Mission: Heligoland

Date: 26th August 1941

Unit: No. 82 Squadron

Type: Blenheim IV

Serial: T2165

Code: UX-W

Base: R.A.F. Bodney, Norfolk.

Location: Target area

Pilot: Sq/Ldr. Francis Alfred George Lascelles D.F.C. 40398 R.A.F. Age 29. Killed (1)

Obs: Fl/Sgt. William John Ordway 529743 R.A.F. Age 28. Killed (2)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Cecil Pollock Weir 551626 R.A.F. Age 21. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 10.32 hrs from R.A.F. Bodney, Thetford in Norfolk to carry out coastal sweeps with 2 ships claimed as sunk. This squadron suffered multiple losses, with 4 aircraft being lost on this operation.
T2165 is believed to have been shot down by Lt. Dahne of 2./JG52 - all crew killed. Also lost from this squadron on this daylight operation:
R3767 UX-R. Flown by Sgt. Reginald Greenough killed with other 2 crew members.
V6435 UX-V. Flown by Fl/Lt. Harold Shuttleworth killed with other 2 crew members.
Z7277 UX-F. Flown by Sgt. Alexander Dick killed with other 2 crew members.

(1) Sq/Ldr. Francis Alfred George Lascelles D.F.C. Later posthumously promoted to Wing Commander.
(2) Fl/Sgt. William John Ordway was a pupil of Moseley Grammar School from 1924 to 1929.

Burial details:

Sq/Ldr. Francis Alfred George Lascelles D.F.C. Sage War Cemetery Grave 13.D.8
Son of Sir Alfred George Lascelles, Kt., K.C., and of Lady Lascelles (nee Thynne), of Terrington, Yorkshire.
Fl/Sgt. William John Ordway. Sage War Cemetery Grave 13.D.13
No further details - last known address: 181 Bromyard Road, Hall Green, Birmingham.
Fl/Sgt. Cecil Pollock Weir. Sage War Cemetery Grave 13.D.7
Son of George and Maud Weir, of Portrush, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Researched by Kelvin T. Youngs (A.R. Society) For relatives of the crew.
Acknowledgments: With thanks to the following: Keith Townsend, historian of Moseley School memorial records, Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses",Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt "Bomber Command War Diaries", the superb work of the C.W.G.C.