George Read - flight engineer in W4126
Title
George Read - flight engineer in W4126
Description
Sergeant George Read - survived by parachute. Includes photographs of himself and his wife, flight engineers station in cockpit, view down from cockpit to hatch in nose of Lancaster, caterpillar club membership card, prisoners of war in Stammlager VIIIB, prisoners of war in Stalag 344, prisoner on long march, entry to Stalag Lamsdorf and Den Burg war cemetery Texel (with lists of details of crew buried). Additionally image of service and release book, a note that Geoffrey Beckett also parachuted but was shot and killed on his way down and image of telegram to George Read's wife that he was missing as a result of air operations.
Temporal Coverage
Language
Format
Ten page printed document with text, colour and b/w photographs
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Publisher
Rights
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
Identifier
SBeckettG622136v10067
Transcription
[colour photograph of George Read and his wife Isobel Anne]
George Alan Read with his wife, Isobel Anne.
(Photograph courtesy of George and Alan Read).
[inserted] Sgt George Read. Flight Engineer W4126. Survived by parachute. [/inserted]
[page break]
[inserted] LANCASTER: FLIGHT ENGINEER’S STATION. SGT GEORGE READ. W4126 [/inserted]
Lancaster NX 611. East Kirkby. Lincs.
[colour photograph of the interior of a Lancaster with Flight Engineer Ian Hickling at his station]
Flight Engineer Ian Hickling at his station, by the navigators table, checking the engine temperatures on start up of the four Merlins.
Authors Photograph.
[page break]
The Front Escape Hatch in the Bomb Aimers Station.
(Authors Photograph, NX 611)
[colour photograph of the front escape hatch in the Bomb Aimer’s station]
… “As he went through the front hatch, George saw and felt Flying Officer McNamara’s shoes on his shoulders, pushing him out” …
[page break]
The significant contribution of the humble caterpillar, in creating the silk from which the parachutes were made, was thus duly recognised by thousands of grateful survivors. By the end of the war, quite a few W.A.A.F. parachute packers had received unexpected “thank-you” gifts from airmen returning to their bases… without their aircraft.
[caterpillar club membership card of Sgt. G. Read]
[black and white photograph of three rows of prisoners of war]
Prisoners of War photographed in Stammlager V111B.
Sgt. George Read is stood fifth from the left, middle Row.
(Photo courtesy of George and Alan Read)
[page break]
[inserted] FLIGHT ENGINEER Sgt GEORGE READ. LANCASTER KM-B W4126. 44 SQDN. SURVIVED BY PARACHUTE TEXEL DEC 17th 1942. – LAMSDORF – THE GREAT MARCH WEST. [/inserted]
[black and white photograph of three rows of prisoners of war]
R.A.F. prisoners, photographed at Stalag 344, Lamsdorf, Silesia
Sgt George Read is stood second from the right, on the back row.
[page break]
[inserted] Sgt. George Read P.O.W. survivor. Hospital – then to LAMSDORF CAMP [/inserted]
[photograph of W/O Read’s Royal Air Force Service and Release Book]
[page break]
Alan Read said that his father had said that two went out on parachutes – he didn’t know who the 2ND one was but he was the only survivor.
- Note of details passed (from [indecipherable word] or the British consul in 1946.)
It was Geoff on parachute – believed shot at and killed on the way down to earth.
[page break]
[inserted] FROM LAMSDORF WALKIN [sic] WEST AWAY FROM THE ADVANCING RUSSIANS – MANY PRISONERS DIED – GEORGE SURVIVED. [/inserted]
[black and white photograph of prisoners of war marching on the road]
Above: George Read appears on the far side of the column, to the left of the mast. Note the two armed guards and the dog handler with his Alsation.
Photographs, courtesy of George and Alan Read.
[page break]
[inserted] Telegram my mother received [/inserted]
73 18 TH 1152087 17 TH 19
[postmark]
63 12:10 LI/T OHMS 53
PRIORITY
MRS J A READ 73 LYNDON AVE SIDCUP
18TH DECEMBER REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR HUSBAND 1152087 SGT GEORGE READ IS MISSING AS A RESULT OF AIR OPERATION ON THE NIGHT OF 17 TH DECEMBER 1942 LETTER FOLLOWS ANY FURTHER INFROMATION WILL BE IMEDIATLY [sic] COMMUNICATED TO YOU OC B UNIT WADDINGTON
[page break]
Page 3 of 4
McNamara Lawrence
[black and white photograph of the entrance to Stalag Lamsdorf]
Entry to Stalag Lamsdorf (Courtesy of Philip Baker)
[colour photograph of war graves]
Texel (Den Burg) Cemetery (Courtesy C.W.G.C)
(1) Kriegsmarine – German Navy
Burial details.
F/O. Lawrence Gerard Lyons McNamara. Texel (Den Burg) Cemetery. Plot K. Row 1. Grave 4
Son of Lt.-Col. John Daniel McNamara and Winifred Sarah McNamara; husband of Frederica Eileen McNamara, of Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia.
F/O. Raymond Norman McCleery. Texel (Den Burg) Cemetery. Plot K. Row 1. Grave 14
Son of Capt. Edward J. McCleery and Jessie Isobel Olga McCleery, of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. School Teacher.
F/O. James William Loree. Texel (Den Burg) Cemetery. Plot K. Row 1. Grave 6
Son of James E. and Hazel V. Loree, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Sgt. Kenneth Robert MacLeod. Texel (Den Burg) Cemetery. Plot K. Row 1. Grave 12
Son of Robert Thallon MacLeod and Alice Jane MacLeod, of Edinburgh.
Sgt. Geoffrey Beckett. Texel (Den Burg) Cemetery. Plot K. Row 1. Grave 10
Son of Edward Fisher Beckett and Lottie May Beckett, of Buxton, Derbyshire.
Sgt. Gordon William Jones. Texel (Den Burg) Cemetery. Plot K. Row 1. Grave 8
Son of Albert and Bertha Jones, of Gravesend, Kent.
For Paul Baker (relative of Sgt. G.W. Jones), dedicated to all members of the crew.
Acknowledgments: With thanks to the following: Bill Chorley – “Bomber Command Losses” Vol 3, Theo Boiten – “German Nightfighter War Diaries” Vol 1, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
George Alan Read with his wife, Isobel Anne.
(Photograph courtesy of George and Alan Read).
[inserted] Sgt George Read. Flight Engineer W4126. Survived by parachute. [/inserted]
[page break]
[inserted] LANCASTER: FLIGHT ENGINEER’S STATION. SGT GEORGE READ. W4126 [/inserted]
Lancaster NX 611. East Kirkby. Lincs.
[colour photograph of the interior of a Lancaster with Flight Engineer Ian Hickling at his station]
Flight Engineer Ian Hickling at his station, by the navigators table, checking the engine temperatures on start up of the four Merlins.
Authors Photograph.
[page break]
The Front Escape Hatch in the Bomb Aimers Station.
(Authors Photograph, NX 611)
[colour photograph of the front escape hatch in the Bomb Aimer’s station]
… “As he went through the front hatch, George saw and felt Flying Officer McNamara’s shoes on his shoulders, pushing him out” …
[page break]
The significant contribution of the humble caterpillar, in creating the silk from which the parachutes were made, was thus duly recognised by thousands of grateful survivors. By the end of the war, quite a few W.A.A.F. parachute packers had received unexpected “thank-you” gifts from airmen returning to their bases… without their aircraft.
[caterpillar club membership card of Sgt. G. Read]
[black and white photograph of three rows of prisoners of war]
Prisoners of War photographed in Stammlager V111B.
Sgt. George Read is stood fifth from the left, middle Row.
(Photo courtesy of George and Alan Read)
[page break]
[inserted] FLIGHT ENGINEER Sgt GEORGE READ. LANCASTER KM-B W4126. 44 SQDN. SURVIVED BY PARACHUTE TEXEL DEC 17th 1942. – LAMSDORF – THE GREAT MARCH WEST. [/inserted]
[black and white photograph of three rows of prisoners of war]
R.A.F. prisoners, photographed at Stalag 344, Lamsdorf, Silesia
Sgt George Read is stood second from the right, on the back row.
[page break]
[inserted] Sgt. George Read P.O.W. survivor. Hospital – then to LAMSDORF CAMP [/inserted]
[photograph of W/O Read’s Royal Air Force Service and Release Book]
[page break]
Alan Read said that his father had said that two went out on parachutes – he didn’t know who the 2ND one was but he was the only survivor.
- Note of details passed (from [indecipherable word] or the British consul in 1946.)
It was Geoff on parachute – believed shot at and killed on the way down to earth.
[page break]
[inserted] FROM LAMSDORF WALKIN [sic] WEST AWAY FROM THE ADVANCING RUSSIANS – MANY PRISONERS DIED – GEORGE SURVIVED. [/inserted]
[black and white photograph of prisoners of war marching on the road]
Above: George Read appears on the far side of the column, to the left of the mast. Note the two armed guards and the dog handler with his Alsation.
Photographs, courtesy of George and Alan Read.
[page break]
[inserted] Telegram my mother received [/inserted]
73 18 TH 1152087 17 TH 19
[postmark]
63 12:10 LI/T OHMS 53
PRIORITY
MRS J A READ 73 LYNDON AVE SIDCUP
18TH DECEMBER REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR HUSBAND 1152087 SGT GEORGE READ IS MISSING AS A RESULT OF AIR OPERATION ON THE NIGHT OF 17 TH DECEMBER 1942 LETTER FOLLOWS ANY FURTHER INFROMATION WILL BE IMEDIATLY [sic] COMMUNICATED TO YOU OC B UNIT WADDINGTON
[page break]
Page 3 of 4
McNamara Lawrence
[black and white photograph of the entrance to Stalag Lamsdorf]
Entry to Stalag Lamsdorf (Courtesy of Philip Baker)
[colour photograph of war graves]
Texel (Den Burg) Cemetery (Courtesy C.W.G.C)
(1) Kriegsmarine – German Navy
Burial details.
F/O. Lawrence Gerard Lyons McNamara. Texel (Den Burg) Cemetery. Plot K. Row 1. Grave 4
Son of Lt.-Col. John Daniel McNamara and Winifred Sarah McNamara; husband of Frederica Eileen McNamara, of Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia.
F/O. Raymond Norman McCleery. Texel (Den Burg) Cemetery. Plot K. Row 1. Grave 14
Son of Capt. Edward J. McCleery and Jessie Isobel Olga McCleery, of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. School Teacher.
F/O. James William Loree. Texel (Den Burg) Cemetery. Plot K. Row 1. Grave 6
Son of James E. and Hazel V. Loree, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Sgt. Kenneth Robert MacLeod. Texel (Den Burg) Cemetery. Plot K. Row 1. Grave 12
Son of Robert Thallon MacLeod and Alice Jane MacLeod, of Edinburgh.
Sgt. Geoffrey Beckett. Texel (Den Burg) Cemetery. Plot K. Row 1. Grave 10
Son of Edward Fisher Beckett and Lottie May Beckett, of Buxton, Derbyshire.
Sgt. Gordon William Jones. Texel (Den Burg) Cemetery. Plot K. Row 1. Grave 8
Son of Albert and Bertha Jones, of Gravesend, Kent.
For Paul Baker (relative of Sgt. G.W. Jones), dedicated to all members of the crew.
Acknowledgments: With thanks to the following: Bill Chorley – “Bomber Command Losses” Vol 3, Theo Boiten – “German Nightfighter War Diaries” Vol 1, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Collection
Citation
“George Read - flight engineer in W4126,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed April 21, 2025, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/41455.
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