Birtwistle, Frederick Richard
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | Frederick Richard |
Surname | Birtwistle |
Gender | M |
Age | 23 |
Date of Death | 30-03-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Frederick James Birtwistle and Olive Birtwistle (née Wagstaff), of Marlow Road, Leicester. Husband of Iris Birtwistle (née Lomas), of Leicester. Marriage April 1941 in Leicester. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster I |
Serial Number | W4175 |
Markings | OF-U |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Leicester (Gilroes) Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Sec. U.U. Grave 534. |
Epitaph | GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 1 |
Panel Number | 9 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 751476 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 5 |
Squadron | 97 (Straits Settlements) |
Squadron Motto | Achieve your aim |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | A153 Roadbridge over River Bain, Tattershall, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | In memory of the crew of Lancaster WF 4175, 97 Sqn who were killed when the aircraft crashed on Conningsby gasworks on 30th March 1943 returning from Ops to Berlin |
Location | Thorpe Camp, Tattershall Thorpe, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Memorial with Inscribed Lettering and Sqn Badges |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those who flew from RAF Woodhall Spa during WW2, including 619 Sqn |
Location | Church of the Holy Spirit, RAF Coningsby, Coningsby, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stained Glass Window |
Memorial Text | A stained glass window remembering 97 Sqn in the Church of the Holy Spirit, RAF Coningsby |
Location | Roadside location (off E6), Fættenfjord, near Åsenfjord, Trøndelag Fylke |
Country | Norway |
Memorial Type | Inscribed memorial stone atopped with inert aerial sea mine and Tirpitz anchor chain link |
Memorial Text |
For Frihet Til minne om Allierte Flymannskaper fra RAF drept under angrep pa det tyske slagskipet Tirpitz i Fættenfjord 1942
Translation "For freedom In memory of the Allied Aircrews from the RAF who died in attacks on the German Battleship Tirpitz in the Fættenfjord 1942 " |
Miscellaneous Information
Born 10 June 1919. He had been an Estate Agent's Clerk before he enlisted. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/767/6 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/767/5 |
Fellow Servicemen
Please note that this list gives all the losses aboard the quoted aircraft and occasionally these may have occurred on an earlier date when the aircraft was not itself lost. Please check the dates of death carefully.
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 29-03-1943 |
End Date | 30-03-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Woodhall Spa |
Day/Night Raid | Night (40% moon) |
Operation | Berlin |
Reason for Loss | Returned from raid and crashed in Coningsby village whilst in the circuit for Woodhall Spa |