West, Harry
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | Harry |
Surname | West |
Gender | M |
Age | 20 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 31-03-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Harry and Maud West, of Derby. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster II |
Serial Number | LL738 |
Markings | JI-D |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 240. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 262 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1523926 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 514 |
Trade | Flight Engineer |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Church of St. John the Evangelist, Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Memorial and RoH |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and memorial to the members of 514 Sqn who served at RAF Waterbeach 1943-1945 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1979/13 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1977/9 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 30-03-1944 |
End Date | 31-03-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Waterbeach |
Day/Night Raid | Night (45% moon) |
Operation | Nuremberg. 795 aircraft, 95 losses (11.9%)- the highest of any raid. High-cloud was expected to offer protection to the bomber stream but the target would be clear for the bombing run. A Mosquito meteorological flight had predicted that in fact that would not be the case, but the raid went ahead anyway. The German controller ignored the diversionary raids and had his fighters circling close to the route of the main force, using Tame Boar tactics. Consequently, the fighters engaged the bombers before they reached the Belgian border. The clear conditions allowed the fighters to pick off bombers at will with 82 of the 95 bombers being Lost on the outbound leg. Strong winds meant that some of the bombers went off the intended route and as a consequence many bombed Schweinfurt in error, some 50 miles from Nuremberg. The problem as exacerbated by two PFF aircraft dropping markers in Schweinfurt. Overall, the raid was a failure and little damage was caused. |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a night-fighter (Ju 88) at 21000'. Crashed, out of control, on the outskirts of Sinzig |