• Operation Chastise (Dambusters Raid)

Date of birth:

December 19th, 1922 (Alves/Morayshire, United Kingdom)

Date of death:

May 16th, 1943

Mentioned on:

Air Forces Memorial Runnymede

Service number:

575430

Nationality:

British

Alastair James Taylor was born on 19 December 1922 in Alves, Morayshire, the eldest of five children. His brother Charles served as a flight engineer in the RAF, and his sister Phyllis was in the WAAF. He attended Elgin Academy, growing up near Kinloss and Lossiemouth, both key Bomber Command locations.

Joining the RAF as an apprentice at Halton in January 1939, he served as ground crew before training as a flight engineer at RAF St Athan in 1942. Posted to 1654 Conversion Unit in December.

Taylor’s crew joined 467 Squadron in February 1943, completing three operations before transferring to 617 Squadron in March. In early May, he convinced his pilot to fly low over his family home during a training run. Writing afterward, he reassured his mother, joking about his father likely being at a pig sale.

A few days later, AJ-K set off on the Dams Raid but was shot down before reaching the Dutch coast. Like five of his crewmates, Taylor has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

• Photo 1: Findagrave
• - CWGC
  - Dambusters

Helaas geen map gevonden.