| Sergeant Albert
Pettman was serving on board Lancaster Mk.III LM 682 coded PM-O
on February 13/14, 1945 when it took off from Elsham Wolds
at 21.40 for an operation to Dresden, as part of Operation
Thunderclap. The aircraft crashed near Bensheim, the entire crew
was killed.
The bombing resulted in a
massive firestorm which ravaged the city and resulted in a high
number of civilian casualties.
The crew consisted of:
|
Name |
Service |
Trade |
Hometown |
Age |
|
P/O Dugald Rimmington |
RAAF |
Pilot |
Alphington,Victoria,Australia |
21 |
|
Sgt George Turner |
RAFVR |
Flight Engineer |
Oldham,Lancs. |
19 |
|
Sgt George Gilfillian |
RAFVR |
Navigator |
- |
- |
|
F/Sgt Edward Staples |
RAFVR |
Bomb Aimer |
- |
- |
|
Sgt Albert Pettman |
RAFVR |
W/Op/AG |
Woodnesborough, Kent |
24 |
|
Sgt William Swan |
RAFVR |
Air Gunner |
Mill End, Rickmansworth, Herts. |
19 |
|
Sgt Frank Rushworth |
RAFVR |
Air Gunner |
Southwark, London |
19 |
 |
|
Albert
Pettman (r) with friend. |
Sergeant Albert Pettman
was born in Woodnesborough,
Kent, he and his
crew rest in the War Cemetery at Durnbach.
 |
|
Albert
Pettman (r) with unidentified wireless
operator friends. |
|
