05/06.01.1944 No. 7 Squadron Lancaster III JB651 W/O McGinlay Location: Unknown. (Presumed North Sea)

Mission: Stettin

Date: 5th/6 January 1944

Unit: No. 7 Squadron

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: JB651

Code: MG-K

Base: R.A.F. Oakington.

Location: Unknown. (Presumed North Sea)

Pilot: W/O John McGinlay 998505 RR.A.F.V.R. Age 24 (Missing)

Fl/Eng: Sgt William Marshall Wilson 1560313 R.A.F.V.R. Age 20 (Missing)

Nav: Sgt Alfred George Matthes 1397613 R.A.F.V.R. Age 34 (Missing)

Air/Bmr: F/O John Arthur Dutton 136823 R.A.F.V.R. Age 20 (Missing)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt John Kenneth “Ken” Morton 1108570 R.A.F.V.R. Age 23 (Missing)

Air/Gnr: Sgt William Joseph Walsh 1817555 R.A.F.V.R. Age 21 (Missing)

Air/Gnr: P/O George Frederick William Few 157430 R.A.F.V.R. Age 37 (Missing)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took-off from R.A.F. Oakington 2318hrs. No further contact. Lost without trace presumed The North Sea.

Lancaster Heaven Bound, Royal Air Force Memorial window Durham Cathedral

The sad loss of this missing crew was brought to our attention when relatives posted the tragic last letter home, written by wireless operator Ken Morton addressed to his wife of less than a year carrying his unborn child, in case he should not return.

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt John Kenneth “Ken” Morton 1108570 R.A.F.V.R. Ken is remembered on panel 220 on the Runnymede Memorial.

Among the many historic items kindly loaded to us was Kens Flying Log Book, which covers his training period at 10 O.A.F.U., 12 O.T.U. Turweston and Chipping Warden, the 1651 H.C.U. Waterbeach, then to front line squadron service flying eleven missions on Stirling's with 90 Squadron, then onto 7 Squadron flying Lancaster's on a further six operations. His last on the 5th January 1944 to Stettin, failed to return.

Part of the large collection of documents and letters kindly loaned to us to reproduce here in memory of Ken curtesy of his son Bob

Newspaper cutting from the Rotherham Advertiser - Saturday 28 October 1944. John McGinlay’s name on panel 214 of The Runnymede Memorial.

John McGinlay was born on 25 December 1919 in Middlesborough, the second child of James McGinlay and Elizebeth R. Mills. The family moved to Rotherham in the next couple of years and later lived at 50 Lindley St, Rotherham. He was educated at Alma Road Council School and Rotherham Grammar, and also Rotherham Technical College. After leaving school he was employed by Hatfields Ltd. John was a keen sportsman, and played football for Rotherham Boys Club.

He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1940, service number 998505, receiving his wings in December of that year. After his first operational tour he spent two and a half years as an instructor before returning to an operational Squadron. He was posted to 7 Squadron of Bomber Command, which at the start of 1944 was based at Oakington in Cambridgeshire. On the night of 5th/6th January 1944 the RAF sent a force of 348 Lancasters and 10 Halifaxes in the first large raid on Stettin since September 1941. John McGinlay by then had the rank of Warrant Officer and on that night was pilot of Avro Lancaster mk III serial number JB651, which had been allocated to 7 Squadron on 29 November 1943. Lancaster JB651, which had squadron markings of MG-K was airborne at 23:18, but was lost without trace complete with its crew of seven. There was a Mosquito diversionary force to Berlin which successfully kept most of the German fighters away from the main force of bombers, but 16 aircraft - 14 Lancasters and 2 Halifaxes were lost, 4.5 per cent of the force.

John McGinlay was 24 years old when he was lost, he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. (Rotherham Grammar School)

The names of Air/Bmr F/O John Arthur Dutton (Panel 205), and Air/Gnr Sgt William Joseph Walsh (Panel 239) The Runnymede Memorial.

The names of Air/Gnr P/O George Frederick William Few (Panel 211) and Nav Sgt Alfred George Matthes (Panel 234) The Runnymede Memorial.

The name of Fl/Eng Sgt William Marshall Wilson (Panel 240) The Runnymede Memorial. Wreaths laid on The Stone of Remembrance at Runnymede.

Memorial Details.

Warrant Officer John McGinlay 998505 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Commemorated at Runnymede Memorial Panel 214.
Son of James and Elizebeth R. McGinlay, of Rotherham, Yorkshire.

Sergeant William Marshall Wilson 1560313 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Commemorated at Runnymede Memorial Panel 240.
Son of John and Annie Wilson, of Burnbank, Lanarkshire.

Sergeant Alfred George Matthes 1397613 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Commemorated at Runnymede Memorial Panel 234.
Son of George Samuel and Annie Elizabeth Matthes; husband of Violet Ruby Matthes, of Weston Favell, Northamptonshire.

Flying Officer John Arthur Dutton 136823 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Commemorated at Runnymede Memorial Panel 205.
Son of Ernest Arthur and Doris Margaret Dutton, of East Sheen, Surrey.

Flight Sergeant John Kenneth “Ken” Morton 1108570 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Commemorated at Runnymede Memorial Panel 220.
Son of James Crosswood Morton and Georgina Morton; husband of Matilda Morton, of Padbury, Buckinghamshire.

Sergeant William Joseph Walsh 1817555 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Commemorated at Runnymede Memorial Panel 239.
Son of George and Mary Theresa Walsh, of Dowlais, Glamorgan.

Pilot Officer George Frederick William Few 157430 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Commemorated at Runnymede Memorial Panel 211.
Son of George and Lilian Few; husband of Annie Matilda Few, of Gillingham, Kent.

Special thanks to Bob Morton for sharing this large collection of photos and documents relating to his father.