Upton, Eric Basil
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | Eric Basil |
Surname | Upton |
Gender | M |
Age | 19 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 15-02-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Arthur Thomas Upton and Dorothy Upton, of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax V |
Serial Number | LL140 |
Markings | MP-A |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 239. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 257 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1809229 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 76 |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Behind old Main Guardroom, former Holme On Spalding Moor Airfield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Pillar with inscribed Metal Plaques |
Memorial Text | In Remembrance of the aircrew members from the UK,Australia,New Zealand,Canada and Norway,who gave their lives in the cause of freedom in operational sorties against the enemy from 76 Sqn 1941-1945 and to the ground personal who lost their lives by enemy |
Location | All Saints Church, Holme On Spalding Moor, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stained Glass Window and Roll of Honour within Wooden Box with inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | S G Window In memory of 76 Sqn R.A.F / Roll of honour In memory of those members of 76 Sqn R.A.F who were killed on active service 1939-1954 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 15-02-1944 |
End Date | 16-02-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Holme-on-Spalding-Moor |
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 | Shot down by a Ju 88 on the approach to Berlin, setting light to the port inner engine. Abandoned but Sgt Upton plunged through the ice cover on Schwerinersee and drowned. The Halifax itself crashed at Plate, SSE of Schwerin, Germany |