| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | PR01672.002 |
| Collection type | Private Record |
| Record type | Collection |
| Measurement | Extent: 1.5 cm; Wallet/s: 1 |
| Object type | Log book |
| Maker |
Pottinger, Francis Joseph |
| Place made | France, Germany |
| Date made | 1942-1944 |
| Access | Open |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
| Copying Provisions | Copyright expired. Copying permitted subject to physical condition. Permission for reproduction not required. |
Pottinger, Francis Joseph (Pilot Officer, b.1913 - d.1944)
Description
Collection relating to the Second World War service of Pilot Officer 424457 Francis Joseph Pottinger, 467 Squadron, France, Belgium, and Germany, 1942-1944.
Wallet 1 of 1 consists of a single log book kept by Pottinger during his Wireless Air Gunners training at Parkes, New South Wales, his Boming and Gunnery training at Port Pirie, South Australia, and during his further training with the Royal Air Force in England, and deployment on operational missions over France, Belgium, and Germany. Pottinger records the aerial bombing carried out as part of Operation Goodwood at Caen, as well as the types of buildings targeted as part of this and other operations. Pasted into the log book is a message from Air Vice-Marshal Ralph Alexander Cochrane commending No 5 Group RAF for the bombing attack on St Leu in July 1944.
History / Summary
On the night of the 28 July 1944 Lancaster ME856 departed RAF Waddington on a bombing run to Stuttgart. No contact was had from the plane after takeoff, and it failed to return to base. Following the war it was established that the plane was brought down by anti-aircraft fire over Karlsruhe. All crew members were killed, and are buried at the Durnbach War Cemetery.