CREW MEMBER PROFILE

Surname:

GROUNDWATER

First Name/s:

Melvin Douglas

Service No/s:

(1878687) 187136

Service:

RAFVR

Branch:

Flight Engineer

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
31 Dec 1944

Set Rank from Flight Record

01 Feb 1945

576 Squadron FLYING RECORDS

Date

Aircraft

Code

Flight Details

T/O

Land

Flt Time

Crew

31 Dec 1944

NF976

UL-Z2

OSTERFIELD

1505

2105

6h00

P1   Plt Off R.C. Sowerbutts
P2   
FE   Plt Off M.D. Groundwater
AB   Fg Off H.J. O’Connor
NAV  Sgt H.W. Porter
WOp  Flt Sgt H.J. Knightbridge
MUG  WO J.J. Hiscocks
RG   Sgt E.W. Webb

NOTES:

OSTERFELD Marshalling yards Load: Z2: 6x No.15, 5x No.14 Incendiary Clusters, and 120x 4lb incendiaries. All other aircraft: 1x 4000lb ‘Cookie’, 6x 1000lb, and 6x 500lb bombs Combat with ME410. No damage sustained. ORB: 'Approaching the target, Fg Off Sowerbutts in Z2 was followed by a ME410. The mid-upper gunner WO Hiscocks opened fire and the fighter broke away.'

01 Feb 1945

PB785

UL-L2

LUDWIGSHAFEN

1610

2255

6h45

P1   Fg Off R.C. Sowerbutts
P2   
FE   Plt Off M.D. Groundwater
AB   Fg Off H.J. O’Connor
NAV  Sgt H.W. Porter
WOp  Flt Sgt H.J. Knightbridge
MUG  Flt Sgt K.K. Cox
RG   WO J.J. Hiscocks

NOTES:

Target: Marshalling yards, factories & troop positions

02 Feb 1945

NG119

UL-D2

WIESBADEN

2125

nk

nk

P1   Fg Off R.C. Sowerbutts
P2   
FE   Plt Off M.D. Groundwater
AB   Fg Off H.J. O’Connor
NAV  Sgt H.W. Porter
WOp  Flt Sgt H.J. Knightbridge
MUG  Sgt G. Lester
RG   Sgt R.E. Streatfield

NOTES:

Target: Built-up Area (where large amounts of troops were resting) - FTR

PERSONAL INFORMATION

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PHOTOS & DOCUMENTS

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