Browse this website Close this menu
This data is related to World War 2
Pilot Officer

Cyril Peter Backlog

Service number 141331
Military unit 207 Sqdn Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Address Unknown
Date of birth 28 Aug 1908
Date of death 23 Aug 1943 (34 years old)
Place of birth Unknown
Employment, education or hobbies

He was a publican in 1939.

Family history

He was the husband of Clara Backlog. They kept a public house at 10c, Stroud Green Road, Haringey, London.

Military history

Lancaster I ED550, with a crew of seven, took off from Langar at 2033 on 23 August 1943, one of over 700 aircraft which attacked Berlin that night. Twelve of the aircraft were from Langar, leaving between 20.15 and 20.43.

For reasons unknown, ED550 turned back and crashed at 2359 at Nieuw-Dodrecht (Drenche) in northern Holland, 8 km SE of Emmen, Holland. There was only one survivor, Julian George Walker (Flight Engineer), who was injured and taken prisoner of war.

Pilot Officer Backlog, the Navigator, was buried in Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery (Plot 9. Row B. Grave 3).

The other five members of the crew who were killed were buried in the same cemetery:
1390228 Sgt. Donald Fells, Air Gunner, RAFVR. Plot 9. Row B. Grave 6.
1552385 Sgt. Thomas Elder Charles McKeith, Air Gunner. RAFVR. Plot 9. Row B. Grave 5.
149557 P/O George William Osmer, Pilot. RAFVR. Plot 9. Row B. Grave 4.
1367967 Sgt. William Martin Ewing Reid, Wireless Operator. RAFVR. Plot 9. Row B. Grave 1.
1458478 Sgt. John Ward Standish, Bomb Aimer. RAFVR. Plot 9. Row B. Grave 2.

Extra information

The other members of the crew are commemorated on the RAF Langar Memorial and also on this Roll of Honour.

Photographs