M.V PHILLIPS

Mansel Vernal Phillips was born June 1924 in Troedrhiwfuwch to Edward & Mary Phillips. He had 2 brothers, John & Kenneth, and 1 sister Gaynor.

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The family lived at 63 High Street with his father listed as a Coal Hewer, Below Surface.

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“The night before he left for war, there was no room in his house to sleep. I was a young boy and I remember him sleeping in my house that night”    Brian Thomas – Post Office

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Mansel enlisted in Penarth and served with Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 431 Squadron as Sergeant 1836048, Air Gunner. No 431 (Iroquois) Squadron formed at Burn on 11 November 1942 as a bomber unit within No 4 Group but in July 1943 it was transferred to the recently created No 6 (Royal Canadian Air Force) Group. At the same time, it moved to Tholthorpe near York and in December to Croft in County Durham, where it remained until the end of the war.  Equipped with Wellingtons initially, it received Halifax Vs when it moved to Tholthorpe and these were replaced by Mk IIIs in March 1944.

 

He was killed whilst flying in Halifax V, LK968, which came down near Hanover during a night raid to Leipzig December 4th, 1943, aged 19. Mansel was described as a Rear Gunner. The Crew took off December 3rd, 1943 at 23:38 from Tholthorpe. The cause of loss not established.

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He is buried at Hanover War Cemetery, Germany. Grave 6. A. 18.

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“Operation - Leipzig. 527 aircraft. By way of a diversion, the main force took a direct route toward Berlin and then turned off for Leipzig, by which time German fighters were already amongst them and scoring successes. Fortunately, many were called back to Berlin once the Mosquito diversionary raid began. as a result, only three bombers were thought to have been Lost in the target area. Some aircraft flew off course and ended up in the heavily defended Frankfurt area and most of the losses sustained this night were amongst them. PFF marking was accurate and the resultant bombing was effective. The former World Fair exhibition buildings were hit, some of which had been converted into a Junkers aircraft factory.”

www.losses.internationalbcc.co.uk