Personnel Index - Detail

Name
FAWKE
First Names
Gerald Ernest
Rank
F/O
Service
RAF
Service Number
111547
Crew Position
Pilot
Posting In
Posted out 4/43.

 

Photographed with his crew at Fiskerton during Jan/Feb 1943, shortly before he completed his tour of 33 operations.

Awarded the DFC and DSO.
 

49Sqn Association


(left to right):
F/Sgt Fortin (W/Op);
Sgt Cole (F/Eng);
P/O Bennett DFM (NAV);
F/O Fawke DFC (Pilot);
Sgt Osler DFM (B/A);
Sgt Bratt (M/U);
Sgt Walters (R/G).

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.