Sgt. D. Copson - 61 Sq.

[John Larder]

Flew with the Watkins crew 26/27 July 1944 but had been injured previously. Does anyone have his service no. and details of the incident he was injured in.

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

Sgt D Copson, was the rear gunner aboard No.61 Sqn Lancaster III JB351, which was shot about by a night-fighter raiding Scholven-Buer, on 21/22-6-1944. On return to the UK, AUS421619 P/O R H Passant RAAF* landed JB351 at Woodbridge at 0250. On clearing the runway, the Lancaster was hit and totally wrecked by a No.214 Sqn Fortress (SR381), which was also making a forced-landing at Woodbridge with night-fighter damage. Apart from Sgt Copson, no other injuries reported on JB351.

See: BCL5/289 & 296.

* + 7/8-7-1944 - No.61 Sqn. Lancaster I R5856 - BCL5/323.

Col.

[MSIMPSON]

Hello,
It would appear that your man is 1580658 Dennis Copson,found in AIR78/36 part 2,page 40.The only other D.Copson listed would appear to be a National Serviceman.
Regards,Mark Simpson.

[AlanW]

John,
Sgt D. Copson, 1580658, posted in with Passant crew to 61sqdn 11/5/44.

Alan

[John Larder]

Thanks for prompt response Mark, Col & Alan

[ianh]

Hi John

Passant's Lanc was coded QR-R. Hydraulics u/s after an encounter with nightfighters and its bomb doors had jammed. It landed with 11,000 lb of bombs still aboard, swung and came to rest on the S side of Woodbridge's north flarepath where it was hit and chopped in two by F/L D M Peden's fighter-damaged 214 Sqn Fortress SR381, BU-F arriving shortly afterwards.

Just a few minutes later another badly damaged Lanc (ND442, OL-O of 83 Sqn, P/O D J Hegarty) came in, collapsed its undercart and ended up 200 yds from the other pair. This one also had 11,000 lb of bombs aboard, plus 2 TI flares.

As if that wasn't exciting enough a fourth damaged a/c (57 Sqn Lanc LM114, DX-K, P/O A V H Wardle) then immediately arrived with a badly flak-damaged port wing, possible undercarriage damage and just 15 mins of fuel left, but was guided in safely over the top of the earlier trio and landed safely on its undercarriage.

I got these details having researched both 214 Sqn and RAF Woodbridge. As you can imagine from these descriptions it was quite a frantic few minutes that night!!

Hope this is of interest.

Regards

Ian

[John Larder]

Ian

Thanks very much for your very detailed reply.