Arnold George Smith DFM R.A.F

[davemed]

ARNOLD GEORGE SMITH DFM R.A.F

Arnold was born in Liverpool. He joined the RAF on the outbreak of war and was posted in Novermber 1940 as a Sergeant. DFM Gazetted 21st November 1941. Between 4-8th April 1942 he was promoted to Flight Sergeant and on 20th February 1942 he was Posted Out To 106 Squadron. He flew many missions, mainly over Germany. On 1st August 1942 he took off on the flight that would sadly claim his life.

Lancaster R5604 took off from RAF Coningsby at 0055 hours on the night of 31/1st August 1942, detailed to bomb Dusseldorf, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. R5604 was one of 21 aircraft from the Squadron on the mission and was carrying an 8000lb bomb.

Crew :

RAF WO P E Merralls, DFC DFM Captain (Pilot)
RAAF 407711 Sgt H E Gaskell, (2nd Pilot)
RAF Sgt K J Cooper, (Observer)
RAF Flt Sgt A G Smith, DFM ( W/OP )
RAF Sgt E F Holme, (Wireless Air Gunner)
RAF Sgt B L Ellis-Buxton, (Air Gunner)
RAF Sgt L T Grimshaw, (Air Gunner)

The aircraft crashed at Lovenach, 9kms WNW of Cologne, Germany and all the crew
were killed. Five of the crew are buried in the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Locality Kiamp Lintfort, Nordrhein-Westfal, Germany. Rheinberg is 24kms north of Krefeld and 13kms south of Wesel. Flt Sgt Smith and Sgt Grimshaw have no known grave and their names are
commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing, Runnymede, Surrey, UK.

Please read the *.pdf document for full information.

[az_gila]

Interesting, thanks.

The previous raid he participated in was the second "1000 bomber" raid by the RAF to Essen on the 2nd of June

http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/jun42.html

The odds of returning were only 1 in 30 - not good at all

[davemed]

Hello az_gila,

Many thanks for reading my post.

Already got the information you mention.

Cheers,

David.

[az_gila]

Hello az_gila,

Many thanks for reading my post.

Already got the information you mention.

Cheers,

David.

I guessed that you already had the info....

I was making the 1 in 30 comment for any other readers.
The odds of survival just were p**s poor as an aircrew in WWII.

[wsteve55]

Excellent stuff,Davemed,and glad to see the bomber crew's getting some rather belated recognition,lately!

[davemed]

Excellent stuff,Davemed,and glad to see the bomber crew's getting some rather belated recognition,lately!

Hello wsteve55,

Recognition was the reason for the post. Many brave aircrew lost their lives for their country. Many of them from Liverpool.

They are remembered.

You like to look at : http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/sho...729#post381729

http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/sho...iverpool-R-A-F

http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/sho...ary-Medal-WW-I

David ( davemed ).