Roll of Honour

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Name PITMAN
First names Charles Derek
Rank F/O
Service RAF
Service number 70545
Crew position Pilot
Age 30
Date of death 17/10/40
Cemetery Dirleton Cemetery East Lothian Scotland

Photographed by Malcolm Brooke

16/17 October, 1940; BORDEAUX:
At 16.00hrs on the afternoon of Wednesday 16th, orders were received detailing 12 aircraft for bombing and gardening; the main target being the submarines at Bordeaux. Take-off began at 19.00hrs at 5 minute intervals until all 12 were airborne. Bad weather was to play a significant part in the night’s proceedings, especially when the aircraft returned. Four crews managed to complete successful sorties, despite some considerable resistance.
Another tragedy occurred near Andover in Hampshire, where desperately short of fuel, F/O Charles Pitman (aged 30) and crew, F/O R.C. Parker, Sgt J. Brown and Sgt P. Flanagan in Hampden P2143 crashed and were sadly all killed.

Hampden P2143
F/O C.D. Pitman Pilot (Killed)
F/O R.C. Parker Pilot (Killed)

Sgt J. Brown W/OP (Killed)
Sgt P. Flanagan W/AG (Killed)