Collis, Raoul Derek
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | Raoul Derek |
Surname | Collis |
Gender | M |
Age | 20 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 06-09-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Arthur Frank and Beatrice Hannah Collis, of Stoke Heath, Coventry. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | JB970 |
Markings | KN-U |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Rheinberg War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave 18. H. 15-17. |
Epitaph | WE HOLD HIM IN OUR MEMORY GOD KEEPS HIM IN HIS CARE |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 147 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1216717 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 77 |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Holy Trinity Church, Elvington, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stained Glass Window & Roll of Honour |
Memorial Text | Memorial windows and Roll of Honour for 77 Sqn. R.A.F. |
Location | Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Marble Column with Metal Sculpture and Plaques |
Memorial Text | Memorial to 77 Sqn. R.A.F. City of Lancaster's own |
Miscellaneous Information
Born 3 June 1923 at Coventry. Attended Stoke Council School. Resided at 21, Heath Crescent, Stoke Heath. Employed Morris Engines Ltd., Coventry. Enlisted April 1941. |
Sergeant G. Perkins, (PoW No. 222758), Flying Officer D. F. Fordham (PoW No 2363), Sergeant S. Hall (PoW No. 222706). Sergeant Perkins was taken to Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria whilst Sergeants Fordham and Hall were taken to Stalag Muhlberg-Elbe. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/656/37 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/656/36 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 05-09-1943 |
End Date | 06-09-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Elvington |
Day/Night Raid | Night (34% moon) |
Operation | Mannheim/ Ludwigshafen. 605 aircraft, 34 losses (5.6%). Clear conditions- PFF marking plan worked perfectly. The main force approached from the west so that they could bomb Mannheim first and then move on to Ludwigshafen. Little creepback took place and much damage was caused to both targets. The normally detailed report from Mannheim was much less so, suggesting that the raid was so severe that the normal information gathering procedures has broken down amidst the destruction. Ludwigshafen described the raid simply as 'a catastrophe'. In the latter, 1080 dwellings, 6 military buildings and 4 industrial buildings were destroyed. The death toll was relatively low for such a large raid- 127- perhaps indicating that much of the city's population had been evacuated in the wake of the firestorm incident in Hamburg. |
Reason for Loss | Dived steeply to avoid a mid-air collision and no sooner levelled out at 11000', the aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter. Dived, out of control in the target area |