Personnel Index - Detail

Name
JEFFREYS
First Names
Gordon Sidney
Rank
F/O
Service
RAF
Service Number
101546
Crew Position
Pilot
Age
21
Date of Death
17/01/1943
Location

 

Awarded the DFC

Flew at least 27 Hampden and 4 Manchester operations with 49Sqn
 

Photographed by Malcolm Brooke


P/O G S Jeffreys provided by Ben Jordan

The DFC awarded at Buckingham Palace (picture provided by Ben Jordan)

Image courtesy of Ben Jordan

Image courtesy of Ben Jordan

17/18th January, 1943; BERLIN:

Over 180 bombers followed the same route back to Berlin as the previous night. The ground of northern Europe was snow covered, but above the clouds in the moonlit sky, vapour condensation trails marked the bombers passage. Despite good visibility over the city, the Pathfinders were unable to accurately mark and most bombs fell-away to the south of the city. German night fighters attacked the bomber stream with good effect with 22 bombers failing to return home. Amongst those missing were F/O Gordon Jeffreys DFC, and crew of 49 Squadron, whose Lancaster had taken off from Fiskerton at 17.04hrs, along with 8 other 49 Squadron aircraft. This unfortunate crew were the first to be lost on operations flying from RAF Fiskerton; three members of the crew were killed and are buried in Kiel War Cemetery.

Lancaster ED444 (EA-C)
F/O G.S. Jeffreys Pilot (Killed)
Sgt R.S. Fermor F/E (P.o.W.)
F/O D.J. Robertson NAV (P.o.W.)
F/S N.E. Mortimer W/OP (P.o.W.)
Sgt H. Cowan A/G (Killed)
F/O C.A. Watts B/A (Killed)
Sgt J.E. Harrison A/G (P.o.W.)