Sgt Ted Mcrea
Ted was born in Croydon in June 1925.
After finishing his education, he worked initially for a local builder and then worked as a storeman for Surrey Flying Services at Hamsey Green. Here started his love of flying.
When the war came, he joined up when he was able and was selected for gunnery training.
After enlisting and going through basic training, he was posted begin his gunnery training.
Training
25/04/1944 11 AGS Andreas, Isle of Man (AGS - Air Gunnery School)
20/05/1944 10 OTU Abingdon (OTU - Operational Training Unit)
08/1944 4 CTS Acaster Malbis 9CTS - Continuous Training School)
10/1944 1669 HCU Langar (HCU - Heavy Conversion Unit)
12/1944 5 LFS Syerston (LFS - Lancaster Finishing School)
21/01/1945 Posted to 50 Squadron, RAF Skellingthorpe
Crew.
Pilot: F.O C.J. Evans RNZAF F.Eng: Sgt D H Millichamp Nav: F.Sgt T.R Thwaite RNZAF B.Aimer: F.Sgt R.F Carradous RNZAF WOP: F.Sgt I.J. Loveridge RNZAF MUG: Sgt E.R. McRea RG: Sgt G.A. Fuller
Operations Flown.
1. 02-03/02/1945 Karlsruhe Lanc LN296 VN-T 2. 08-09/02/1945 Politz NG271 VN-M 3. 12-13/02/1945 Dresden NG271 VN-M 4. 19-20/02/1945 Bohlen NG271 VN-M 5. 21-22/02/1945 Mitteland Canal NG342 VN-S 6. 24/02/1945 Ladbergen NG271 VN-M Daylight Op 7. 12/03/1945 Dortmund NG342 VN-S Daylight Op 8. 14-15/03/1945 Lutzendorf NF922 VN-U 9. 16-17/03/1945 Wurtzburg PB797 VN-? 10. 20-21/03/1945 Bohlem LM296 VN-T 11. 22-23/03/1945 Bremen NG342 VN-S 12. 23-24/03/1945 Wesel SW261 VN-H 13. 27-28/03/1945 Farge RA565 VN-X 14. 07/04/1945 Molbis NF922 VN-U Daylight Op 15. 08/04/1945 Lutzendorf NF922 VN-U Daylight Op 16. 26/04/1945 Op Exodus-Brussels PD339 VN-J Daylight Op
Failed to Return to RAF Skellingthorpe
After dropping 26 Ex-POWs at RAF Wing near Aylesbury The crew crashed in low visibility at Delapre Abbey in Northampton Ted and the rear gunner were the only survivors. On the 26th April 2025, exactly 80 years after the crash, a memorial bench to the dead of the crew and those civilians who helped them was unveiled at Delapre Abbey very close to the crash site.
After recovering from his injuries, Ted stayed in the RAF and was posted to India, working as a storeman until he returned home in 1947, where he was demobbed.
Following his demob, Ted returned to Surrey Flying Services for a whilebefore taking a job on the maintainence team at St Lawrences Hospital in Caterham befor etaking up employment with The Post Office in 1957, where he stayed until retiring in 1990. Ted remained an active member of to 50&61 Squadron Association for the rest of his life. Sadly, Ted passed away on 30th May 2019.