Personnel Index - Detail

Name
WEBB
First Names
Maurice Gordon
Rank
Sgt
Service
RAF
Service Number
R101741
Crew Position
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner
PoW Date
16/06/1943
Aircraft
Lancaster ED785
Target
Cologne
PoW Camp(s)
PoW Number
283

 

Maurice died on 12 Jan 1996 in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

16/17 June, 1943; COLOGNE:

The squadron contributed 9 aircraft to the total force of 202 bombers sent to attack Cologne. The Pathfinders used H2S to place sky markers over a cloud covered target. Only half the Main Force managed to bomb with the remainder being turned back due to the adverse weather. The cost to Bomber Command was 14 Lancasters... and their crews. Those aircraft that did get through caused widespread damage to the housing areas of the city.
Seven Lancasters landed safely back at Fiskerton, each crew having completed successful trips; but as W/Cmdr Peter Johnson, still in his flying gear, scanned the operations board he realised that 2 more of the squadron's aircraft had failed to come home.
S/Ldr George Storey's Lancaster (ED785) had come down in the Scheldt Estuary near Flushing, Holland; the body of the Squadron Leader (on his second tour) was recovered from the sea near Westkapelle on 21 June. He is buried along with five of his fellow crew members in Flushing Cemetery; Sgt Bill Waring's body has never been found; Sgt Webb, the Candian W/AG, managed to bale out and became a PoW (Camp 357).

Lancaster ED785
S/L G.G. Storey Pilot (Killed)
Sgt G.S Underlin F/E (Killed)
F/O R.C Blythe NAV (Killed)
Sgt M.G. Webb RCAF W/AG (P.o.W.)
Sgt H. Buttrey A/G (Killed)
Sgt W.H. Waring B/A (Missing)
Sgt M.E. Bunn RCAF A/G (Killed)
Sgt Burnside 2nd Pilot (Killed)

Crew on their 7th operation

It appears that Maurice flew with several crews during his period with 49Sqn. He appears in two images taken with the Tickler crew.
 

Image courtesy of Deb Flemming (neice of Sgt M.G Webb)

26th December 1942
Jack Matthews - navigator
George Silvester - rear gunner
Art Davies - mid upper gunner
Maurice Webb - wireless operator
Dennis Downing - flight engineer
Ed Tickler - pilot
Ted Lowans - bomb aimer
 

Image courtesy of Deb Flemming (niece of Sgt M.G Webb)
An undated photograph

Ted Lowans - bomb aimer
Maurice Webb - W.A.G
Ted Tickler - pilot
W.A. Davies - rear gunner
Jack Matthews - navigator