Usquam....Anywhere
No.1388690, Sergeant (Air Gunner), Gerald Alec SMITH
Aged 20
Killed in Action on Saturday, 3rd July 1943
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Gerald Alec Smith was born in 1923 in Burwell (Newmarket Q2-1923 3B:787), son of George Nelson and Mabel SMITH (née SHELDRICK), of Burwell.
In the 1939 register it appears that his widowed mother [19-5-1991] and his brother Bernard C.[26-8-1926] a butcher's assistant, were at The Leys, Burwell. There are two closed records |
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70 Squadron operated from May-November 1943 at Kairouan and Temmar (Tunisia) with Vickers Wellington bombers.
Vickers Wellington MkIII, ser no HZ874, c/s ?/DU took off at 20:423 on 2nd July 1943 to attack Olbia marshalling yards in Sardinia. Nothing further was heard from the aircraft. Post war eye witnesses reported seeing a Wellington shot down by flak and crashing into the sea between Palau and La Maddalena, about 3.5 miles south of Olbia. No trace was found of the aircraft or crew and they were reported lost at sea. The crew (all died) were:- Pilot- WO William NICKALLS (RAAF); navigator-Sgt. John McGARRY CGM; bomb aimer-Sgt. Gordon BENNETT- W/op/Air Gun- Sgt. Edgar HEYWOOD; rear gunner-Sgt. Gerald SMITH. |
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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