Loss of Lancaster III ED625,103 Squadron, 1-4-43 on a dawn nuisance attack

Whilst reading Don Charlwood, "No moon tonight" I came across this loss of ED625, see pages 178 to 180

The second and last solo raid of S/L O'Donoghue & Crew.

The first raid on the 20-3-43 being in ED 612 (Sunrise in Leer being 06:32)

details below.


The second and last in ED625 (Sunrise in Ennerich being 07:10)



ED625 being a little over a week old.

Lancaster - ED626

This machine had a very short career of just over a week but was flown by 5 different crews in that time.
22-Mar-43 - St Nazaire – Lancaster – ED626 – Sgt GDJ King
26-Mar-43 – Duisburg – Lancaster – ED626 – F/S GM Maddern RAAF
27-Mar-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – ED626 – F/S GM Maddern RAAF
28-Mar-43 - St Nazaire – Lancaster – ED626 – W/O G Denwood
29-Mar-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – ED626 – F/L KG Bickers
01-Apr-43 – Emmerich – Lancaster – ED626 – S/L C O'Donoghue – FTR - Day fighter victim. Crashed at Hulsthorst, Netherlands.

I do not recall much use of Lancaster's in hit and run, Nuisance raids with experienced crews this late in the War. Was this a one off and an individualist type raid? or a short lived testing of the waters again in bad weather. The Augsburg raid being a year earlier 17-4-42.

Or indeed was the Lancaster the best options while the Mosquito were available and more suited.


ED625 Shot down by Oberfeldwebel Fritz Timm of the 3/JG1 flying a Fw190A from Deelen airfield.

ref.
https://archive.org/details/nomoontonight0000char_t9f5/page/178/mode/1up
Charles O'Donoghue and crew 103 Sqn
Lancaster ED626 [Royal Air Force Aircraft Serial and Image Database]
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/f...ails/2648084/charles-o-donoghue/#&gid=1&pid=2

 

A bit of confusion here, not helped by an incorrect serial being listed in the ORB.
The aircraft lost was ED626.
References to ED625 are incorrect. This was lost with 49 Sqn on the night of 10/11 August 1943.

 

Superb book, I regard that as on a level with Rear Gunner Pathfinders by Ron Smith DFM which is my favourite.

 

Thanks, added to my basket on Awesome books £3.46