Personnel Index - Detail

Name
LAPPING
First Names
James Balam
Rank
F/O
Service
RAF
Service Number
47652
Crew Position
Navigator
PoW Camp(s)
-
Age
21
Date of Death
08/04/1943
Cemetery

 

Photographed by Malcolm Brooke

8/9 April, 1943; DUISBURG:

The effort for the night was 7 for Duisburg, taking off shortly after 21.00hrs. Once again thick cloud had prevented accurate marking by the PFF. The attacking force of 392 made a scattered attack causing only moderate damage. Heavy flak was encountered in the target area.

By 02.50hrs, 6 of the squadron's Lancasters were back home, but the seventh, F/O Derek Southern and crew, flying their 4th operation with 49, failed to return; their Lancaster came down near Hubbelrath in Germany at 23.45hrs. The 22 year-old pilot, (holder of the DFM) is buried along with his crew in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. They were one of 19 aircraft missing from the raid.

Wartime records show that they were hit by heavy flak over the target from Heavy Flak Batteries 1. and 4./353, 2./I./42, 1. and 3./233.

Lancaster ED590 (EA-L)
F/O D.J.N. Southern DFM Pilot (Killed)
Sgt C.J. Tiley F/E (Killed)
F/O J.B. Lapping NAV (Killed)
F/O A.L. Munro W/AG (Killed)
P/O J.L. Rollins RAAF A/G (Killed)
Sgt G.S. Pring B/A (Killed)
Sgt H. Chatterton A/G (Killed)

Crew on their 4th operation