CREW MEMBER PROFILE

Surname:

CULSHAW

First Name/s:

William Edmund

No Image

Service No/s:

1685284

Service:

RAFVR

Branch:

Air Gunner

Awards:

Return

SERVICE RECORDS

Date

Event

Aircraft Flown

25 Nov 1943

Joined 576 Sqn at Elsham Wolds, Linconshire

Auto loaded with initial creation of profile

04 Apr 1945

Set Rank from Flight Record

04 Apr 1945

Set Rank from Flight Record

13 Apr 1945

Set Rank from Flight Record

576 Squadron FLYING RECORDS

Date

Aircraft

Code

Flight Details

T/O

Land

Flt Time

Crew

28 Mar 1945

NX576

UL-K2

Training

1215

1755

5h40

P1   Plt Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE    C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Sgt R.A. Lisk
MUG  Sgt J.W. Farrow
RG   Sgt W.E. Culshaw

NOTES:

Loaded cross-country navigation exercise with high-level bombing at a range

03 Apr 1945

RE127

UL-L2

Training

1135

1350

2h15

P1   Plt Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Sgt R.A. Lisk
MUG  Sgt J.W. Farrow
RG   Sgt W.E. Culshaw

NOTES:

High-level bombing at a range, fighter affiliation, and air-to-sea firing

04 Apr 1945

LM294

UL-P2

Air Test

1300

1410

1h10

P1    W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE    C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV   E.A.J. Taylor
WOp   R.A. Lisk
MUG   J.W. Farrow
RG    W.E. Culshaw

NOTES:

Air test

13 Apr 1945

NX562

UL-F

Training

1415

1810

3h55

P1   Plt Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Sgt R.A. Lisk
MUG  Sgt J.W. Farrow
RG   Sgt W.E. Culshaw

NOTES:

Low-level cross-country navigation exercise, high-level bombing at a range, and air-to-sea firing

18 Apr 1945

LM227

UL-I

HELIGOLAND

1005

1450

4h45

P1   Plt Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Sgt R.A. Lisk
MUG  Sgt J.W. Farrow
RG   Sgt W.E. Culshaw

NOTES:

Target: Naval base, submarine repair yards, airfield & built-up area Load: 12x 1000lb and 4x 500lb bombs

20 Apr 1945

RE127

UL-L

Training

1430

1505

0h35

P1   Plt Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Sgt R.A. Lisk
MUG  Sgt J.W. Farrow
RG   Sgt W.E. Culshaw

NOTES:

Sack dropping in practice for Operation MANNA; dropped at 300 ft

22 Apr 1945

RE127

UL-L

BREMEN

1525

2045

5h20

P1   Plt Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Sgt R.A. Lisk
MUG  Sgt W.E. Culshaw
RG   Sgt J.W. Farrow

NOTES:

Target: The Focke-Wulf aircraft factory and enemy troop concentrations. Flown in support of the British XXX Corps who were attacking the city. Load: 1x 4000lb, 6x 1000lb, and 8x 500lb bombs The Master Bomber abandoned the attack due to low cloud cover over target and instructed crews to bring bombs back. The less experienced crews jettisoned their bombloads.

23 Apr 1945

ME492

UL-J

Training

1535

1830

2h55

P1   Plt Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Sgt R.A. Lisk
MUG  Sgt J.W. Farrow
RG   Sgt W.E. Culshaw

NOTES:

Low-level cross-country navigation exercise with bombing on a range

24 Apr 1945

LM594

UL-A

Air Test

1930

1945

0h15

P1   Plt Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Sgt R.A. Lisk
MUG  Sgt J.W. Farrow
RG   Sgt W.E. Culshaw

NOTES:

Flight Test

25 Apr 1945

RE127

UL-L

BERCHTESGADEN

0530

1335

8h05

P1   Plt Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Sgt R.A. Lisk
MUG  Sgt W.E. Culshaw
RG   Sgt J.W. Farrow

NOTES:

Target: Hitler’s ‘Eagle’s Nest’ complex & SS barracks Load: 1x 4000lb, 4x 1000lb, and 1x 500lb bombs

29 Apr 1945

RF200

UL-D

VALKENBURG (LEIDEN) AIRFIELD

1145

1440

2h55

P1   Plt Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Sgt R.A. Lisk
MUG  Sgt W.E. Culshaw
RG   Sgt J.W. Farrow

NOTES:

Operation MANNA. Dropping food for the starving Dutch population. Load: All aircraft: 4 blocks

30 Apr 1945

RF200

UL-D

DELFT (THE HAGUE) AIRFIELD

1505

1810

3h05

P1   Plt Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Sgt R.A. Lisk
MUG  Sgt W.E. Culshaw
RG   Sgt J.W. Farrow

NOTES:

Operation MANNA. Dropping food for the starving Dutch population. Load: 4 blocks

01 May 1945

RF200

UL-D

ROTTERDAM

1505

1825

3h20

P1   Fg Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Sgt R.A. Lisk
MUG  Sgt J.W. Farrow
RG   Sgt W.E. Culshaw

NOTES:

Operation MANNA. Dropping food for the starving Dutch population. Load: All aircraft: 4 blocks

03 May 1945

RF200

UL-D

VALKENBURG (LEIDEN) AIRFIELD

1025

1320

2h55

P1   Fg Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Sgt R.A. Lisk
MUG  Sgt R.A. Farrell
RG   Sgt W.E. Culshaw

NOTES:

Operation MANNA. Dropping food for the starving Dutch population. Load: All aircraft: 4 blocks

05 May 1945

RF200

UL-D

ROTTERDAM

0640

0945

3h05

P1   Fg Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Sgt R.A. Lisk
MUG  Sgt J.W. Farrow
RG   Sgt W.E. Culshaw

NOTES:

Operation MANNA. Dropping food for the starving Dutch population. Load: All aircraft: 4 blocks

07 May 1945

RA562

UL-B

ROTTERDAM

1215

1555

3h40

P1   Fg Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Sgt R.A. Lisk
MUG  Sgt J.W. Farrow
RG   Sgt W.E. Culshaw

NOTES:

Operation MANNA. Dropping food for the starving Dutch population. Load: All aircraft: 4 blocks

22 Aug 1945

NX576

UL-K

FISKERTON – POMIGLIANO

0735

nk

nk

P1   Fg Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Flt Sgt G.T.E. Lynn
MUG  Sgt W.E. Culshaw
RG   

NOTES:

Operation DODGE These DODGE sorties comprised Pilot, Engineer, Air Bomber, Nav, WOp and a gunner in the mid-upper turret. The crews below are listed in that order.

24 Aug 1945

NX576

UL-K

POMIGLIANO – GLATTON

nk

nk

nk

P1   Fg Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Flt Sgt G.T.E. Lynn
MUG  Sgt W.E. Culshaw
RG   

NOTES:

DODGE These DODGE sorties comprised Pilot, Engineer, Air Bomber, Nav, WOp and a gunner in the mid-upper turret. The crews below are listed in that order.

24 Aug 1945

NX576

UL-K

GLATTON – FISKERTON

nk

1820

nk

P1   Fg Off W.J.C. Hood
P2   
FE   Flt Sgt C.F. Lea
AB   Sgt R.G. Ashford
NAV  Sgt E.A.J. Taylor
WOp  Flt Sgt G.T.E. Lynn
MUG  Sgt W.E. Culshaw
RG   

NOTES:

Operation DODGE These DODGE sorties comprised Pilot, Engineer, Air Bomber, Nav, WOp and a gunner in the mid-upper turret. The crews below are listed in that order.

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