AIRBORNE ACADEMIC
A noteworthy Egyptologist and scholar went above and beyond to serve his country in World War Two. However, all his efforts only led to tragedy, as Ross J Robertson discovers
As the last vestiges of twilight faded away on April 3, 1943, the engines of Halifax Mk.II serial JB845 roared into life. It soon gathered momentum and headed down the runway at Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire. At 2000hrs it was airborne and wheels-up.
The other 11 aircraft from 78 Squadron were already aloft, so pilot Flight Lieutenant Thomas Richardson pushed his four Rolls-Royce Merlins as hard as he dared to make the agreed rendezvous before they would all head southeast for their target in Germany.
Their mission was to bomb the Krupp factories in Essen in the Ruhr. They were probably told at the briefing that it would make a difference and, in a sense, that was true. It may not make Hitler surrender tomorrow, but for each airman it would mean one less operational mission against a first tour of 30. Given the horrendous attrition rates, it was important to count each sortie as a personal victory.
In addition to Richardson, on board were wireless operator Flying Officer Lancelot Shadwell, and bomb aimer Re…
