F/O Vernieuwe seated in the cockpit of Lancaster NF913 PM-M. Note 13 bomb symbols representing the number of operations flown to date, Two swastikas representing two enemy aircraft shot down and the dinghy symbol indicating the aircrew that they spotted adrift in the North Sea.

Flying Officer A V J " Selmo " Vernieuwe was a Belgian pilot serving with the Royal Air Force and was transferred to 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds with his crew on the 29th July 1944.

The crew consisted of:

Flying Officer A V J Vernieuwe, RAF Pilot.

Sergeant W N Wells, RAF Flight Engineer.

Flying Officer F H Seaton, RCAF Air Bomber.

P/O G H A Othen, RAF Navigator.

Flying Officer H A Jones, RAF Wireless Operator.

Sergeant G H Relf, RAF Mid Upper Gunner.

Sergeant T G Quinlan, RAF Rear Gunner.

Flying Officer Vernieuwe and his crew flew their first operation on the night of the 25/26th August 1944 when 103 Squadron detailed 18 Lancasters and crews as part of a heavy raid directed at the Opel motor vehicle factory at Russelheim. Flying Officer Vernieuwe took off in Lancaster NF913 PM-M at 20:22 in good weather conditions, which continued throughout the flight. Visibility in the target area was good, the Pathfinder markers were well placed and concentrated, and a good attack developed. Defences consisted of heavy flak in barrage form and considerable searchlight activity. German night fighters were very active and many combats took place. Approaching the target the Lancaster of Flying Officer Vernieuwe and crew was attacked by a twin engined night fighter which was shot down in flames by the mid upper gunner, Sergeant Relf. They bombed the markers at 01:12 from 18000ft and on the return flight were attacked by a Fw 190 that was shot down by return fire from the rear gunner, Sergeant Quinlan.

A further attack was made by another night fighter but this engagement proved inconclusive and no claims were made. In all Flying Officer Vernieuwe and his crew had 8 encounters with night fighters that night, three of which turned into actual combats. During one of these combats the evasive action taken which resulted in NF913 plunging from 18000ft to 2000ft and "popping a few rivets". At 04:49 the crew made a safe landing at Elsham Wolds after a very eventful baptism on operations.

During the same operation another 103 Squadron crew, that of Flying Officer Ryerse, also claimed a twin engined night fighter destroyed and another damaged. 103 Squadron Lancaster ND632 of Flying Officer Westcott and crew, returned from the operation very seriously damaged and crash-landed at Ford. Unfortunately there were no survivors from this crew.

The raid was a great success with the force of 412 aircraft bombing in 10 minutes and the forge and gear box assembly department at the Opel factory were put out of action for sometime.

On the 26/27th August 1944 Flying Officer Vernieuwe and his crew flew their second operation, this time to Kiel, and on return spotted a dinghy in the North Sea which contained the crew of a bomber shot down some days before.

The position was reported to base and this was passed on to the Air Sea Rescue who eventually recovered the crew after a difficult rescue.

Flying Officer Vernieuwe and his crew continued to fly operations throughout the rest of 1944 taking part on many heavy raids on German targets and in support of the Allied armies in the field. The crew experienced several other difficult operations notably on the 9th November when their Lancaster sustained serious flak damage during a raid on the German oil refinery at Wanne-Eikel but they returned safely to base.

By the end of 1944 Flying Officer Vernieuwe and his crew had completed their tour and were screened from operations.

Flying Officer Vernieuwe was awarded a well earned DFC and returned to Belgium after the war. His rear gunner, Tom Quinlan married a local girl and settled in Scunthorpe only a few miles from Elsham Wolds.

Acknowledgements:

The RAF Elsham Wolds Association for the loan of the photographs.

"Maximum Effort. One Group At War" by Patrick Otter for some of the information used in this item.

F/O Vernieuwe with his aircrew and ground crew.

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