
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.