No.102 Squadron ORB

[Steve Smith]

Gents,

Anyone out there got a copy of the above squadron ORB. Need help on three incidents.

Regards

Steve

[MW Giles]

I have a copy. What are the particular incidents?

Regards

Martin

[Steve Smith]

Hi MArtin,

Great thanks...

Operations flown by A.Morris,

Can you fill the gaps please, a/c serial, comments etc.


15 Dec 1940 Whitley V Berlin bombed Rheine (about 50 km east of Osnabrück): bursts observed: W/T and electrical system U/S: landed in sea short of petrol: crew OK: picked up by RAF marine section Bridlington

01 Mar 1941 Whitley V Cologne bombed Cologne OK: W/T U/S on return: landed B. Newton: aircraft ran out of petrol taxing as
off flare path.

20 Mar 1941 Whitley V L’Orient bombed submarine docks at L’Orient: landed Linton: flare path crash at Topcliffe.

Thanks in advance Martin.

Steve

[MW Giles]

Steve

Form 540
Sunday 15th December 1940. Attack on BERLIN. 7 aircraft detailed. Snow on ground and 10/10 cloud over primary target made identification difficult. 6 aircraft attacked targets in the vicinity of BERLIN starting fires. 1 aircraft (F/O Frampton) in field near BIRCHAM NEWTON owing to shortage of petrol. 1 aircraft (P/O A/F/L K.T. Hannah) Sgt K.G. Allardice, Sgt J.A. Clemett, Sgt W.F. Dennis, Sgt A Sedgley) was missing.

Form 541
From 16:35 hours 15.12.40 to 04.10 hours 16.12.40

7 aircraft were detailed to attack BERLIN (TEGEL) Armament Factory
Weather - 10/10 cloud over primary target. Snow on ground made identification of target very difficult.
Opposition - Moderate heavy flak, mostly W and NW of BERLIN

Whitley V DY-"C"
S/Ldr O.A. Morris
Sgt A.L. Chapman
P/O A.G. Eperon
Sgt L.E.D. Lindsay
Sgt P.S. Pitt

Time Up 16:45
Time Down 04:10 Landed in sea

Attacked factory at RHEINE at 7500ft, 1 stick, near miss. Fires started in town.

Reference WAP141

Nothing more for 15.12.40

Other two dates to follow

Martin

[MW Giles]

Form 540

Saturday 1st. March
Weather. Fair until evening then cloudy with rain. Vis: Moderate to good all day. Wind: SWly backing Sly. when rain started.

Attack on COLOGNE
12 Aircraft detailed. 10 aircraft attacked the primary target causing explosions and extensive fires. 2 aircraft (F/Lt Long and F/O. Frampton) returned with intercom. and wireless unserviceable. 1 aircraft (S/Ldr C.E.E Florigny, Sgt R.F. Martin, Sgt W. Hool. Sgt A. Bush and P/O R.C. Rivaz) forcelanded in the sea when returning. There was a gale of wind blowing at the time and the dinghy was swept away from the aircraft before S/Lde Florigny could get into it. He was last seen on the sinking fuselage of the aircraft and, it is feared, was drowned. The remainder of the crew were picked up by a trawler after some 8 hours in the dinghy. Weather over the target was slight cloud with gaps sufficient to pick out target clearly. Opposition: Moderate flak and searchlights.

Form 541

18:41 hrs 1/3/41 to 06:30 hrs 2.3/41

12 Aircraft were detailed to attack COLOGNE
Weather: Slight cloud over the target with gaps sufficient to pick out target clearly.
Opposition: Moderate flak and searchlights.

Whitley V DY-J

S/Ldr O.A. Morris
P/O F.H.J. Ashley
Sgt F. Summers
Sgt L.E.D. Lindsay
Sgt R.C. Smith

Time Up 18:56
Time Down 06:30 Bircham Newton

Attacked primary target at 13,000ft. 1 stick. Fires burning on arrival, no results seen from own bombs.

Reference NLG 989

Nothing further

[MW Giles]

Form 540

Thursday 20th March

Weather: Fine, becoming foggy, then rain after 2300 hrs. Vis: Poor early improving slightly during day. Wind: Calm, freshening from West later.

Attack on LORIENT. 7 aircraft detailed all aircraft attacked the primary. Results were not observed owing to ground haze. 2 aircraft (W/Cdr Howes and F/Lt Warne) undershot when landing damaging the aircraft. Weather was clear with ground haze. Opposition moderate.

Form 541

From 18:30 hrs 20.3.41 to 03.57 21.3.41

7 Aircraft were detailed to attack LORIENT (Submarines) Weather: Clear with ground haze. Opposition: Mod.

Whitley V DY-F

W/Cdr O.A. Morris
Sgt J.H. Clarke
Sgt J. Derbyshire
Sgt L.E.D Lindsay
Sgt R.C. Smith

Time Up 18:43
Time Down 03:57 Linton

Attacked primary target at 10,000ft. 1 stick. Bombs seen to burst across from No.3 to No. 1 Dock large fires started.

Referrence KAD 822

Regards

Martin

[Steve Smith]

Dear Martin,

Thank you very much for such a detailed and comprehensive series of replies.

I have one other question, I would guess that S/Ldr Morris was at one time a flight commander, if so what flight on 102 Squadron. ?

Thank you again for all your considerable help.

Kind regards

Steve

[Chris Goss]

Steve: Any 102 queries might be easily answered by my history of 102 Sqn?

[MW Giles]

I have him down as OC A Flight July 40 to April 41

Not 100% on this, you know how difficult it is to work out flight commanders, etc in some unit records.

Regards

Martin

[Steve Smith]

Originally Posted by MW Giles

I have him down as OC A Flight July 40 to April 41

Not 100% on this, you know how difficult it is to work out flight commanders, etc in some unit records.

Regards

Martin

Martin,

Thanks again for all your help, greatly appreciated.

Steve