Enlistment details – to be added after checks and confirmation of Service Numbers – please make contact if you believe there are errors in initials, or given names, or Service Numbers.
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Additional Crew Information – more to be added, Service numbers are as applicable at 462 Squadron.
Pilot William Charles Ernest CRAIG 46341 RAF
– Distinguished Flying Cross, as Flying Officer, 148 Squadron, 04 December 1942 (London Gazette 35809, page 5267)
– Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross, as Flight Lieutenant, 462 Squadron, 15 October 1943 (London Gazette 36211, page 4560)
Observer Douglas Quartly WATSON 128438 RAFVR – Distinguished Flying Cross, as Flight Lieutenant, 614 Squadron, 14 November 1944 (London Gazette 36793, page 5206)
Note similar Officer numbers for Obs WATSON 128438, and W/Op HOSSACK 128443 – they were Commissioned on the same date, 01 May 1942, but published in different editions of the London Gazette.
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Crew Ops – extra detail to be added (Totals are Ops "tasked", with some DNTO (did not take off); or abandoned, or early return).
Pilot William Charles Ernest CRAIG – Tasked with 37 Ops; (4 DNTO; 4 early returns or abandoned; 1 bombed alternate target; 1 landed away; 29 (?) completed)
Second Pilots – 6 Ops – Sgt EVANS (twice, 1 DNTO); F/Sgt BRIGHT (three times, 1 DNTO, 1 early return); P/O McFALL
Observer/Navigator Douglas Quartly WATSON – 28 Ops with CRAIG; 1 Op each with BIRMINGHAM Crew, BROWNE Crew, HEARD Crew, and LANDON Crew (total 32 Ops)
Substitute Observers – 9 Ops (some DNTO, or abandoned) – GRANT (twice); Sgt MAYLAND; NELLO (twice); F/Lt MANSELL; F/O TEMPEST; P/O PAGE; F/O MOLYNEUX
Wireless Operator Alfred HOSSACK – 35 Ops with CRAIG; no Ops located with any other Pilot.
Substitute Wireless Operator – 2 Ops – Sgt LANGFELD; F/Sgt WARD.
Tail Gunner Alec Ainsworth BOLLAND – 34 Ops with CRAIG; 1 each with JN MACINTOSH Crew, St PIERRE Crew, RHV THOMAS Crew.
Substitute Tail Gunner – K R POTTS (twice), A WHITING (of BIRMINGHAM Crew, later KIA with that crew)
Flight Engineer HARROWER (Feb to May 1943) – 17 Ops with CRAIG; also Ops with MacINTOSH, HARRISON, CLARKE, RHV THOMAS. Browne, and McLEAN, (Total 32 Ops). Full identity not yet determined, initials J or J H or J M ?
Flight Engineer John KINMOND (May to Oct 1943) – 19 Ops with CRAIG; also Ops with EARL, BUSKELL, McINTOSH, RHV THOMAS, and BRIGHT (total 31 Ops)
Substitute Flight Engineer – A A SCOTT (of BIRMINGHAM Crew, later KIA with that crew)
Mid-Upper Gunner Kenneth Roy POTTS – 18 Ops with CRAIG; also 1 op with WARNER (second Tour) on 03 Feb 1943; and 7 Ops in July and August 1943 with the BAKER Crew (total 26 Ops)
Substitute Mid-Upper Gunner Sgt ROWLEY – 1 Op as Mid-Upper Gunner with the Craig Crew on 07 June 1943 (Tail Gunner with various crews, full identity not yet determined)
Bomb Aimers – 1 Op only – J JAMES, 11 March 1943
(Bomb Aimer with various crews, full identity not yet determined) It is assumed that when Bomb Aimers were not listed in the ORB, the bombing duties were carried out by the Observer on approach to the target.
If you can assist with correct initials, or given names, or Service Numbers of anyone listed above (particularly HARROWER, ROWLEY, and JAMES) – please make contact.
Table of Op Details, including dates, aircraft identification, Targets, actions – to be added.
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