102 (Ceylon) Squadron
Tentate et perficite (Attempt and Achieve)
Sergeant Leonard Starbuck
On 25/6 June 1942, the crew of DY-Q comprised of:
F/L Kenneth Bernard Wright, Pilot, Age 20, (C.W.G.C)
F/S Illtyd Gad Ivor Lewis, F/E Age 26, (C.W.G.C)
P/O Richard Forrest Bradbury, RCAF,Obs, (C.W.G.C)
Sgt Leonard Starbuck, WoP/AG, Age 26, (C.W.G.C)
Sgt Peter John (Jack) Fernie, RCAF, AG, Age 25, (C.W.G.C)
Sgt Ernest Ralph Taxeira de Mattos, AG, Age 22, (C.W.G.C)
All this information has been given to us by Alan Measures
Len Starbuck joined 102 Squadron on 12 July 1941 as a Sergeant and flew his first operation mission in a Whitley Mk.V on 14 July as Air Gunner.
Between 14 July 1941 and 31 January 1942 he completed 20 operations on Whitleys.
The first aircraft he was attached to was Z6862 in which he flew five consecutive missions, but this was lost on a training flight with a new crew on 21 August 1941.
His subsequent aircraft was Z6959 in which he flew eight nearly consecutive missions.
The Squadron converted to Halifax B.II Series 1 during early 1942, during which time he retrained as Wireless Operator / Air Gunner.
He flew all of his Halifax missions in W7654 (DY-Q).
He was attacked by night fighters on three separate operational missions.
He took part in all three Thousand Bomber Raids.
He was lost along with five othercrew members in Halifax W7654 (DY-Q) on the third Thousand Bomber Raid to Bremen on 25/26 June 1942, which was his 26th mission. He was 26 years old.
Please Note:
Alan has done write ups for all the other five members of the crew and I will get around to making pages up for all of them in time. For now, if you are interested please email me and I will send you on the word doc for each one.