Gyles, Mix, Moore and Robertson first arrived at Syerston on 14 SEPT 1942 and had each undertaken 17-20 ops with other pilots before forming this new crew with Collenette as pilot and Bond who had seen no previous active service. After spending time together at
1654 Conversion Unit they all returned as a crew to 61 squadron at Syerston on 10 APRIL 1943.
Norman had been flying with 61 squadron
for at least six months.
Collenette’s DFM had been gazetted on 15 MAY 1942. He had flown 40 ops on Wellingtons with 108 squadron in North Africa.
The new crew were to fly only 3 ops together.
STETTIN, 20 April; DUISBURG, 26 April;
MINELAYING, 28 April.
Pilot-W/O Michael de Beauchamp Collenette DFM RAFVR, age22, of Brighton, Sussex, England.
Buried in Denmark
Flight Engineer-Sergeant Jack Norman RAF,
of Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England.
Buried in Sweden
Navigator-P/O Ian Ronald Robertson RAAF, age27, of Greenslopes, Queensland, Australia.
Buried in Denmark
Bomb Aimer-P/O Reginald Donovan Mix RCAF, age32, of Toronto, Canada.
Runnymede Memorial, Panel 176
Wireless Op-P/O Nathaniel Robert Gyles RAAF, age25, of Moonee Ponds, Victoria, Australia.
Runnymede Memorial, Panel 191
Air Gunner-W/O Franklin Guy Moore RCAF, age24, of Kenora, Ontario, Canada.
Runnymede Memorial, Panel 180
Air Gunner-Sergeant Arthur William Bond RAFVR, age19, of Birmingham, England.
Runnymede Memorial, Panel 143
