Funeral for 405 Squadron, Cambridge City Cemetery, 22 December 1943. 22 Pathfinders were buried there in a single day, the majority of them from the RAAF and the RCAF. Image courtesy of Bill Bessent (who lost his twin brother, Bob) and Jane Pilling-Cormack.
On 16/17 December, the following Pathfinder crews were involved in fatal accidents after returning from that night’s operation against Berlin; the accidents were due to dense fog, low cloud, petrol shortage and landing difficulties.
83 SQUADRON, based at Wyton
| MCLEAN CREW | PO F F McLean RAAF | Injured |
| Sgt H Day | Injured | |
| FSgt R A Lindsay RNZAF | Injured | |
| FSgt V G Tankard RAAF | Killed | |
| Sgt J Henderson | Injured | |
| FSgt L E Faithorn | Injured | |
| Sgt C C Reid | Injured |
97 SQUADRON, based at Bourn
| SCOTT CREW | FSgt I M Scott RAAF | Killed |
| Sgt C W Collinshaw | Killed | |
| Sgt S J Peek DFM | Killed | |
| Sgt D R Irving RCAF | Killed | |
| Sgt K E Foxcroft RAAF | Killed | |
| Sgt C L Hope RCAF | Killed | |
| Sgt S G Parrott | Killed | |
| MACKENZIE CREW | S/Ldr D F MacKenzie DFC | Killed |
| PO J T Pratt DFM | Killed | |
| FSgt R F Marshall | Injured | |
| FO W A Colson DFM | Killed | |
| FSgt A Hunter | Injured | |
| FSgt W A Lang RAAF | Injured | |
| FSgt K L Kirby | Injured | |
| THACKWAY CREW | FO E Thackway | Killed |
| Sgt G Grundy | Killed | |
| Sgt J Powell | Killed | |
| PO L K A Grant RCAF | Killed | |
| Sgt P H Mack | Injured | |
| Sgt R A Lawrence | Killed | |
| Sgt L N Laver | Not injured | |
| KIRKWOOD CREW | PO J Kirkwood | Killed |
| FSgt E G Hubbard | Killed | |
| Sgt R C Stewart | Killed | |
| FO G A Wigley | Killed | |
| Sgt R G Cleeve | Killed | |
| Sgt L Madeley | Killed | |
| Sgt J Killen | Killed | |
| DEVERILL CREW | S/Ldr E A Deverill DFC AFC DFM | Killed |
| FSgt A Russell | Killed | |
| PO J T Brown | Killed | |
| FSgt F R Farr | Killed | |
| FSgt R Crossgrove DFM RNZAF | Killed | |
| WO Benbow DFM | Injured | |
| WO D J Penfold DFM | Killed |
156 SQUADRON, based at Warboys
| WATKINS CREW | FSgt W H Watkins | Killed |
| Sgt H A Hadlow | Killed | |
| Sgt C H Reeve | Killed | |
| Sgt J Beever | Killed | |
| Sgt J A Watson | Killed | |
| Sgt E W Crouch | Killed | |
| Sgt L F Darlison | Injured |
405 SQUADRON, based at Gransden Lodge
| MCLENNAN CREW | FO B A McLennan RCAF | Killed |
| Sgt H L Cornwall | Killed | |
| FO W F Sheppard RCAF | Killed | |
| Sgt G R Schneider RCAF | Killed | |
| Sgt F Halliwell | Killed | |
| Sgt M F V Roobroeck RCAF | Killed | |
| WO2 S H Nutting DFM RCAF | Injured | |
| ALLAN CREW | FLt W C Allan RCAF | Died of Injuries, 28/12/43 |
| Sgt A E S Kiff | Injured | |
| FO D H Stamers RCAF | Killed | |
| PO C M Collier RCAF | Killed | |
| Sgt K S Joslyn | Injured | |
| Sgt G L Strang RCAF | Killed | |
| Sgt J C Egan RCAF | Injured | |
| DREW CREW | FO E B Drew RCAF | Injured |
| Sgt W Corrigan | Killed | |
| FSgt V Mienert RAAF | Killed | |
| FSgt H M Saunders RCAF | Killed | |
| WO2 W L Dobson RCAF | Killed | |
| Sgt H R Bessent RCAF | Killed | |
| Sgt L A McCrea RCAF | Not injured |
Funeral for 97 Squadron, Cambridge City Cemetery, 22 December 1943. From the album of Squadron Leader Hind.
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