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ABERY FJ
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ABERY, Frederick

Aircraft Information
Aircraft Avro Lancaster III
Serial Number JB241
Markings LQ-K
Memorial information
Burial/Memorial Country France
Burial/Memorial Place Bermering (Bermerange) Communal Cemetery
Grave Reference Grave 4..
Epitaph OUR FRED LIES HERE, MOURNED BY US, THO' WE DO NOT SHOW A SORROW WE ALWAYS KNOW
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase 2
Panel Number 121
Enlistment information
Service Number 1862629
Service Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Group 8
Squadron 405 (Vancouver)
Trade Flight Engineer
Country of origin if different United Kingdom
Last Operation information
Start Date 24-02-1944
End Date 25-02-1944
Takeoff Station Gransden Lodge
Day/Night raid Night
Operation Schweinfurt- the first raid on this particular target (the centre of ball-bearing manufacture in Germany). 734 aircraft, 33 losses (4.5%). A new tactic was introduced where the bomber force was split into two waves separated by two hours. The first wave Lost 22 aircraft (5.6%) but the second Lost only 11 (3.2%) of which only 4 were shot down. Poor PFF target marking led to local reports quoting 'nominal damage'. Note that there had been a raid comprising 266 8th Air Force B-17s the night before so it is difficult to attribute damage levels.
Reason for Loss Attacked from below by a night-fighter on outbound leg and whilst at 20000', setting fire to the starboard inner engine and wing. The order to bale out was given only seconds before the aircraft exploded, throwing the three survivors clear, all of whom became PoW