CAPTAIN: Hyde
LANCASTER ND640 0F-R
Shot down on March 31st 1944 by a night-fighter, all the crew were killed.
CREW
Pilot: Leonard Victor Hyde
Flight Engineer: Maurice Emerson Putt
Navigator: Eric Hewitt Palmer
Bomb Aimer: James Craig
W/Op: Eric Hill
M/U Gunner: Richard James Weller
Rear Gunner: Richard Taylor
DETAILS
From the ORB
30.3.44 Some training was carried out prior to briefing. 14 crews were detailed to attack Nuremburg. Weather was 7 to 10/10ths cloud with tops varying from 10,000′ to 20,000′ with thick haze. 2 red TIs were seen to disappear under the cloud at 0103 hours. A cluster of skymarkers were observed at 0110, in a concentration east of Nuremburg with two others south of the city. The attack tended to become scattered towards the end, however, a large explosion was noted at 0113 hours. The flak was moderate to heavy, no searchlights. Fighters were up in great strength. Command experienced their heaviest night’s loss in 96 aircraft. F/Lt Rowlands and crews and F/Lt Hyde and crew failed to return. P/O Edwards was badly shot up, returned safely.
ND640R F/L O.B.Hyde, F/Sgt M.E.Putt, F/L E.H.Palmer, F/L J.Craig, F/Sgt E.Hill, F/O R.J.Weller, P/O R.Taylor. Up 2230. 4 x TI, 1 x 4000lb, 762 x 4lb incs, 48 x 4lb “X” incs, 4 red/yellow flares – missing.
“I saw the light of tracer fire and an aircraft hit and going down on fire. Its markers must have been jettisoned for I saw them burst below. I identified the markers as belonging to those of the sircraft which had taken off just before me and was sure then that it was my friend Len Hyde.” (Flight Lieutenant C.S.Chatten, 97 Squadron)
Lancaster III ND640 OF – R. Op Nurnberg. T/O 2230 Bourn. Outbound, shot down by Oblt Martin Becker, I/NJG6, piloting a Me110, and crashed at Munchholzhausen, 5km ESE of Wetzlar. All rest in Hannover War Cemetery. F/O Weller had previously flown with 78 Squadron, the London Gazette publishing his award in their 13 July 1943 supplement.
F/L L.V.Hyde DFC(+), F/S M.E.Putt(+), F/L E.H.Palmer DFC(+), F/O J.Craig DFC RCAF(+), F/S E.Hill(+), F/O R.J.Weller DFM(+), P/O R.Taylor DFC(+).
Leonard Victor Hyde, Maurice Emerson Putt, Eric Hewitt Palmer, James Craig, Eric Hill, Richard James Weller, Richard Taylor
