ND768

 

Air Historical Branch: Air Movement Cards – ND768

 

	Date	Target	Notes	Code		Pilot	Duration
1	09/04/44	Attack against Villeneuve St. George		AA-F	P/O	Armstrong	04:10
2	18/04/44	Mining in Kiel Bay		AA-F	F/L	Warren	06:10
3	24/04/44	Karlsruhe		AA-F	P/O	Armstrong	05:15
4	26/04/44	Essen		AA-F	P/O	Armstrong	03:50
5	27/04/44	Friedrichshafen		AA-F	P/O	Armstrong	07:55
6	01/05/44	Chambly		AA-F	F/S	Gray	03:30
7	10/05/44	Courtrai		AA-F	P/O	Armstrong	02:35
8	11/05/44	Louvain		AA-F	P/O	Armstrong	03:35
9	19/05/44	Le Mans		AA-F	P/O	Armstrong	04:55
10	21/05/44	Duisberg		AA-F	P/O	Armstrong	04:45
11	22/05/44	Dortmund		AA-F	P/O	Armstrong	Missing
						Total Op hours	46:40

 

22/05/1944 – Attack Against Dortmund
Twenty three aircraft were detailed to attack Dortmund of which eighteen completed their mission successfully. Three aircraft returned early and two failed to return (Captains NZ417016 P/O. E. Burke and NZ42354 P/O. C. Armstrong). The raid was well concentrated and carried out in good weather with excellent visibility. One aircraft had an inconclusive combat with a JU 88. Otherwise the operation was uneventful.

Lancaster Mk.III ND768 AA-F “Freddie”

P/O Cecil Ernest ‘Snow’ Armstrong, RNZAF NZ42354 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Beardsley Payne, RNZAF NZ426917 – Navigator.
F/S Eric William Elliott Marshall, RNZAF NZ415637 – Air Bomber.
Sgt. Carl Arthur Warburton, RAFVR 1484107 – Wireless Operator .
Sgt. David Sleightholm, RAFVR 1684309 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Roy Joseph Davies, RAFVR – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. James Pepper, RAFVR 1682572 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:56 – Landed –
Flight Time Missing

Reports indicate that ND768 was struck by flak on approach to target – with a full bomb load, the aircraft exploded killing all on board. The crew’s remains were buried initially at Hauptfriedhof, Dortmund, but were later re-interred at the Rheinberg War Cemetery.

P/O Cecil Ernest Armstrong, RNZAF NZ42354 – Pilot.
Killed age 27.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Armstrong, of Napier, Hawke’S Bay, New Zealand; Husband of Elsie Isabella Agnes Armstrong, of Napier.
Buried Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany..
Grave location – 3. G. 14. 84

F/S Douglas Beardsley Payne, RNZAF NZ426917 – Navigator.
Killed age 22.
Son of James Thomas William and Elizabeth Alice Payne, of Limehills, Southland New Zealand.
Buried Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany..
Grave location – 3. G. 12. 82

F/S Eric William Elliott Marshall, RNZAF NZ415637 – Air Bomber.
Killed age 31.
Son of Harold W. and Eva M. Marshall, of Hastings, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.
Buried Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany..
Grave location – 3. G. 18. 88

Sgt. Carl Arthur Warburton, RAFVR 1484107 – Wireless Operator.
Killed age 22.
Son of Carl H. and Nellie Warburton, of Darlington. Co. Durham.
Buried Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
Grave location – 3. G. 15. 85
‘Thy will be done’

Sgt. David Sleightholm, RAFVR 1684309 – Flight Engineer.
Killed age 22.
Son of John W. and Gertrude Sleightholm, of Carlisle; Husband of Rosanna Sleightholm, of Carlisle.
Buried Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
Grave location – 3. G. 13. 83

Sgt. Roy Joseph Davies, RAFVR 1603898 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Killed age 21.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Davies, of Edmonton, Middlesex.
Buried Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
Grave location – 3. G. 16. 86
‘In loving memory of our dear son Roy’

F/S James Pepper, RAFVR 1682572 – Rear Gunner.
Killed age 23.
Buried Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
Grave location – 3. G. 17. 87
‘A day of remembrance
Sad to recall
Without farewell
He left us all’