Halifax W7923 was one of fourteen No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Hamburg on the night of 3rd / 4th February 1943
Its seven-man crew comprised:
James Copeland Thomas (Pilot)
Gordon Henry Francis Carter (Navigator)
Richard Martin (Air Bomber)
Edward Roland Turenne (Wireless Operator)
John Napoleon Barry (Air Gunner)
William Joseph Freeman (Air Gunner)
Daniel Christie Young (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “When approaching to land at base, the undercarriage could not be lowered and a belly landing was made without casualties”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 1180
The Am Form 1180 (Accident Card) shows: Aircraft belly landed; pilot unable to lower undercarriage by normal or emergency systems.
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows that the aircraft was classified as FB/A (but was subsequently struck off charge)
Aircraft Crash Log (Compiled by Nicholas Roberts)
Aircraft belly landed due to undercarriage failure
Halifax W7906 was one of eight No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack St Nazaire on the night of the 28th February 1943.
Its six-man crew comprised:
Donald Frederick Edgar Charles Dean (Pilot)
Dudley Peter David Archer (Navigator)
Alfred Edward Ralph Bexton (Air Bomber)
Allan Roland Ball (Wireless Operator)
James Russell Griffin (Air Gunner)
Donald Harrington Craig (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “During the outward journey, when the aircraft was flying at 13,000 feet, the port outer engine coolant temperature rose dangerously and the propeller was feathered, the aircraft gradually losing height down to 9,000 feet. However, St Nazaire was attacked in good visibility. Just after setting out for base, the starboard inner engine failed, flames shooting out of the air intakes, and the aircraft slowly lost height to 3,000 feet. All preparations were made for ditching and the return journey was made through cloud. The aircraft was “homed” by searchlights and after further difficulties reached the aerodrome at Harrowbeer, the flare path of which was extremely feeble. The Captain landed the aircraft halfway along a runway, 1100 feet in length; the aircraft overshot, the undercarriage collapsed in rough ground where the aircraft came to rest, no casualties occurring.
Note: The Record Book shows the aircraft serial as W7877, but this is incorrect
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
DFEC Dean Citation
DFEC Dean was awarded the Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions during this incident. The citation reads:
“One night in February 1943, this officer captained an aircraft, detailed to attack St. Nazaire. Whilst crossing the Channel, on the outward flight, one of the port engines failed. Nevertheless, Sqn. Ldr. Dean continued his mission. Whilst over the target area his aircraft was held in searchlights and subjected to heavy fire from the ground defences. Despite this, he pressed home a vigorous attack. Shortly after, the aircraft was headed for home, one of the starboard engines failed. Sqn. Ldr. Dean succeeded in maintaining height and eventually reached an airfield in this country where he effected a masterly landing in difficult circumstances”
Halifax W7885 was one of eight No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Lorient on the night of the 13th / 14th February 1943.
It was carrying 5 x 1000lb GP and various Target Indicators.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
James Copeland Thomas (Pilot)
Gordon Henry Francis Carter (Navigator)
Richard Martin (Air Bomber)
Edward Roland Turenne (Wireless Operator)
John Napoleon Barry (Air Gunner)
William Joseph Freeman (Air Gunner)
Daniel Christie Young (Flight Engineer)
The route was Ile de Groix, Lorient, Bridport
W7885 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “This aircraft took off to attack Lorient after which nothing further was heard from it”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 14th February 1943 the squadron informed Bomber Command, the Air Ministry and the RAF Records Office that the aircraft and crew were missing.
A telegram, along with a follow up letter from the Commanding Officer, was sent to the next of kin of each crew member advising them that he was “missing as the result of air operations on 13th / 14th February 1943”.
An example of the telegram that was sent
The crew’s kit and personal belongings were removed from their lockers and catalogued; kit was returned to stores and personal belongings sent to the RAF Central Depository at RAF Colnbrook.
The Air Ministry Casualty Branch, which was responsible for investigating, monitoring and reporting on the status of missing aircraft and airmen, subsequently published the following information regarding the crew:
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 221 (Flight 15/04/1943) reported WJ Freeman as “missing”
No. 35 Squadron’s Operations Record Book shows the following information was received relating to the crew:
09/04/1943: Information received that F/O Carter, missing over Lorient on 13th / 14th February 1943 had returned to this country [Reported again on 08/05/1943]
21/07/1943: Information received from the Air Ministry that F/S Barry, missing on 13th / 14th February 1943, arrived in the UK on 14th July 1943
31/12/1943: Information received from the Air Ministry that F/O Thomas, missing on 13th / 14th February 1943, is safe in a neutral country
Crew members who survived the crash and evaded capture
JC Thomas, R Martin, GHF Carter, ER Turenne and JN Barry survived the crash and evaded capture.
JC Thomas
Evasion Route: France / Switzerland
Repatriated: 1944?
R Martin
Evasion Route: France / Spain / Gibraltar (Oaktree?)
Repatriated: Liverpool 24/07/1943
GHF Carter
Evasion Route: France
Repatriated: Coverack, Cornwall 09/04/1943
ER Turenne
Evasion Route: France / Spain / Gibraltar (Oaktree?)
Repatriated: Liverpool 24/07/1943
JN Barry
Evasion Route: France / Spain / Gibraltar (Oaktree?)
Repatriated: Whitchurch 14/07/1943
Crew members who survived the crash and were captured / imprisoned
DC Young survived the crash and, after evading for a while, he was captured, interrogated and imprisoned for the remainder of the war.
His POW Liberation Questionnaire, which was completed as part of the repatriation process in 1945, shows the following details:
DC Young
Evaded: Feb-43 to Mar-43
Captured: 19 Avenue D’Orlean, Paris 03/03/1943
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft I, Barth May-43 to Oct-43
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft VII, Bankau Oct-43 to May-44
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft IV, Gross Tychow Jun-44 to Feb-45
Imprisoned: Stalag XI-B, Fallingbostel Feb-45 to Apr-45
Repatriated: May-45
Post War search for the missing crew members
After the war, an investigation officer from the Royal Air Force Missing Research and Enquiry Service (MRES) was tasked with locating the remains of the missing crew member(s).
Original German documents, burial records and eye witness accounts were utilised to establish the location of the crash site, the cause of the loss and the initial fate of the crew; information was recorded in a MRES Investigation Report.
As part of the process, any remains that were located were exhumed, identified (wherever possible) and concentrated (reinterred) at one of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Cemeteries in the country that they fell, in accordance with Government policy at the time.
Graves were marked with a simple wooden cross, which was replaced by the familiar CWGC headstone during the 1950’s.
Missing airmen who could not be found, or formally identified, had their names commemorated on the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede, which was unveiled in 1953.
CWGC records do not show where the remains of WJ Freeman were located but show that they were concentrated (reinterred) at CARHAIX COMMUNAL CEMETERY as follows:
FREEMAN, WILLIAM JOSEPH Flying Officer ‘J/10162’
[Source: FindaGrave]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
Theo has advised that there are no claim or flak details available for this raid
Bomber Command Loss Card
Hit by flak over target; crew baled out near Spezet in Brittany.
Hit by flak over target and port outer engine ….. and two large holes made in fuselage. Fire ….. and could not be extinguished. Crew baled out at Carhaix
Crew baled out …… Rear Gunner believed found dead by the crashed aircraft with parachute unopened
Evasion Report Numbers (National Archives)
Not Known JC Thomas
WO208/3314/1315 R Martin
WO208/3312/1155 GHF Carter
WO208/3314/1314 ER Turenne
WO208/3314/1299 JN Barry
Extract from GHF Carter’s MI.9 Report (Courtesy of Hugh Halliday)
I was navigator of an aircraft which took off from Graveley (Huntingdonshire) about 1830 hours on 13 February 1943 to bomb Lorient. Our aircraft was hit by flak over the target and we baled out about 20.45 hours. The other members of the crew were:- F/O Thomas (pilot) Sergeant Martin (bomb aimer) Flight Sergeant Turner (wireless operator) Sergeant Young (engineer), Flight Sergeant Barry (mid-upper gunner) and F/O Freeman (killed). All landed safely, except F/O Freeman, whose parachute stuck as he was leaving the aircraft. He struck the ground and died 20 minutes later. The rest of us came down within 500 yards of one another in the region of Spezet, about ten miles southwest of Carhaix (Brittany) Flight Sergeant Barry and I joined up almost immediately and the other survivors gathered in a separate group. I fell in a field, about 15 yards from a house (at Koerlescouat [Kerlescoat]) into which Flight Sergeant Barry was brought. Flight Sergeant Barry was given civilian clothes. I was already wearing civilian clothes under my battle dress with the idea (my own) of facilitating evasion. The people in the house kept our uniforms, parachutes and Mae Wests. Barry and I both speak fluent French, and we discussed our plans with our helpers. It was decided we could go through Gourin (southwest of Spezet) as there were no Germans there. We stayed at the farm until 0500 hours next day (14 February). We then walked on secondary roads through Gourin to a farm at Pont Rouge near Priziac. I had with me my own map of France, and we used this and the maps from our escape aids “purse”. We had also studied a map on the back of the telephone directory at the farm at [Kerlescoat] . We spent the night at the farm house at Pont Rouge. At 0700 hours next day (15 February) we started walking to Guemene-sur-Scorff (to the east of Priziac) whence we got a bus to Pontivy. The bus was crowded, but I told the conductor we were Canadians escaping, and he pushed us on. A man on the bus heard us talking to the conductor and at Pontivy he took us to a café, where we stayed a night and two days. Here we got in touch with an organisation, and eventually my journey to the United Kingdom was arranged for me
Halifax W7875 was one of twelve No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Wilhelmshaven on the night of 19th / 20th February 1943.
Its seven man crew comprised:
Harry Burns MacDonald (Pilot)
John Baker (Navigator)
Kenneth Drew Rome (Air Bomber)
Edward Whitter (WOP / AG)
Jack Reginald Ely (Air Gunner)
George Carpenter (Air Gunner)
James Ellis Jones (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows: As the aircraft left the target area it was attacked off the Frisian Islands by an unidentified twin-engined enemy fighter. Damage was sustained to the main plane, port aileron and rear turret, the rear gunner receiving a bullet splinter in the knee. The aircraft landed safely at base without further incident.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 shows that the aircraft was categorised as Cat. FB AC; it was repaired on site and returned to the squadron on 15th March 1943.
AM Form 1180
There is no AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) for this aircraft on this date
Notes:
The rear gunner immediately returned to operational flying
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) for Halifax W7876 shows that it was categorised as Cat. FA AC on 26th February 1943; it was repaired on site and returned to the squadron on 5th March 1943
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 1180
The AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) has poor handwriting but shows: Main wheels of aircraft bogged when …….. to marshalling …… . Trenches dug forward from wheels and engines …… ….. …… aircraft. In doing so, aircraft turned too soon, tail wheel …….. hole left by main wheel and sheared off aircraft. Number of aircraft being marshalled left insufficient room for aircraft to turn …. …. …. …. and ran …. of soft shallow …. over ……
Note: The aircraft was being flown by BV Robinson (and crew) but the Card does not show the type of sortie
No. 35 Squadron 