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Old 10th October 2009, 18:14
Adriano Baumgartner Adriano Baumgartner is offline
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Re: Italian Night Fighters - Milan - 13/14th Feb. 1943

Gianandrea, graccie tanti!
As STIG pointed out correctly, there were only 2 losses recorded on the raid against MILAN, which were ( below ):
Lancaster L7547 Information
Type
Lancaster
Serial Number
L7547
Squadron
207
X1D
EM-M
Operation
Milan
Date 1
14th February 1943
Date 2
15th February 1943


Further Information
"Serial range L7276 - L7854 This aircraft was one of 200 Manchester Mk.1s/Lancaster Mk.1s ordered from A.V.Roe (Manchester) Aug36 to AM Spec 19/37 and built as 157 Manchester 1/1As from 31Jul40, and 43 Lancaster Mk.1s from Oct41 to Mar42. L7547 was delivered to 44 Sqdn 17Jan42, joining 207 Sqdn Sep42. L7547 took part in the following key Operations: With No.44 Sqdn as KM-D, Gardening Rosemary 3Mar42-first aircraft off on first Lancaster operation; Stuttgart 5/6May42-attacked by a night- fighter, lost an engine, returned safely, no injuries. N0.207 Sqdn as EM-M, Le Creusot 17Oct42-daylight; Genoa 13/14Nov42; Turin 9/10Dec42; Munich 21/22Dec42; Lorient 13/14Feb43; Milan 14/15Feb43- Lost. When lost this aircraft had a total of 208 hours. Airborne 1914 15Feb42 from Langar. Homebound, crashed at St-Brisson (Nievre), 11 km W of Saulieu C_te d'Or, France. Those killed are buried in St-Brisson Communal Cemetery. The cause of the crash is attributed to overheating engines which led to a fire in the port outer. F/S J.H.F.Whyte RNZAF Evd F/S S.H.Eyre Evd F/S T.W.Strong KIA Sgt F.I.Tillen KIA F/S A.R.Grainger RAAF KIA Sgt H.G.Bone KIA Sgt K.White KIA "
Lancaster W4362 Information
Type
Lancaster
Serial Number
W4362
Squadron
103
X1D
PM-P
Operation
Milan
Date 1
14th February 1943
Date 2
15th February 1943


Further Information
"Serial Range W4102 - W4700 This aircraft was one of 450 Manchesters ordered from A.V.Roe (Chadderton) Jan40 of which 207 were built as Lancaster Mk.1s, delivered from Jul42 to Nov42 initially fitted with Merlin 20 engines. W4362 was delivered to No.103 Sqdn 18Nov42 W4362 took part in the following Key Operations: Gardening, Elderberry 21/22Nov42 (No.103 Sqdns first Lancaster operation); Stuttgart 22/23Nov43; Duisburg 20/21Dec42; Essen 11/12Jan43; Berlin 16/17Jan43; Berlin 17/18Jan43; Lorient 13/14Feb42; Milan 14/15Feb43-Lost. When lost this aircraft had a total of 100 hours. Airborne 1850 14Feb43 from Elsham Wolds. Abandoned in the target area after being struck by falling incendiaries which destroyed the instrument panel. Of those killed, three are buried in Milano War Cemetery. P/O Nicholson is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. S/L Powdrell was a New Zealander serving in the RAF. P/O Young's brother, Leslie, was also killed on Active Service. S/L W.H.Powdrell KIA Sgt J.G.W.T.Duffield Inj P/O A.J.Burton PoW Sgt A.Rusling PoW P/O C.E.Nicholson KIA P/O D.Young KIA Sgt J.G.Nolan KIA P/O A.J.Burton was interned in Camp L3. PoW No.2589. Sgt J.G.W.T.Duffield was confined in Hospital due injuries, No PoW No. Sgt A.G.Rusling in Camps L6/L4, PoW No.3869. "
HOWEVER, an Avro Lancaster from 101 Squadron was seriously damaged ( the crew I mentioned ) by an Italian Fiat CR.42, which they claimed shot down. The Lancaster returned home safely tough.
I will send you the information soon - must take from my other computer - please just wait a couple of hours, ok?
Thanks a lot and please do thank Mr Ludovico Slongo for me. Could you ask him IF he do possess a photograph of Tenente Cesare Balli? I tried to find more data about him but got no joy with Google!
Yours ( very thankful )
Adriano
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