Dugdale, Joseph, son of Joseph Dugdale, cotton manufacturer, of Blackburn, Lancs, and Edith Berry of Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire; b. 7 Jan. 1914; adm. Jan. 1928 (H); left Dec. 1928; Northampton Engineering Coll., Islington; PO RAF July 1937, FO Feb. 1939, Flight Lieut. Sept. 1940, Temp. Sqdn Ldr Dec. 1941; DFC May 1942 for night attacks on German base at Trondheim; killed in action 26 July 1943.
Joseph Dugdale was born at Blackburn, Lancashire on the 7th of January 1914 the only son of Joseph Dugdale, a cotton manufacturer, and Edith (nee Berry) Dugdale of Park House, 2 East Park Road, Blackburn.
He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from January 1928 to December 1928. He went on to the Northampton Engineering College, Islington. He was commissioned as an Acting Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force on the 7th of September 1936 and was confirmed in his rank on the 13th of July 1937. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 13th of February 1939 and was transferred to the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on the 13th of July 1940. He was promoted to Flight Lieutenant on the 3rd of September 1940 and to Squadron Leader on the 1st of December 1941.
He was serving with 97 Squadron when he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his part in two night attacks on an enemy naval base at Trondheim. His award was announced by the Air Ministry on the 29th of May 1942 and the citation read: - “This officer has completed numerous operational missions, including 2 attacks by night on the German naval base at Trondheim in April, 1942. On the latter occasion, he commanded a formation of bombers and he played a large part in the success achieved. Recently he successfully carried out a minelaying mission in extremely unfavourable weather. This officer has performed excellent work and has contributed materially to the high standard and efficiency of his flight.”
He later transferred to 90 Squadron.
On the night of the 25th/26th of July 1943, Bomber Command dispatched 294 Lancasters, 211 Halifaxes, 104 Stirlings, 67 Wellingtons and 19 Mosquitos for an operation on Essen. The operation was considered to have been a success with heavy damage being achieved in the industrial areas in the eastern part of the city with the Krupps works received its most damaging raid of the war. 51 other industrial buildings were destroyed with a further 81 being damaged. 2,852 houses were destroyed with 500 people being killed on the ground. A further 12 people were missing and 1,208 were injured.
Joseph Dugdale and his crew took off from RAF West Wickham at 11.37pm on the 25th of July 1943 in Stirling Mk III EE904 WP-S for the operation. The aircraft is believed to have crashed into the North Sea in the area of Great Yarmouth.
The crew was: -
Squadron Leader Joseph Dugdale DFC (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant James Ferguson Bowman RNZAF (Rear Gunner)
Flying Officer Patrick Hector Conroy (Navigator)
Flying Officer Henry Alington Disbrowe (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant David Geoffrey Evans RAAF (2nd Pilot)
Sergeant Desmond Frank Augustus Hobbs (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant James Hamilton Keeley RNZAF (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant Norman Albert Young (Mid Upper Gunner)
Theirs was one of twenty six aircraft which failed to return from the raid.
It is believed that the aircraft collided with Halifax Mk II JD169 from 102 Squadron over the North Sea but it is not known whether it was during the outward or inward leg of their journey. The bodies of three of the crew were recovered from the sea some 15 miles off the coast near Yarmouth; the bodies of four of the crew from the 102 Squadron aircraft were recovered at the same time.
Norman Young’s body was washed ashore at Southwold, Suffolk with those of James Keeley and Henry Disbrowe also washing ashore on the English coast.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Blackburn.
He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial Panel 158.
