LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Raymond COULSON
From Australia serving in the Royal Air Force
Service No: 155507 (RAFVR)
Born: Date, Location unavailable
Enlisted in the RAF: Date unavailable
Unit: No. 61 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 61 Squadron Lancaster III aircraft DV239), Germany, 9 October 1943, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Hanover War Cemetery, Niedersachsen, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of George William and Sarah Eunice Coulson, of Geelong West, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Lancaster DV239 took off from RAF Syerston at 2305 hours on the night of 8 October 1943, detailed to bomb Hanover, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base and it was later learned that all the crew members had been killed. Other aircraft from the Squadron on the same mission reported night fighters were operating in the area, and a number of aircraft were seen shot down.
The crew members of DV239 were:
Flying Officer Hubert Edward Carrott, (50691) (RAF) (Navigator)
Pilot Officer Raymond Coulson (155507) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Roy Cramp (422536) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Douglas Hydes (1129625) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant William Stanley Smith (576784) (RAF) (Flight Engineer)
Flying Officer Ernest Arthur Thomas (137365) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Pilot Officer Maxwell Hartley Thompson (J/25843) (RCAF) (Mid Upper Gunner)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records