Page 3 - Avro Lancaster ED888

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Completing its 100 operation with 576 Squadron on the night of 20 /21ˢͭ July 1944 to the V2
launch site at Wizernes (Coupole dʹHelfaut-Wizernes) in Northern France as part of Operation
Crossbow. Main Force that night consisted of 174 Lancasters and 165 Halifax
heavies with 70 Mosquitoes.
V1 sites that night were also attacked by this Force.

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The crew on this 100 operation were,

Pilot Officer J.B. Bell DFC - Pilot
Sergeant H.C. Gore - Flight Engineer
Sergeant T.E. Seabrook - Air bombardier
Sergeant R. Hughes - Navigator
Sergeant R.E. Badger - Wireless Operator
Sergeant S.G. Parry - Mid Upper Gunner
Sergeant P. Turton - Rear Gunner

ED 888 was transferred back to 103 Squadron when 576 Squadron moved to RAF Fiskerton on
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31 October 1944. The Lancaster was re-coded PM – M - Mother, completing another 9
operations with 103 Squadron bringing its total to 139 operations, the most of any Bomber
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Command Lancaster. The Lancaster was categorized AC on the 26 January 1945 and went to
Avro, possibly at Bracebridge Heath near Lincoln for a major overhaul. It returned to 103
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Squadron on the 3 February but never flew on operations again being
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categorised B on the 20 February 1945.

ED 888, known as the “Mother of them all” was struck off charge and sent to the scrap yard on the
8 January 1947.
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