121280 P/O R.A. CURLE RAFVR PILOT

On the 16th September 1942 Wellington N2782 took off from Lichfield at 19.48 hrs on an  Operational  Mission to bomb Essen.

CREW

121280 P/O R.A. Curle RAFVR Pilot  

411113 F/O E.C. Crapp RAAF

412481 P/O R.H. Chapman RAAF

403699 F/O H. Riding RAAF

416149 F/Sgt G.W. Durdin RAAF

Whilst over the target the aircraft was hit by flak which destroyed the port aileron and this resulted in severe handling difficulties. They managed to reach the South Coast and at 03.20 hrs all successfully baled out over Andover in Hampshire.

Some members of the crew were eventually posted to 100 Sqdn Grimsby. On the 4th March 1943 Lancaster ED549 took off from Grimsby at 18.38 hrs on a Gardening Op over France. The aircraft crashed somewhere near the target area and there were no survivors.

Fl/Lt Curle is buried at Le Chateau-D'Oleron Cemetry, Charente-Maritime France

F/O Crapp is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial - Panel 187

F/O Riding is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial - Panel 189

F/Sgt Durdin is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial - Panel 192

P/O Chapman was not part of this Crew as he died on the 25th October 1942 in circumstances as yet unknown. He is buried at Torquay Cemetry Extension Sec M.X. Grave 15184