Phillips, James Michael
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | James Michael |
Surname | Phillips |
Gender | M |
Age | 22 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 22-11-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of James Marr Phillips and Nellie Phillips, of Sutton, Surrey. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | HR977 |
Markings | NP-A |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Reichswald Forest War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 16. A. 13. |
Epitaph | AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER THEM (excerpt from "For The Fallen" by Laurence Binyon) |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 226 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1458031 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 158 |
Trade | Air Bomber |
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 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1048/45 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1048/44 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 22-11-1943 |
End Date | 23-11-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Lissett |
Day/Night Raid | Night (22% moon) |
Operation | Berlin. 764 aircraft- the largest raid on Berlin so far and the last to include Stirlings which had not fared well in recent raids on the city. Bad weather again kept the night-fighters at bay and as a result 26 aircraft were Lost (3.4%). The target was completely cloud-covered but despite the weather, this was the most successful raid on Berlin of the war. An unseasonably dry spell led to several firestorms and there was an immense area of destruction. At least 3000 houses were destroyed along with 23 industrial premises. 175000 people were bombed out and the list of municipal buildings damaged or destroyed is too long to include. The famous Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church was hit this night- it is a famous landmark in Berlin to this day because it was deliberately only part-restored. Five Siemens factories and the Alkett tank works were destroyed, the latter having been moved to Berlin from the Ruhr after its destruction earlier in the conflict. |
Reason for Loss | Crashed near Klein Berssen, Germany |