Pilot Officer
Dickinson and Sergeant Thompson were the
pilot and air gunner respectively of an
aircraft detailed to attack a target at
Gelsenkirchen. Owing to adverse weather
conditions they were unable to locate their
primary objective but successfully bombed a
factory near Recklinghausen as an
alternative. After passing Eindhoven, on the
return journey, an illuminated dummy flare
path was observed. Pilot Officer Dickinson
thereupon altered course for Gilze-Rijen
aerodrome where two hostile aircraft,
showing navigation lights, were seen flying
in a westerly direction. Pursuing one of
these for about 30 miles, Pilot Officer
Dickinson skillfully maneuvered his aircraft
and enabled Sergeant Thompson to engage and
eventually shoot down the enemy. Pilot
Officer Dickinson and Sergeant Thompson
showed great courage and initiative
throughout the operation."
On 13 March
1941 his crew took off from their
base Horsham St. Faith in Blenheim IV R2278. Their target was Hamburg.
The crew consisted of pilot F/L Dickinson,
Navigator Sgt Charles Fry and wireless
operator / air gunner Sgt Robert Mower.
Over the Dutch
province of Groningen, the Blenheim was
caught by German radar and a night fighter,
flown by Ofw. Gildner, was sent to intercept
it. Gildner did so and attacked the Blenheim
while flying over the town of Zevenhuizen.
F/L Dickinson's plane was hit and crashed
near Tolbert at 22.48. None of the crew
managed to bail out of the stricken plane
and all perished.
Shortly
after shooting down the Blenheim, Ofw.
Gildner engaged
the Wellington from 214 squadron flown by Sgt Elder and his
crew over the town of Jispinghuizen.
Machinegun fire was heard among the roaring
engines of the planes. The Wellington was
hit and started to burn. Soon after the
Wellington crashed on the eastside of the
main road running from Vlagtwedde to Ter
Apel, just east of the city of Groningen.
Only one of this crew survives.
Both crews
are buried at the Esserveld cemetery
in Groningen.
F/L
Dickinson is buried at Plot RP. Row Class 2.
Coll. grave 26
(picture by
Wim Bastiaanse)
