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3rd January 1944On this day:
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Remembering those who died this day.
- Adair. Leslie James. WO1. (d.3rd Jan 1944)
- Cromar Donald. Flt.Sgt (d.3rd Jan 1944)
- Cromar Donald. F/Sgt (d.3rd Jan 1944)
- Cromarty John Donald Range. PO (d.3rd Jan 1944)
- Flecker Brabazon Langden. Act.Cpl. (d.3rd January 1944 )
- Snelling. Denis Cyril George. F/Sgt. (d.3rd Jan 1944)
- Traynor Patrick. Flt.Sgt. (d.3rd January 1944)
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
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Want to know more about the 3rd of January 1944? There are:18 items tagged 3rd of January 1944 available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Stories from 3rd January 1944
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F/Sgt Donald Cromar. DFM. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve , 192 squadron. (d.3rd Jan 1944) My great uncle Donald Cromar got his DFM whilst with 192 squadron having flown 191 hours over 28 sorties.
His citation states:-
This Flight Engineer has completed 28 sorties and his energy, cheerfulness and understanding of his aircraft has been of the highest order throughout. His keenness to enter on operational flying is outstanding and Cromar seems happiest when flak is bursting near his aircraft, and on other occasions when the element of danger is great. This spirit has had a tremendously good effect on the morale of the remainder of the crew. The care and interest that he takes in his aircraft, whether it is on the ground or in the air, has always been of an exceptionally high standard and has been an inspiring influence to the ground maintenance personnel as well as giving added confidence to his aircrew.
20th August 1943
Remarks by Station Commander:- An exceptionally keen and courageous N.C.O. who is held in high esteem by his crew and also by the ground crew for his constant cheerfulness and personal interest in his aircraft. Award recommended.
He moved to 83 squadron in Oct or Nov 1943. He along with all his crew members were killed on their way back from a raid on Berlin on the 3rd of January 1944. Graham Bassett
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Act.Cpl. Brabazon Langden Flecker. Australian Army, Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit. (d.3rd January 1944 ) Brabazon Langdon Flecker was an Acting Corporal, with the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit, during WW2. He died 3rd January 1944 in New Guinea of an illness.
S. Flynn
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WO1. Leslie James Adair.. RAF, 156 Sqd.. (d.3rd Jan 1944) Leslie Adair served as a rear Gnr. with Lancaster JB553 GT-J of 156 Sqn.
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F/Sgt. Denis Cyril George Snelling. . RAF, 156Sqd.. (d.3rd Jan 1944) Bomb Aimer Denis Smelling was killed on 3rd Jan 1944 in Lancaster JB553 GT-J of 156 Sqn
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PO John Donald Range Cromarty. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve , 6(P) AFU. (d.3rd Jan 1944) My first cousin once removed was Jack Cromarty of Liverpool. In 1939 his parents lived in Berwick Gardens, Little Sutton, Cheshire
He was a dental mechanic before he enlisted in 1941
He was a sergeant then flight sergeant then pilot officer
and received his commission in November 1943
Prior to arriving at 6 (P) APU on 16th of February 143 he was at various other training units. After training at 6 (P) AFU he went to 81 OTU on 13th of April 1943 and then onto 1656, then 12 and finally after training at Upwood to 156 squadron, one of the Pathfinders at Warboys. He was the pilot of Lancaster JB640 and died the night of 2nd/3rd of January 1944 when the plane was shot down on a mission to Berlin
The other crew members were:
- Sgt. Frederick Edwin Woolven.(Navigator) aged 23 years
- Sgt. Norman Henry Colebatch (Wireless Operator)
- F/Sgt Leonard Norman Lapthorne aged 21 years.
- F/Sgt Dennis Frederick Burtenshaw RAAF (Second Navigator/Bomb Aimer) aged 20 years.
- F/Sgt R.J.Collens Mid-upper Gunner aged 31 years.
- F/Sgt. Kenneth Sidney James Chapman. Rear Gunner aged 20 years.
They completed approx 16 missions all over Germany between joining 156 sqdn in Nov 1943 and the last flight.
It was discovered in 1976 that the plane had crashed into a lake in what was by then the Russian zone. The remains were handed over to the RAF in 1976. It has taken from then until approx 2011 for the MOD to identify where these remains were buried and then another three to find relatives of the lost airmen. On the 27th of April 2016 there was a rededication ceremony in Berlin for four of the crew of JB640 whose remains have been found. The headstones now changed to reflect they were crew members of JB640.
Alas as John had no wife, children or siblings there are no known photographs of him as an adult in the RAF. I have this one photo of him in my late mother's photo album.
Rebecca Owen
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