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Avro Lancaster Mk III ND845 MG-C. by M A Kinnear.
Aircraft History: ND845 was one of 600 Mk III Lancasters delivered to the RAF from December 1943 to May 1944 by A V Roe (Chadderton) Delivered to No.7 Squadron, it was lost on the night of 19th/20th May 1944, whilst acting as Master Bomber on a raid against the railway marshalling yards at Le Mans. It is believed it was in collision with another No.7 Squadron Lancaster JB653 (MG - R) piloted by Squadron Leader J M Dennis - the Deputy Master Bomber. There were no survivors from either crew.
Wing Commander James Fraser Barron, DSO, DFC, DFM: Born on 9th January 1921 in Dunedin, New Zealand, James Fraser Barron commenced training in the RNZAF on 2nd July 1940. Following his qualification as a Sergeant pilot, he arrived in the UK and was selected for bomber training and after leaving No.20 Operational Training Unit at RAF Lossiemouth - where Barron and his crew survived a ditching in a Wellington- they were posted to Short Stirling equipped No.15 Squadron at RAF Wyton, completing his first tour. Posted to No.1651 Conversion Unit, Waterbeach as an instructor he was commissioned as Pilot Officer in March 1942 and in May 1942 was awarded the DFM for his service with No.15 squadron. During this period he managed to take part in further sorties including the One Thousand Bomber Raids against Cologne, Essen and Bremen. In September 1942, Barron joined No.7 squadron, flying 16 sorties on this tour - during which he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant, followed in December 1942 by the award of his Path Finder Force badge. At the end of his tour in February 1943, he was awarded the DFC and a fortnight later his first DSO. He was then posted to No.11 OTU, Wescott. Tiring of the training environment, Fraser Barron eventually persuaded Hamish Mahaddie (at one time his flight commander) to approve his return to operations - an approval regretted by Hamish. Fraser rejoined the now Lancaster equipped No.7 Squadron in December 1943, which was for Bomber Command a period of heavy losses. Fraser took part in several sorties including on the night of 19th/20th February 1944, the Leipzig raid - during which the RAF lost 78 bombers. He was promoted to Wing Commander in February 1944 and on 28th April was appointed C.O. of No.7 Squadron. Fraser and his crew were now often used as Master Bomber to control bomber attacks and for one such attack on Nantes on 7th May 1944 he was awarded the bar to his DSO. On the night of 19th/20th May 1944, whilst on his third tour - his 79th sortie in all, Fraser Barron and his crew were lost during a raid against the railway marshalling yards at Le Mans. He was twenty three years old. |
| | Item Code : AP0018 | Avro Lancaster Mk III ND845 MG-C. by M A Kinnear. - Editions Available | Extra....No.7 Squadron was formed 1st May 1914 at Farnborough as a Scout squadron, and went to France April 1915, equipped with the Vickers Gunbus. No.7 squadron saw service through the war with BE2c, RE5 and RE8 aircraft. The squadron pioneered the use of R/T (instead of normal W/T), using it operationally for the first time in October 1918. Disbanded at Farnborough on 31st December 1919 it reformed at Bircham Newton on 1st June 1923 equipped with Vickers Vimy bombers. These were replaced by the Vickers Virginia after moving to Worthy Down in April 1927. Between the wars No.7 squadron was equipped with various aircraft including the Handley Page Heyfords, Vickers Wellesleys and Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys and became the leading bomber squadron, winning the Laurence Minot Memorial Bombing Trophy more than any other squadron. At the outbreak of World War II, the squadron was equipped with Handley Page Hampdens, until August 1940, when it equipped with the RAFs first four engined bomber, the Short Stirling Mk I - becoming the first RAF squadron to be equipped with four engined bombers. The first raid by No.7 was 10th February 1941 on Rotterdam. The squadron settled down to a night bombing role, adding mine laying to its duties in 1942. Later with four other squadrons, it formed the nucleus of the new Pathfinder Force, its task to find and accurately mark targets with flares. In May 1943, the Stirling (which was handicapped by a low operational ceiling - it had to fly through flak rather than over it) was gradually replaced by the Avro Lancaster, which No.7 used in Peenemunde in August. From June1944 and until the end of the war, the squadron also undertook a daylight operational role in support of land forces in France and the low countries, and against V-1 and V-2 sites. No.7 squadron flew to Singapore in January 1947, and converted to Avro Lincolns, seeing action against Communist terrorists in Malay, during Operation Firedog. Returning to UK, having won the Laurence Minot Memorial Bombing Trophy outright for the eighth time it was disbanded 1st January 1956. Reforming in November of the same year with the Vickers Valiant V bomber. Disbanded on 30th September 1962, it was reformed in May 1970 at RAF St. Mawgan on target provision duties. Equipped with the English Electric Canberra, the squadron provided targets for the Army and Navy anti aircraft guns. They also provided silent targets for radar station practice. On 12th December 1981 the squadron was again disbanded, reforming soon after as the second operational Boeing Vertol Chinook helicopter Squadron on 2nd September 1982.
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