• Operation Chastise (Dambusters Raid)

Date of birth:

September 20th, 1917 (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Date of death:

September 23rd, 1943

Buried on:

Commonwealth War Cemetery Reichswald Forest
Plot: 18. Row: A. Grave: 13.

Service number:

628327

Nationality:

British

Robert Campbell Paterson, born in Edinburgh on September 20, 1907, was educated at George Heriot’s School. He worked as a clerk and later became Scotland’s first franchisee of the British School of Motoring, also serving as a part-time chauffeur for Sir Compton MacKenzie.

With a passion for motoring, Paterson joined the RAF as ground crew before training as a flight engineer in June 1942. Posted to 1654 Conversion Unit, he joined 49 Squadron in February 1943, flying his first mission on March 12. After two operations, he was assigned to 617 Squadron but continued flying with 49 Squadron, completing three more missions, including two over Berlin.

Following the Dams Raid, Paterson resumed operations with an attack on Krefeld on June 21. He flew 14 more missions before his aircraft was shot down near Offenbach on September 23, 1943, just days after his 36th birthday, leaving behind a wife and young son.

Paterson was initially buried with his crew in Offenbach Cemetery. After the war, all seven were exhumed, identified, and reburied in Rheinberg War Cemetery.

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• Photo 1: Findagrave
• - CWGC
  - Dambusters

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