Piper, Mervyn Kenneth
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | Mervyn Kenneth |
Surname | Piper |
Gender | M |
Age | 20 |
Date of Death | 15-02-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Reginald and Gladys Piper, of Abingdon, Berkshire. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
Serial Number | LW557 |
Markings | LK-Q |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 236. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 226 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1604993 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 578 |
Squadron Motto | Accuracy |
Trade | Flight Engineer |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to A19, Burn, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Memorial Stone |
Memorial Text | For all who served in 578 Squadron Royal Air Force Burn 1944 - 1945 |
Location | Methodist Church, Burn, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text |
Location | Selby Abbey, Selby, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | RoH in Glass topped wooden cabinet |
Memorial Text | In memory of all 578 Sqn Aircrew who failed to return from Ops at RAF Burn |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2050/4 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2050/3 |
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 | 15-02-1944 |
End Date | 16-02-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Burn |
Day/Night Raid | Night (63% moon) |
Operation | Berlin. 891 aircraft- the largest raid on Berlin and in fact the largest 'non-1000' raid of the war. The bomb tonnage dropped was also a record at 2642 tons. 43 aircraft losses (4.8%). The bomber stream was tracked by the German controllers as soon as it left the English coast but a swing to the north over Denmark for the approach was effective as it was out of the range of many fighters. The controller ordered that Berlin be kept free of fighters to allow the flak batteries the full range of altitudes but many ignored the order and attacked bombers over the target. Berlin was cloud covered but the bombing was reasonably concentrated, although some bombs fell on outlying towns and villages. Damage was extensive with over 1000 houses and 526 temporary accommodation barracks destroyed. Some of the most important war industries were hit and 320 people were killed. The relatively low death toll is a reflection of the fact that large-scale evacuations had taken place by now. |
Reason for Loss | Believed to have crashed due to engine failure near Tribohm, NNE of Marlow, Germany |