Trafford

James was born during the Jun Qtr 1920 at Kingston upon Thames R.D. - ref:
2a/989, the son of James & Ada Frances Vincent (nee Farmer).    James & Ada
were married during the Sep Qtr 1919 - at Kingston upon Thames R.D. - ref:
2a/1229.

Joined the Metro-Vicker's Company as a Probationary Trade Apprentice in
October 1936 and became a Trade Apprentice in February 1938.    On
completion of his apprenticeship in April 1941 he joined the staff of the
Switchgear Drawing Office.    Joined the RAFVR in February 1942 and later
promoted to the rank of Sergeant.   KinA whilst on air operations in May
1944.

Flying with 514 Squadron, he took off from RAF Waterbeach in a Mk II
Lancaster Bomber - No. LL652  JI-C at 00.31 hrs for a bombing mission to
Aachen.    The a/c was shot down by night fighters, crashing at Ophasselt,
Oost-Vlanderen, Belgium some 5 kms north of Geraardsbergen where the crew
of seven are all buried in the Communal Cemetery there.

The other crewmen were - Flt. Lt. L.C.A. Taylor RAAF (pilot) - Sgt. A.
Roderick - Flt. Sgt C.K. Thomas RAAF - Flt. Sgt S.W. Newman RAAF - Fl.
Officer F.B. Hill - Sgt R. Gill.

162 Lancaster's and 8 Mosquito's of 1, 3 & 8 Groups attacked the Rothe Erde
railway yards.   12 Lancasters's were lost on this rais - 7.0% of the
forcce.

The railway lines at the yards which were not seriously hit in the raid of
two nights earlier were now seriously damaged and all through traffic was
halted.   A large propertion of delayed action bombs were dropped.  The
bombing also hit the nearby Aachen suberb of Forst which was raised to the
ground.    The local hospital, an army barracks, an army stores office 2
police posts and 21 industrial buildings were hit as well as 603 houses.   
167 people were killed and 164 injured.  The whole raid only lasted 12
minutes.

James was not actually from Trafford, but based in MV's London Office.