| |
 | ||||
A group of Wireless Operator/Air Gunners of 103 Sq pictured at RAF Newton in 1941. All are survivors from the Battle of France. All are Sergeants. Back row left to right. Critchley, Wall, Barker,Werner. Front. Lisle. | ||||
In October 1940 the Squadron converted to the Vickers Wellington twin engined bomber and a further period of training followed. Ronald flew his first operation on Wellingtons on the night of the 28/29th December 1940 as front gunner in the crew of F/O Crawford. The target was oil storage facilities at Rotterdam. Throughout the winter and spring of 1940/41 Ronald flew many operations against heavily defended targets in Western Europe as front gunner and latterly wireless operator. On the 13th June 1941 he was part of an all volunteer crew led by P/O Anderson, a New Zealander, which took part in an extremely dangerous glide bombing night attack against German warships and port facilities at Brest. This was accomplished successfully in spite of very heavy flak and searchlight activity. The Wellington bombed from 3000 feet but had to take very violent evasive action and was forced down to 900 feet. Soon afterwards Ronald was offered a promotion to Flight Sergeant and a transfer to a training unit in Scotland. He went to see the Squadron Leader and turned it down preferring to wait for a posting nearer home. On the 24th July 1941 Ronald was wireless operator in the crew led by Sgt J S Bucknole which was to take part in a daylight attack on the German battleship Gneisenau in Brest harbour.
The crew was as follows: Sgt J S Bucknole RAF Sgt G J Beckwith RAF F/O R Shaw RAF F/S F Barker RAF Sgt R Critchley RAF Sgt E C McDonald RNZAF
Flak and fighters very heavily defended the target and this was a very dangerous operation for the crews in their slow and poorly armed Wellingtons which were to make their attack from 15000 feet. There was to be no fighter escort as the target was beyond the range of single engined fighters at that time. 103 Squadron detailed 6 Wellingtons and crew for this operation, which would fly in 2 formations of 3 aircraft each. On approach to the target German Bf109s attacked both formations. The Wellington of Sgt Bucknole was hit in the starboard engine, which caught fire. It slowly fell out of formation and the enemy fighters concentrated on this aircraft. The engine fire was seen to go out but the Wellington was unable to regain height. It was last seen at 8000 feet when the rear gunner shot down one of the attacking fighters which was seen to spin down and crash into the sea. Sgt Bucknole's Wellington crashed into the sea and sadly there were no survivors from this crew. The body of Sgt Beckwith was later found and is buried at Kerfautros Cemetery. The remaining crew members, including Sgt R Critchley, have no known grave and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. This was the only Wellington lost by 103 Squadron on this raid. The returning gunners claimed 3 enemy fighters shot down. Bombing was concentrated in and around the target area. Ronald was killed the day before his 21st birthday. This splendid young man was, and still is, sadly missed by his family. We are very grateful to Ronald's brother Vince for providing us with the photographs of his brother and copies of his log book and other material for use in the preparation of this item. Vince followed his brother into the RAF and completed a tour of operations with 460 Squadron RAAF.
| |