A request to return to Combat
On 13th June 1944 Squadron Leader Langlois transferred to 1661 Conversion Unit at RAF Winthorpe for conversion to Lancasters.
Using his experience at 27OTU and his role at 51Base, he was able to bring together a crew of extremely experienced and competent officers to join him for a second tour. From this group he selected three Australians:
As bomb aimer he chose F/O L. Baines, RCAF, who had just completed his training and was waiting his first posting to an operational squadron.
For his Mid Upper Gunner he selected a newly trained Australian airman, F/O C. Cameron. Although this would be F/O Cameron's first tour, he was a mature, married man with two children and had served in the Middle East with the 59th Battalian, AIF before transferring to the RAAF.
During their posting to 463 Squadron Squadron Leader Langlois and his crew flew on 11 operations.
On October 14 1944, the crew was posted to the sister squadron at Waddington, 467 Squadron. There the crew completed six successful operations. However, on their seventh sortie, to Ladbergen, on the 3rd March 1945, they were shot down by a nightfighter as they approached the target.
In August 1944, their training was complete and Squadron Leader Langlois and his crew transferred to 463 Squadron to command B Flight under Wing Commander Forbes.
This left the position of flight engineer remaining and he selected a newly trained and untried Englishman, Sgt John Scott as his final member.
John Scott had been part of another crew that was under training but, for reasons that have not been uncovered, he was separated from this crew and was available for reassignment.
John Scott with his original crew training on Stirlings.
(Jack Maddison)
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