Personnel Index - Detail

Name
BLAHA
First Names
Oldrich Dennis
Rank
Sergeant
Service
RAF
Service Number
1259786 (NCO) 143580 (Officer)
Crew Position
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Posting In
2/42
Posting Out
3/43
Cemetery

 

Awarded the DFM.

Flew 28 Hampden operations in a variety of crew positions.

F/O Blaha was killed whilst flying with 44Sqn on the 2nd January 1944 and is buried in the Berlin War Cemetery.



Photographed by Dom Howard.

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Extract is from Bill Chorley's Bomber Command Losses

6/7 September, 1942; DUISBURG - NICKELS/RHEIMS:

Sgt Thom (R5744), flying as captain for the first time, successfully completed a leaflet sortie in the Rheims area of France. Meanwhile, the Main Force, comprising 207 bombers attacked Duisburg. The squadron dispatched 9 aircraft, all of which attacked the target successfully. Whilst on their bomb run P/O Jeffreys (R5752) and crew received three direct hits from flak, during which time the 2nd pilot, Sgt Gregory-Coleman RAAF and Sgt Maloney were wounded. The aircraft Captain managed to nurse his Lancaster back to England where over Orfordness he ordered four crew members to parachute to safety. P/O Jeffreys remained at the controls in order to attempt a safe landing with his wounded comrades onboard. A belly landing was made at Martlesham Heath airfield, but sadly too late for Sgt Gregory-Coleman who had succumbed to his injuries.
He is buried in Ipswich Cemetery.

Lancaster R5752
P/O G.S. Jeffreys Pilot (Injured)
Sgt W.P.J. Gregory-Coleman RAAF 2nd Pilot (Killed)
Sgt J. Harrison (Safe)
Sgt O.D. Blaha W/AG (Safe)
Sgt W.L. Van Der Dasson RCAF (Safe)
Sgt J.C. Morgan (Safe)
Sgt P. Maloney W/AG (Injured)