209442 Leonard Gordon Charles Dimond Royal Air Force 101 Squadron (d.Nov 1941) My Uncle was a gunner in 101 Squadron and was killed in November 1941. Whilst on route near Norway - the plane developed engine trouble and was lost at sea. Some people survived, but my Uncle did not. As he was lost at sea and his body never recovered, he does not have a grave but he is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.
The following is taken from Air War over Denmark by Søren C. Flensted
Wellington IC R1778 ditched in the North Sea 30/11-1941.
The aircraft belonged to RAF 101 Sqn. Bomber Command and was coded SR-G.
T/O 16:40 Oakington. OP: Hamburg.
Outbound, R1778 had engine problems and had to ditch in the North Sea 70 kilometres west of Esbjerg at approx. 20:00 hours. Co.Pilot Sgt Roy ST. C. Finch and Wop/Air Gnr. Sgt John W. Lamont survived the ditching and were able to enter the aircrafts dinghy.
On 2/12 at 10:00 hours they were observed by the Danish fishingboat E264 “Harmonie” of Esbjerg. Skipper Knud Jensen took them onboard and brought them to Esbjerg where the German Wehrmacht made them prisoners of war. They were brought to Dulag Luft in Oberursel. Finch was sent on to Stalag 383 Hohenfels and later to Stalag Luft III in Sagan while Lamont was sent to Stalag 7A Moosburg and later to Stalag 383 Hohenfels to end up in Stalag Luft VII Bankau.
The rest of the crew, who were Pilot Sgt Derek A. Willisson, Observer Sgt Donald E. Williams, W/Op-Air Gnr. Sgt Kenneth Naylor and Air Gnr. Leonard G. C. Dimond have no known graves and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
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