Booth, Harry
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | Harry |
Surname | Booth |
Gender | M |
Age | 22 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 24-08-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Percy and Clara Booth of School House, Draughton, near Skipton, Yorkshire. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | HR725 |
Markings | NP-C |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Becklingen War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 18. F. 2. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 133 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1078315 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 158 |
Trade | WOp/AG |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | St. James of Compostola Church, Lissett, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone & Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | Memorial to 158 Sqn, RAF Lissett 28th February 1943 - 17th August 1946 |
Location | St. James of Compostola Church, Lissett, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stained Glass Window & Inscribed Metal Plaques |
Memorial Text | A stained glass window in memory of 158 Sqn RAF |
Miscellaneous Information
P/O H B Frisby, the pilot of the aircraft became a PoW and eventually was imprisoned at Sagan where he became a skilled forger and map-maker. Many of the Great Escapers' maps and documents were his work. He was nearing the end of his operational tour when he was shot down |
Harry was born 3 February 1921. Before enlisting Harry was a shop assistant in the well known high quality furniture shop 'Ledgard & Wynn' in Skipton. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1048/39 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1048/38 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 23-08-1943 |
End Date | 24-08-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Lissett |
Day/Night Raid | Night (37% moon) |
Operation | Berlin. 727 aircraft, 56 losses (7.9%)- the greatest loss in a single raid so far in the war. Sequential marking was used to keep the main force on course. A Master Bomber approach was also used (W/C J E [Johnny] Fauquier). PFF were unable to locate the centre of Berlin using H2S and instead marked the southern suburbs. The main force arrived late and many cut a corner, making their arrival point incorrect. As might be expected for Berlin, the flak and fighter defences were formidable. Nevertheless, this was the most serious raid on Berlin so far in the war. Much of the government district was badly damaged and 20 ships were also sunk. 854 people were killed, many of whom had failed to take refuge in air raid shelters. |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed near Soltau |