in poor weather with thick cloud and icing conditions.....Flying Officer J W Watson and his crew of 424 Squadron had been lucky in late March when they encountered a jet fighter over Hamburg on the 31st ; but, returning from this operation, they crashed on landing. All seven men died'.

'Dunmore/Carter, 'Reap The Whirlwind', Crecy Books, 1992, p.358.

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

Details below from Chorleys Bomber Command Losses:

424 Sqn Lancaster I RF150 QB-W

T/o 1808 Skipton-on-Swale to bomb oil refining facilities. Homebound, flew into a hillside at 0220 at Widdeston Park, some 3 miles SW from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire and not far distant from the headquarters that had planned their last fateful mission. All were taken to Brookwood Cemetery. Both air gunners were nineteen years of age.
All died in the crash.
F/O J Watson RCAF +
P/O E T Ashdown RCAF +
F/O J Rochford RCAF +
P/O C N Armstrong RCAF +
P/O S M Thomson RCAF +
P/O S J O Robinson RCAF +
P/O C K Howes RCAF +

For further research see:
:: CWGC :: Look up each crew member, which will give you some details on the crew
The National Archives of the United Kingdom - whilst you will not find anything online you can, for a moderate fee get copies of the Operational Record Book for the Squadron which will detail all missions, aircraft and crew. Suggest you just get from Jan 45 first and then go back further if appropriate. I used this approach when reconstructing my fathers log book, see results at 156 Squadron = Pathfinder Force

Good hunting

Robin 156 Squadron = Pathfinder Force

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I am blown away by the responses and help you have given me. I am so grateful for the help you all gave me. Thank you so much. First off, to wessex wyvern, what are service records? To 156 squadron, will the Operational Record Book for the Squadron list all the information about all the missions my uncle went on? Because that is really what I am looking for. I just want every bit of information I can possibly get. From what I read on the replies it says that my uncles plane crashed into a hill. But I want to know why they hit the hill, was the pilot injured making flight difficult? These are the types of information I am looking for. Maybe my uncle had been killed by an enemy plane before they returned to England or maybe he died in the crash, I just don't know but I really want to know. So I think I would like to buy all the operational record books for the squadron that I can. I want to get information for every mission my uncle flew, and any information about him while he wasn't flying. Because of you guys I am well on my way, so thank you so very much. If there is anything else you think I should know please let me know. As always any info or replies are greatly appreciated. Thank you again everyone.

Service Records will be HIS personal records , date he joined, what units, height, age etc etc.
I have them for my Dad's cousin Bill Dadge from Swindon who was shot down in 1943 whilst a Bomb Aimer on Wellington's of 420 Sqn RCAF.
It has every posting, dates, units everything about his RAF Service.

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Yes the Operational Record Book will contain details of all missions flow by the squadron, the Target, Aircraft Details and Crew Members.

For an example:

156 Squadron RAF

Robin 156 Squadron = Pathfinder Force

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