Flight Sergeant Gerald Eagleson Scott (1023462) served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve during World War Two. He was the son of David Scott and Elizabeth Scott from Fitzroy Avenue, Belfast, Co. Antrim.
Gerald flew with RAF 514 Squadron and died on 24th March 1944 aged 20 years old as Avro Lancaster LL625 went down. 24th March 1944 was one of the last major air raids on Berlin. He was a wireless operator and air gunner on Lancaster Bomber LL625 JI-C. The crew was on their 15th operation over Germany. On the homeward leg near Woerlitz, about 12km east-north-east of Dessau disaster struck. The crew was returning to Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire.
Grave of Flight Sergeant Gerald Eagleson Scott, RAF 514 Squadron in the 1939-1945 Cemetery, Charlottenburg, Berlin, Germany. Photo taken on 24th October 2017.
Lancasters over Berlin
As the bombers returned to base there was intense aerial fighting. Flak guns and fighter planes caused the losses of 57 bombers on this mission. LL625 went down in an area removed from the intense flak gunfire. Night fighter operations were at a peak at the time in the area. A total of 72 planes did not return home.
RAF 514 Squadron had dropped bombs between 2230hrs and 2245hrs. There are German claims that an unidentified four-engine plane downed near Dessau around 2250hrs. The most likely claim is that of Luftwaffe Hauptmann Heinz-Horst Hissbach of 5/NJG2 who show down a bomber 20-50km west of Berlin.
Only Flight Sergeant Ron McAllister of the Royal Canadian Air Force survived the crash. The mid-upper gunner was taken prisoner. As well as Flight Sergeant Scott, five other men died on board the Lancaster bomber.
Remembering the crew of Lancaster LL625
| Last Name | First Name(s) | Rank | Role | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laing | John Rollo | Flying Officer | Pilot | RAFVR 147526. Killed. |
| McAllister | Ron | Flight Sergeant | Mid-Upper Gunner | RCAF. Survived. POW. |
| Vickers | Albert | Sergeant | Navigator | RAFVR 1533843. Killed. |
| Knights | Jack | Flight Sergeant | Air Bomber | RAFVR 1044234. Killed. |
| Salt | Charles Arthur | Sergeant | Rear Gunner | RAFVR 1451820. Killed. |
| Bennett | Philip Charles Knill | Sergeant | Flight Engineer | RAFVR 1579492. Killed. |
| Scott | Gerald Eagleson | Flight Sergeant | Wireless Operator/Air Gunner | RAFVR 1023462. Killed. |
Flight Sergeant Gerald Eagleson Scott’s grave is in Section 1, Row L, Plot 7-12 of the 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Charlottenburg, Berlin, Germany. His name is on the Ballynahinch War Memorial, Co. Down.