103rd Bomber Squadron

**103Bomber** · 10-04-2009, 12:16 PM

My name is Bill and I live in Alaska..I was named after Edwin Nightingale (KIA around April 1945) He was a pilot for the RAF assigned to the 103rd Bomber Squadron flying a Lancaster. He is buried in France with the cemertary starting with the letter "D". I would like to honor him in visiting where he lived, where his base was, maybe find some of his family, and visit his grave. I could sure use some help or direction.

**CXX** · 10-04-2009, 06:39 PM

Hi Bill,

Welcome to the forum.

I've come up with the following, hope its a help

Regards
Peter.

CWGC :: Casualty Details

Name: NIGHTINGALE, WILLIAM EDWIN
Initials: W E
Nationality: Canadian
Rank: Flying Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Air Force
Unit Text: 103 (R.A.F.) Sqdn.
Age: 20
Date of Death: 08/03/1945
Service No: J/41139
Additional information: Son of William Hall Dodds Nightingale and Lottie Nightingale, of Kingswear, Devon.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 1. A. 7.
Cemetery: CHOLOY WAR CEMETERY

7-8 March 1945

103 Squadron
Lancaster I RA500 PM-B
Op. Dessau

F/O. W E. Nightingale RCAF +
Sgt. H S. Simpson
F/S. R B. Mayahay RCAF inj
F/S. R H. Almas RCAF
Sgt. D. Strickland
F/S. M. Hawreliak RCAF
F/S. J A. Goldie RCAF inj

Took off 1728 hrs from Elsham Wolds. While nearing the aiming point came under attack from a couple of Ju88s the port and starboard outer engines being damaged and F/S. Mayahay RCAF badly wounded. damage was also caused to both turrets and the aircrafts electrical and hydraulic systems. Both would be assailents were beaten off and with fuel pouring from No.1 starboard tank and with most of the starboard fin and rudder shot away, the crew managed to regain the Allied lines where all baled out. Tragically, F/O. Nightingale RCAF failed to open his parachute and he now rests in France at Choloy War Cemetery. Although serving with the RCAF, his home was Kingswear, Devon.

Bomber Command Losses Vol.6 - W R. Chorley.

The Dessau raid of 7/8 March 1945

526 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitos of Nos 1, 3, 6 and 8 Groups raided Dessau. 18 Lancasters lost, 3.4 per cent of the force. This was another devastating raid on a new target in Eastern Germany with the usual town centre, residential, industrial and railway areas all being hit.

Cemetery: CHOLOY WAR CEMETERY
Country: France
Locality: Meurthe-et-Moselle
Location Information: Choloy is a village 28 kilometres west of Nancy and 5 kilometres west of Toul, a town on the N4 road from Paris to Nancy. The Cemetery is 3 kilometres west of Toul on the north side of the D11B road.
Historical Information: Choloy War Cemetery was created by the Army Graves Service for the re-burial of casualties recovered from isolated sites, communal cemeteries, and small churchyards in north-eastern France where permanent maintenance of the graves was not possible. In 1950, for the same reason the Commonwealth War Graves Commission found it necessary to move in to this cemetery more than 100 graves from a number of churchyards and civil cemeteries in the same area. Those who lie in Choloy War Cemetery are mostly airmen; but there are also soldiers belonging to the forces of the United Kingdom who died in the Saar region during the first few months of the war, i.e. up to May 1940, or as prisoners of war. There is now 1 Commonwealth burial of the 1914-1918 war and 461 of the 1939-45 war commemorated in this site. Of these, 23 of the 1939-1945 burials are unidentified. In addition there are 7 Foreign National burials, 2 of which are unidentified and 334 non world war burials here.
No. of Identified Casualties: 778

Kingswear, Devon. - Google Maps

**Oggie2620** · 12-16-2009, 07:57 AM

Hi Bill

More about 103 Bomber Squadron:

Their badge was a black swan with wings elevated and addorsed(?not sure what that means). Their motto was Nili me tangere (touch me not). It was formed at Beaulieu on 1 Sep 1917 as a day bomber unit and was disbanded in 1919 after serving in France (mostly with DH9's). It was reformed in 1936 at Andover and served throughout the war using Hind, Battle, Wellington Ic, Halifax II, Lancaster I & III. It was renumbered 57 Sqn in 1945. In 1954 103 Sqn was brought back and posted to Gutersloh, Germany using Canberras but disbanded again in 1956. In 1959 284 Sqn in Nicosia, Cyprus was renamed 103 Sqn and they used Sycamore Helicopters before moving on to Whirlwind then Wessex Helicopters. In Aug 1963 they were moved to Seletar in Singapore (my father as an Air Traffic Asst 1963 to 1965 in Seletar would have worked with them!) before again being disbanded in 1973!
This website may interest you greatly as it has a link to 103 Sqn pages as well http://www.rafelshamwolds.com/
Just as a last thought. They were based at RAF Honington 16/06/40 til 03/07/40 which is where I am currently stationed! Spooky eh....
Dee