Crew: De Wesselow

On BLACK THURSDAY, 16/17 December 1943, this crew was flying in Lancaster JB712 OF-U, U-Uncle, the last aircraft to land safely at Bourn before the fog grew too thick.

Crew on Black Thursday

Pilot: F/L Peter de Wesselow
Flight Engineer: F/S William, known as Bill Bamlett
Navigator: S/L Ingalls
Bomb Aimer: F/O Gordon Cooper
W/Op: F/S Fred White
Mid-Upper Gunner: W/O Grant Muckart
Rear Gunner: P/O James Saynor

DETAILS: The very last Lancaster to land at Bourn that night, U-Uncle belonged to B Flight. The crew were welcomed by Cawdery’s crew on their entrance to the B Flight debriefing room, sharing a mutual delight in having survived. Apart from the special case of Coates’s Lancaster, U-Uncle was the very last 97 Squadron aircraft to land safely that night.