Photo: Brian Chandler

Photo: Brian Chandler

Loading Bombs 51st Squadron RAF Snaith

Beside it is a family headstone which reads:

In
loving memory of
Margaret Dodd,
wife of Robert Bird,
died 18 Dec. 1946, aged 64 years.
Also of the above
Robert Bird
died 28 Sep. 1961, aged 73 years.
Also Olga, daughter of the above,
died 29 June 1919, aged 10 years
Also John Lambert,
son of the above
died in an air operation
14 March 1945, aged 24 years.

Sergeant John Lambert Bird was serving with 51st Squadron. He was a crew member of Halifax III NP932 MH-J, which took part in a raid from Snaith on a mission to block the town of Homberg and prevent its use as a centre of communication. On the return flight, it made three attempts to land before crashing 8 miles west of Selby. All the crew were killed.

Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, 1945 W.R. Chorley, Midland Counties Publications, 1998; ISBN 0 904597 92 X.

No 51(B) Squadron Codes MH.

[C Flight coded LK, changed to C, 6th January, 1944]. Based at Snaith, Yorkshire [4 Group] and converted from Whitleys to B Mk II Halifaxes in November 1942. Converted to B Mk IIIs January 1944 and No 578(B) Squadron formed from C Flight. Last operational mission was on the 25th April 1945 target Wangerooge, Reduced to two flights 7th February 1945. Transferred to Transport Command 8th May 1945. Converted to Stirlings June 1945, and last Halifax departed July.

The above Halifax was made by the English Electric Co Ltd (200 Aircraft). Contract No ACFT/2553, requisition HA15/E11/43. Deliveries commenced August 1944, [NP930]. B/GR/Met Mk III NP930-976, NP988-999, NR113-156, NR169-211, NR225-258, NR271-290.

Source: The Handley Page Halifax K. A Merrick. 1990, Aston Publications. ISBN 0946629-60-6.

Photo:- Handley Page Halifax B Mark II Series 1A, HR952 'MH-X', of No. 51 Squadron RAF receiving a mixed load of 500-lb MC bombs and incendiaries in its dispersal at RAF Snaith, Yorkshire, for a night raid on Germany.

Royal Air Force official photographer - This is photograph CH 11622 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums.

John Lambert Bird is remembered in Newbrough on N12.04 and N12.07

RAF Bomber Command Aircrew Remembered
51st Squadron Association
Handley Page Halifax
History 51st Squadron
The CWGC entry for Sergeant Bird