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This data is related to World War 2
Sergeant

Richard Laughton

Service number 1165343
Military unit 61 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Address 118 Portland Rd, Hucknall
Date of birth 30 Jul 1920
Date of death 18 Aug 1943 (23 years old)
Place of birth Hucknall
Employment, education or hobbies

Attended Queen Elizabeth School from 1931 to 1937.
He worked for the Post Office as a sorting clerk and telegraph operator.

Family history

His parents were Henry B and Emma Laughton 118 Portland Road, Hucknall.
In 1941 he married Violet Wilson and they lived with his parents.

Military history

Old Elizabethans Service Roll: Flt Sgt Richard Laughton lost his life on the night of August 16/17th 1943 when his squadron took part in the first raid on the flying bombfactory which was closely guarded and hidden in the forset at Peenemunde in North West Germany on the shores of the Baltic. This raid stands out in the history of the RAF as one of worst ever made. 41 lancasters were lost, 7 of them from Syerston where laughton was stationed and 4 being from his own squadron. There had been no further news of him and it is persumed he is buried at Griefeswald with the other members of his crew.
Flt Sgt laughton made 44 operational flights over enemy territory as a navigator of a Lancaster. He took part in the 1,000 Bomber raid over Cologne. He also took part in raids over St Nazaire, Dusseldorf, Hanover, Essen, Hamburg, Duisberg, Bremen and Wilhelshaven.
IBCC: Lancster III serial number JA900 flew from Syerston on Operation Hydra over Peenemunde.

Extra information

Richard is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial panel 156

Photographs

No photos