WICKS, Reginald Russell
| Service Number: | 409356 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 August 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Warrant Officer |
| Last Unit: | No. 156 Squadron (RAF) |
| Born: | Caulfield, Glen Eira - Victoria, Australia, 12 May 1922 |
| Home Town: | Caulfield, Glen Eira, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Night Bombing raid - lost to night fighter, Germany, 2 December 1943, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany Becklingen War Cemetery, Luneburg, Germany |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, International Bomber Command Centre Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 15 Aug 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 409356, Aircrew Training Units | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Aug 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Warrant Officer, 409356, No. 156 Squadron (RAF) | |
| 23 Nov 1943: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Warrant Officer, 409356, No. 156 Squadron (RAF), Air War NW Europe 1939-45, Lancaster JB472 lost on its third raid to Berlin with this crew, less the Navigator FSGT Norman MacDonald who survived as a PoW. 2 Dec 1943 |
Death of a Lancaster - No. 156 Squadron
From Flight Sergeant Norman MacDonald, only survivor of JB472
The crew of Lancaster JB472 with Reginald Wicks as pilot, joined the Squadron on 23 November 1943. They flew their first mission on 23 November - a night raid on Berlin. This was closely followed by another night mission to Berlin on 26 November.
On 2 December JB472 took off from Warboys airfield for their third raid on Berlin. In a report given by Flight Sergeant Norman Macdonald after the war he describes what happened to their aircraft as they flew over eastern Germany:
'Attack by enemy fighter reported by rear gunner - pilot acknowledged, took evasive action and just then we were hit. Crew put on chutes, aircraft in steep dive. At approx between 17 and 15, 000 feet violent explosion. I was sucked out the starboard side of aircraft. Regained consciousness at approx 4,000 feet opened 'chute landed ok. I believe pilot jettisoned bombs endeavouring to save crew and aircraft but aircraft crashed 20 miles north of Hannover. The next day I was captured in the goods yard of the village railway station by 2 German soldiers who were searching for me and taken to identify wreckage of aircraft from which German officials had removed the bodies of my 6 colleagues. Taken to Frankfurt for interrogation put into solitary confinement then to Stalag IVB.'
Submitted 8 September 2017 by Steve Larkins
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