Sgt Pilot JOHN GORDON PROCTER (Known as Gordon)
Sgt Pilot JOHN GORDON PROCTER (Known as Gordon)
(Incorrectly printed on most offcial documents as Proctor)
Killed in action on 30th August 1941 aged 26 years.
Sgt Pilot 1162796 VR
50 Squadron Bomber Command
My Uncle Gordon;
He was educated at West Bromwich Grammar School. The family lived in West Bromwich.
Before the war, he worked in the family business of Insurance Brokers together with his father, brother and sister. He was a keen sportsman and a member of West Bromwich Harriers Club.
In 1939 he qualified for his A pilot licence at the age of 17 and was member of Castle Bromwich Aero Club.
Flight Log:-
17/18th July AD766. Cologne.
Crew; Sgt Willett,, Sgt Procter, Sgt Hobson, Sgt Pullin.
20/21 July. AD843. Cologne.
Crew; P/O Grant-Dolton, Sgt Proctor, Sgt Gray, Sgt Watt.
22/23 July. AD902. Frankfurt.
Crew; P/O Grant-Dolton, Sgt Proctor, Sgt Gray, Sgt Willis.
25/26 July. AD928. Hannover.
Crew; P/O Grant-Dolton, Sgt Proctor, Sgt Gray, Sgt Willis.
28/29 July. AD854 Gardening (Swinderby)
5/6 August. AD839. Mannheim.
Crew; P/O Grant-Dolton, Sgt Proctor, Sgt Gray, Sgt Willis.
8/9 August. AD928. Keil.
Crew; P/O Grant-Dolton, Sgt Proctor, Sgt Gray, Sgt Willis.
27/28 August. AD839. Mannheim.
Crew; Sgt Turner, Sgt Proctor, Sgt Willis, Sgt Hobbs.
28/29 August. No operations (Swinderby)
29/30 August. AD839. Frankfurt.
Crew; Sgt Turner, Sgt Procter, Sgt Willis, Sgt Urpeth.
14 aircraft detailed to bomb docks at Frankfurt. Unfortunately one aircraft failed to return.
AD839* target docks at Frankfurt.
Two fixes were given by Sealand which put this aircraft over North East France. Nothing more was heard from it. **
**Aircraft Hampden AD839
Call sign VN-
Operation Frankfurt
Hampden AD839 took of from RAF Swinderby at 2145 hours on the night of 29/30 August 1941 to bomb Frankfurt, Germany. The aircraft and crew belonged to 50 Squadron RAF (With the exception that Flt Sgt R P Urpeth (RAF) who was the Air Gunner in the crew, belonged to 455 Sqn RAAF). During the mission the aircraft had been heard in contact with Sealand D/F Station, but it failed to return from the mission.
I would like to thank Sgt. Procter's neice, Roslyn Loades for supplying the material for this story.
H.James Flowers