Personnel Index - Detail

Name
ASTBURY
First Names
Colin Keith
Rank
Sgt, P/O, F/O
Service
RAAF
Service Number
A400897
Crew Position
Bomb Aimer
Posting In
Comments 
PoW Camp(s)
-

 

F Lt Astbury RAAF DFC ('Aspro') flew a tour of 29 ops with 49 Squadron as a Bomb Aimer before volunteering for a second tour with 617 Squadron.

He was awarded the DFC, DFC and Bar.
 

49Sqn Association
 

49sqn Association

Only thirty two airman were awarded a Victoria Cross during WW2. Leonard Cheshire, seen here on the right being congratulated on his own VC by F/Lt Keith Astbury DFC.
(Image believed to be have taken at the Petwood Hotel)

Cheshire was the only airman during the second world war to receive this supreme honour for an extended and consistent period of extreme courage and devotion to duty, rather than a single superlative act.

 

49Sqn Association

 A special raid

With this special crew shown below, Group Captain Slee acted as the Master Bomber.

G E Fawke (Pilot)
No flight Engineer
St Claire-Miller (Navigator)
C K Astbury (Bomb Aimer)
J M Stewart (W/Op)
W P Mullock (Major shown in MUG position)
H W Mills (Rear Gunner)
L C Slee (Master Bomber)

Further details from John Ward (Association President )
W/C Slee the former CO was now station commander at Dunholme and as such a Group Captain.
This was the first 'shuttle' ie bomb a southern German target then fly on and land in Africa, bomb up and attack another target on the way home.
Slee came back to his old squadron to be Master Bomber on the raid.
The crew was put together especially for the occasion..