Lawson, Wilfred
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | Wilfred |
Surname | Lawson |
Gender | M |
Age | |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 27-01-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of John and Elizabeth Lawson. Husband of Margaret Grace Lawson, of Leeds, Yorkshire. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster II |
Serial Number | LL721 |
Markings | OW-U |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 9. D. 26 |
Epitaph | LATE OF PENRITH, CUMBRIA REMEMBERED BY HIS FAMILY AND WIDOW MARGARET REUNITED AND AT PEACE |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 197 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 533023 |
Service | Royal Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 426 (Thunderbird) |
Trade | Flight Engineer |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to Village Hall, Dishforth, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with Inscribed Metal Plaque & Maple Tree |
Memorial Text | In memory of the Canadian aircrew of 425 and 426 Sqns RCAF who served at RAF Dishforth, 1942-1945 |
Location | Outside Village Hall, Linton on Ouse, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with inscribed Slate Tablet |
Memorial Text | In memory of Canadian personnel who served at RAF Linton on Ouse during WW2, including 408 and 426 Sqns RCAF |
Miscellaneous Information
Previously commemorated on Panel 233 of the Runnymede Memorial. Sgt. Wilfred Lawson's body was recovered in 2014 from the remains of his aircraft which was unearthed in a field near Karcha, Germany. Following DNA analysis of both the remains and surviving family members, the remains were identfied as belonging to Sgt. Lawson. He was buried with full military honours in Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery on 16 March 2017. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1842/2 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1842/1 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 27-01-1944 |
End Date | 28-01-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Linton-on-Ouse |
Day/Night Raid | Night (8% moon) |
Operation | Berlin. 530 aircraft, 33 losses- all Lancasters (6.4%). The German fighters were particularly early joining this stream on this raid- many joining some 75 miles off the Dutch coast The diversionary raids were somewhat successful in luring the fighters away, particularly the Heligoland mining raid. As had now become the norm, Berlin was cloud-covered and sky-marking had to be used, Local reports stated that bombing was spread over a wide area, including smaller towns and village in the outskirts. 20000 people were bombed out and 50 industrial premises hit, including several that were important to war production. 56 people were killed |
Reason for Loss | Attacked three times by a night-fighter over the target and shot down. Abandoned on fire and out of control, crashing at Karcha, near Rausslitz, Germany. P/O MacDonald and P/O Park were able to escape the stricken aircraft but their parachutes failed to open and they were killed. Three survivors became prisoners of war. |