Page 103 - Sylvia Malt - Side by Side

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Born in Lewisham, the son of William John and Christina Ethel Overend, the family later
moved to North Cray. Assigned to the Royal Air Force, Laurence was promoted to
Sergeant/Air Gunner with 550 Squadron.

- Motto: "Through Fire we Conquer" was formed at Waltham, near Grimsby
in November 1943, as a Lancaster heavy-bomber squadron in No. 1 Group and began
operations that same month. Early in the New Year, it moved to North Killingholme - also
near Grimsby - and from there continued to play its part in the bomber offensive until late
April 1945, when it switched to dropping food to the starving Dutch people.

The site's only resident squadron, 550 Squadron was formed from the 'C' flight of 100
Squadron at nearby RAF Grimsby only six weeks before its arrival at North Killingholme.
Flying the Avro Lancaster, the squadron was one of the most effective in Bomber
Command.

On 15th March 1944, 19-year-old Sgt. Air Gunner Laurence Overend was one of the crew of
seven of a Lancaster Bomber LL852 which flew on a sortie over Stuttgart, Germany, piloted
by 31-year-old New Zealander, Flight Lieutenant James Fraser Craig, DFC. Other crew
members were: Sgt. K. Thompson, Sgt. R.D. Samuels, Sgt. K.R. Sumner, Sgt. D.E. Nutter,
and Sgt. H.C. Petty.

The plane was one of two Lancasters lost on this operation who were brought down by the
enemy. All the crew members were killed except Sgt. H.C. Petty who was rescued from the
crashed aircraft and interned in Camp L1, becoming POW No. 3651.

' '( The airmen were all buried in Choloy War Cemetery in the locality of
Meurthe-et-Moselle, France.

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