Halifax DT489 was one of twelve No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Aachen on the night of the 5th / 6th October 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Harry Burns MacDonald (Pilot)
Ronald Edward Wilkes (2nd Pilot)
John Baker (Navigator)
Edward Whitter (Wireless Operator)
Jack Reginald Ely (Air Gunner)
George Carpenter (Air Gunner)
James Ellis Jones (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Aircraft returned early from 20 miles south of Cambridge after being struck by lightning at 20.00hrs, the trailing aerial breaking off and the Flight Engineer, Sergeant Jones being temporarily blinded by lightning flash. A landing was made with flares still on at Wyton.
Halifax DT488 was one of nine No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Duisburg on the night of the 20th / 21st December 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Ronald Edward Wilkes (Pilot)
Terence Gordon O’Shaughnessy (Navigator)
Ronald Wheatley (Air Bomber)
Frederick Hay (Wireless Operator)
Frank Walter Vincent (Air Gunner)
Michael Albert Edward Bradford (Air Gunner)
Thomas Laurie Brown (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Before the aircraft could carry out an attack, it was hit by heavy ‘flak’ in the port inner and starboard outer engines; the D.R. Compass and various electrical leads were severed and the aircraft, flying on only two engines, began to lose height. This occurred when the aircraft was flying at 18,000 feet. The bombload of 8 x 1,000lb and 2 x 500lb G.P. bombs were immediately jettisoned and despite the adverse circumstances, a photograph was at the same time successfully attempted. After further jettisoning of flares and ammunition etc, it was found possible to maintain height at 6,300 feet. At 20.31 hours, the aircraft was sighted and chased by a Ju88, which made three attacks but fired only one burst. Our aircraft was then flying at a reduced speed of only 90 knots, but during the engagement, which lasted four minutes, the Rear Gunner managed to get three bursts and saw strikes in the nose of the enemy aircraft, which finally dived steeply away and was not seen again During both incidents, the entire crew remained very calm and were extremely efficient in jettisoning equipment and combating adversity, the Flight Engineer being outstanding. The Captain finally landed his damaged aircraft skilfully at Martlesham Heath”
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) does not show any information regarding the incident, although the aircraft was not used operationally again until February 1943
AM Form 1180
There is no AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) for this incident; as such, there are no further details available
Halifax W7866 was one of nine No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Duisburg on the night of the 20th / 21st December 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Geoffrey Norman Reeve (Pilot)
Elmer Harold Anthony (Navigator)
Stanley Alfred Miller (Air Bomber)
Harry James Leonard Peto (Wireless Operator)
Lloyd George Lawson (Air Gunner)
William Scott Minto Edmondston (Air Gunner)
George Richard Bradley (Flight Engineer)
There are no details of any damage recorded in the squadron’s Operations Record Book, but the AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) shows “After landing, undercarriage collapsed; no defect (It cannot be assumed that the pilot did not lock undercarriage but in view of doubt and pilots clean record, no further action”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows that the aircraft was classified as FB/AC on 21st December 1942; it adds that the aircraft was sent for repair and was not returned to the squadron
Halifax W7760 was one of eight No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Wilhelmshaven on the night of the 8th / 9th July 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Samuel Davis Jones (Pilot)
John Walter Smith (2nd Pilot)
Alfred Ernest Webster (Observer)
Eric Charles Creaney (WOP / AG)
Haakon Rivedal (Air Gunner)
[-] Ogg (Air Gunner)
John Maurice Mitchell (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Whilst over the target, the aircraft ran into the trailing aerial of a Wellington aircraft and sustained comparatively severe damage to the front turret and navigator’s compartment”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 78
There is no record of the incident on the AM Form 78 (Movement Card) suggesting that it remained on charge of the squadron whilst it was being repaired; the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows that the aircraft was operational again by 21st July 1942
AM Form 1180
It has not been possible to find an AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) in the RAF Museum files
Halifax W1101 was one of nine No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Mannheim on the night of the 19th / 20th May 1942.
Its six-man crew comprised:
Dudley Herman Reed (Pilot)
Frederick D’Orsa Hunter (Observer)
Francis Edwin Flint (WOP / AG)
Leslie Plimmer Russell (Air Gunner)
Richard Lionel Prosser (Air Gunner)
Edward James Morris (Flight Engineer)
W1101 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Linton to Mannheim but nothing further was heard; Classified as Missing”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 20th May 1942 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 19th / 20th May 1942”.
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. 167 (Flight 29/10/1942) reported DH Reed, FD Hunter, FE Flint, RL Prosser, LP Russell and EJ Morris as “missing”
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 show that the remains of DH Reed, FD Hunter, FE Flint, RL Prosser, LP Russell and EJ Morris were located at Mannheim Cemetery
Their remains were exhumed, identified and concentrated (reinterred) at DURNBACH WAR CEMETERY on 14th October 1947 as follows:
FLINT, FRANCIS EDWIN Sergeant ‘1169620’ Grave 2. D. 16.
HUNTER, FREDERICK D’ORSA Sergeant ‘400504’ Grave 2. D. 14.
MORRIS, EDWARD JAMES Sergeant ‘297975’ Grave 2. D. 15.
PROSSER, RICHARD LIONEL Sergeant ‘950585’ Grave 2. D. 18.
REED, DUDLEY HERMAN Flight Sergeant ‘403987’ Grave 2. D. 13.
RUSSELL, LESLIE PLIMMER Flight Sergeant ‘40209’ Grave 2. D. 17.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/14416 Flight Sergeant D H Reed (RNZAF), Sergeant F D Hunter (RAAF), Sergeant E J Morris, Sergeant F E Flint, Flight Sergeant L P Russell (RNZAF), Sergeant R L Prosser: killed; Halifax W1101, 35 Squadron, aircraft failed to return from an operational flight over Mannheim, Germany, 20 May 1942. With photographs and artefact.
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
Coned by 2./Res. Flakscheinw. Abt. 300, hit by 1./Res. Flak Abt. 702, 1./Res. Flak Abt. 701, 1./Res. Flak Abt. 903, 1.&3./Res. Flak Abt. 385, 1.&2./Res. Flak Abt. 499, 2./Res. Flak Abt. 385, impacted 200m north of Heuchelheim at 01.30hrs
WR Chorley (Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War)
Crashed near Mannheim
Erik Wieman (German Researcher)
Flak Damage; aircraft came down at Heuchelheim bei Frankenthal, 12km N of Mannheim
Notes:
FD Hunter’s service file is digitised in the Australian Archives; no information regarding the loss
Halifax W7875 was on a training exercise on 09/12/1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
PN McEvoy
Others?
The AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) shows:
Aircraft heavy tail landing, pilot pulled up nose to avoid lorry which drove across his line of approach.
Investigation Officer: A bad landing on part of the pilot who failed to obtain permission to land by R/T. It appears he was put off by a lorry which should have waited for him and not driven on.
Officer Commanding added: Due to shortage of timber no notices warning lorry drivers to look out for aircraft were posted.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows that it was “off charge” on 11th (possibly 12th or 14th) December 1942 and returned to the squadron on 21st December 1942
Note re the following AM Form 1180(Accident Card)
It is unclear whether the following AM Form 1180 relates to an incident involving W7875 or W7874 on 9th December 1942. The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) for W7875 shows that it was “off charge” on 11th (possibly 12th or 14th) December 1942; it was repaired and returned to the squadron on 21st December 1942. The AM Form 78 for W7874 shows that it was classified as FA/AC on 10th December 1942; it was repaired and returned to the squadron on 21st December 1942.
Halifax W7876 was taxying at RAF Graveley on 17th December 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
PN McEvoy
Others?
The AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) shows “Taxying in bad visibility (heavy rain) both pilot and navigator keeping look out struck van. O/C: Captain at fault for attempting to …. and the driver of the vehicle for failing to comply with instructions. Investigation concluded that the incident was as a result of bad visibility and misjudgement on the part of the navigator
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) does not show show any movements at the time of the incident, suggesting that the aircraft remained on charge of the squadron.
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) for Halifax W7874 shows that it was classified as FA/AC on 10th December 1942; it was repaired on site and returned to the squadron on 21st December 1942
There are no details of any damage to the aircraft recorded in the squadron’s Operations Record Book
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 1180
There is no AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) for this aircraft on this date (see below)
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 for W7874 shows that it was classified as FA/AC on 10th December 1942; it was repaired and returned to the squadron on 21st December 1942.
Note re the following AM Form 1180(Accident Card)
It is unclear whether the following AM Form 1180 relates to an incident involving W7874 or W7875 on 9th December 1942. The AM Form 78 for W7874 shows that it was classified as FA/AC on 10th December 1942; it was repaired and returned to the squadron on 21st December 1942. The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) for W7875 shows that it was “off charge” on 11th (possibly 12th or 14th) December 1942; it was repaired and returned to the squadron on 21st December 1942.
Halifax W7765 was one of eight No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Frankfurt on the night of the 24th / 25th August 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Frank Edward Gardiner (Pilot)
Roger Joseph Teillet (Observer)
Frederick Walter Graham (Air Bomber)
William Patrick Ryan (WOP / AG)
Edward Lawrence Whillock (Air Gunner)
Palmer Maynard Nerland (Air Gunner)
Albert Makin (Flight Engineer)
W7765 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Graveley to attack Frankfurt. Nothing was heard of this aircraft after take-off”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 25th August 1942 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 24th / 25th August 1942”.
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. 178 (Flight 03/12/1942) reported FE Gardiner and WP Ryan as “missing, believed killed in action”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 268 (Flight 26/08/1943) reported FE Gardiner and WP Ryan “previously reported missing, believed killed in action” as “now presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be sent to next of kin, along with any monies due.
No. 35 Squadron’s Operations Record Book shows the following information was received relating to the crew:
26/09/1942: Notification received that Sgt Graham, Nerland, Whillock and Makin are prisoners of war. The remainder of P/O Gardiner’s crew, lost on 24th / 25th August are reported killed
06/10/1942: Notification received that P/O Gardiner and Sgt Ryan were killed on operations 24th / 25th August 1942
03/11/1942: Information received from Air Ministry that P/O Teillet, reported missing on 24th / 25th August 1942, was captured and is now a prisoner of war
Crew members who survived the crash and were captured / imprisoned
RJ Teillet, FW Graham, PM Nerland, EL Whillock and A Makin survived the crash and were captured, interrogated and imprisoned for the remainder of the war.
Their POW Liberation Questionnaires, which were completed as part of the repatriation process in 1945, show the following details:
FW Graham
Captured: Chalons-Sur-Marne, France
Interrogated Dulag Luft Oberursel, Frankfurt Aug-42 to Sep-42
Imprisoned: Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf Oct-42 to Jan-45
Imprisoned: Stalag VIII-A, Gorlitz Feb-45
Imprisoned: Stalag IX-A, Ziegenhain Mar-45 to Apr-45
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Sagan Sep-42 to Jun-43
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft VI, Heydekrug Jun-43 to Jan-44
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft I, Barth Jan-44 to May-45
Repatriated: May-45
RJ Teillet (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured: 06/09/1942?
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III
Repatriated:
PM Nerland (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft VI, Stalag Luft IV
Repatriated:
EL Whillock (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Stalag Luft VI, Stalag 357
Repatriated:
RJ Teillet’s ID Card [Courtesy of Paul Gribbons]
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 FE Gardiner and WP Ryan were located but show that they were concentrated (reinterred) at CHOLOY WAR CEMETERY as follows:
GARDINER, FRANK EDWARD, Pilot Officer ‘126870’ Grave 2A. C. 11.
RYAN, WILLIAM PATRICK, Flight Sergeant ‘904055’ Grave 2A. C. 12.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/17500 Pilot Officer F E Gardiner, Pilot Officer R J Teillett (RCAF), Sergeant W P Ryan: missing believed killed; Sergeant F W Graham, Sergeant P M Nerland (RCAF), Sergeant E L Whillock, Sergeant F E A Makin: prisoners of war; Halifax W7765, 35 Squadron, aircraft failed to return from an operational flight over Frankfurt, Germany, 25 August 1942.
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
Nightfighter Claim: Fw. Heinrich Macke, 7./NJG4, St Hilaire-au-Temple (France), 4300m, 02.00
WR Chorley (Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War)
Believed shot down by nightfighter, whose fire wrecked the port inner engine and started a blaze in the mainplane. Abandoned and left to crash at St Hilaire-au-Temple
Map showing crash site area
Bomber Command Loss Card
Sudden attack hit aircraft; mainplane badly burned; plane abandoned probably neighbourhood of Chateau-Sur-Maine
Halifax W7761 was one of nine No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Duisburg on the night of the 13th / 14th July 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Harry Burns MacDonald (Pilot)
John Baker (Navigator)
Edward Whitter (WOP / AG)
Gerald Frederick Freedman (Air Gunner)
Jack Reginald Ely (Air Gunner)
James Ellis Jones (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “This aircraft returned with a 4000lb bomb hung up by its forward lugs. The bomb could not be freed and the aircraft was abandoned and crashed near Harrogate. In falling, it turned on its back and the bomb was wrenched free and exploded about half a mile from the aircraft. The crew landed safely”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
WR Chorley (Bomber Command Losses of WWII)
“Left to its own devices, the Halifax rolled onto its back, caught fire and crashed at 05.20 at Burn Bridge, Brackenthwaite, near Knaresborough. In the last few seconds before impact the bomb load fell out and exploded approximately one mile from the crash site” [Original Source: Unknown]
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows that the aircraft was classified Cat. FB/E (Completely Wrecked) and it was struck off charge on 23rd July 1942
AM Form 1180
The AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) shows “aircraft abandoned due to failure to release 4000lb bomb; primary cause failure of forward release clip of heavy bomb carrier
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/15678 Sergeant H B Macdonald, Pilot Officer Freedman: injured; Pilot Officer J Baker, Sergeant E Whitter, Sergeant J Ely, Sergeant J Jones: uninjured; Halifax W7761, 35 Squadron, crew ordered to bale from aircraft returning from an operational flight, aircraft crashed near Harrogate, Yorkshire, 14 July 1942.
HB MacDonald / GF Freedman
HB MacDonald was admitted to station sick quarters with injuries to his ankles as a result of his parachute descent. (He had returned to operational service by 31st July 1942). GF Freedman had returned to operational service by 19th July 1942
Court of Enquiry
On 18/07/1942, a Court of Enquiry was convened at RAF Linton to enquire into the crash. It concluded that the primary cause of the loss was mechanical failure in the release gear and it made recommendations for the modification of the emergency release gear.
Halifax W7760 was one of fourteen No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Hamburg on the night of the 26th / 27th July 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Peter Horace Smith (Pilot)
Derrick Arnold Holliger (Observer)
Norman McInnes Rattray (Air Bomber)
Ellis Albert Holland (WOP / AG)
Henry Goodrich Le Barr Pakenham-Walsh (Air Gunner)
John Luke Graham (Air Gunner)
Frank William Huntley (Flight Engineer)
W7760 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Linton to attack Hamburg. The last fix obtained for this aircraft was 54º57N, 6º00E after an SOS had been received. The aircraft failed to return. An SOS was received and the last fix obtained showed him some 300 miles out at sea. Search was made and continued on the following day for this and other aircraft known to be down in the sea but nothing was seen of any survivors.
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 27th July 1942 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 26th / 27th July 1942”.
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. 160 (Flight 08/10/1942) reported PH Smith, DA Holliger, NM Rattray, EA Holland, HGLeB Packenham-Walsh, JL Graham and FW Huntley as “missing”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 263 (Flight 12/08/1943) reported PH Smith, EA Holland, HGLeB Packenham-Walsh and FW Huntley “previously reported missing” as “now presumed killed in action”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 268 (Flight 26/08/1943) reported NM Rattray “previously reported missing” as “now presumed killed in action”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 285 (Flight 23/09/1943) reported DA Holliger “previously reported missing” as “now presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be sent to next of kin, along with any monies due.
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 show that the remains of the crew were not located and, as such, their names are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial as follows:
SMITH, PETER HORACE, Sergeant ‘1027418’ Panel 94.
RATTRAY, NORMAN MCINNES, Flight Sergeant ‘R/66437’ Panel 106.
HOLLIGER, DERRICK ARNOLD, Pilot Officer ‘115983’ Panel 70.
PAKENHAM-WALSH, HENRY GOODRICH Le BARR, Sergeant ‘1262810’ Panel 91.
GRAHAM, JOHN LUKE, Sergeant ‘778832’ Panel 84.
HUNTLEY, FRANK WILLIAM, Sergeant ‘517556’ Panel 86.
[Courtesy of Clive Lewis]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Bomber Command Loss Card
Believed to have forced landed in sea; position uncertain
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
Possible Nightfighter Claim: Ofw. Hans Berschwinger, 4./NJG2, Sea 20km N. Wangerooge at 02.04 hours. Six parachutes seen near burning aircraft by M. Flak. Abt. 232 Battery Friedrich August on Wangerooge following which the aircraft exploded in mid-air (This could also be No 78 Squadron Halifax W1184).
Air / Sea Rescue?
Unable to find any information regarding the search for this aircraft (as at August 2019)
Halifax W7700 was one of eight No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Nuremberg on the night of the 28th / 29th August 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Frederick John Taylor (Pilot)
Albert Cook (Observer)
Garfield James Phillips (WOP / AG)
Max Feindel Robbins (WOP / AG)
Herbert Sidney McCartney (Air Gunner)
Patrick William Tucker-Feltham (Air Gunner)
Graham Francis Bush (Flight Engineer)
W7700 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Graveley to attack Nuremberg; nothing has been heard of this aircraft since”.
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 29th August 1942 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 28th / 29th August 1942”.
Extract from letter to the family of MF Robbins
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. 177 (Flight 26/11/1942) reported FJ Taylor, A Cook, GJ Phillips, MF Robbins, PW Tucker-Feltham, HS McCartney and GF Bush as “missing”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 275 (Flight 09/09/1943) reported FJ Taylor, GJ Phillips, MF Robbins, PW Tucker-Feltham and GF Bush “previously reported missing” as “now presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be sent to next of kin, along with any monies due.
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 show that the remains of all the crew members were located at Montcornet Military Cemetery.
The graves were exhumed and the MRES team were only able to formally identify Robbins and McCartney. As such their remains were concentrated (reinterred) at MONTCORNET MILITARY CEMETERY on 3rd February 1948 as follows:
ROBBINS, MAX FEINDEL, Flight Sergeant ‘R/65294’ Row M. Grave 1.
McCARTNEY, HERBERT SYDNEY, Sergeant ‘1354651’ Row M. Grave 2.
BUSH, GRAHAM FRANCIS, Sergeant ‘990047’ Row M. Coll. grave 3-6.
COOK, ALBERT, Flying Officer ‘J/6152’ Row M. Coll. grave 3-6.
PHILLIPS, GARFIELD JAMES, Sergeant ‘929901’ Row M. Coll. grave 3-6.
TAYLOR, FREDERICK JOHN, Pilot Officer ‘J/15649’ Row M. Coll. grave 3-6.
TUCKER-FELTHAM, PATRICK WILLIAM, Flight Sergeant ‘909105’ Row M. Coll. grave 3-6.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
Nightfighter Claim: Lt Friedrich Graeff, 9./NJG4, 2 km SE Soize, 35 km NE Laon, 3400 m, 02.46
P.4 (Cas), Casualty Branch File (available at National Archives)
AIR 81/17509 Pilot Officer F J Taylor (RCAF), Sergeant M F Robbins (RCAF), Flying Officer A Cook (RCAF), Sergeant G J Phillips, Sergeant HS McCartney, Sergeant P W Tucker-Feltham, Sergeant G F Bush: killed; Halifax W7700, 35 Squadron, aircraft failed to return from an operational flight over Nuremberg, Germany, 29 August 1942.
Extract from MRES Report
This investigation arose from a Gendarmerie report, which stated that on August 29th 1942, a heavy 4 engined bomber marked “Halifax” crashed at SOIZE with a crew of 7, all of whom were killed and buried at MONTCORNET.
I first visited the cemetery at MONTCORNET and found seven graves registered by 71 GRU as containing 7 unknown, killed in action on August 29th, 1942.
I then, visited the village of SOIZE and interviewed many people but was unable to discover any further information. The aircraft burned fiercely, and the German’s forbade the local inhabitants to approach the wreckage. Hence they did not know the identity of any of the crew.
I then visited the brigade Headquarters at MONTCORNET and in conjunction with this case, was shown a piece of paper marked W7700, which I was assured was the number of the Halifax which crashed at SOIZE.
Halifax W7676 was one of eight No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Nuremberg on the night of the 28th / 29th August 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
David Alan Vaughan John (Pilot)
Alan Fay Birley (Observer)
Kenneth Albert Higgs (Air Bomber)
Arthur Edward Grounsell (Wireless Operator)
Arthur Priestley (Air Gunner)
Gerald Anthony Doman (Air Gunner)
W7676 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Graveley to attack Nuremberg; nothing was heard of this aircraft after take-off”
Halifax W7676
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 29th August 1942 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 28th / 29th August 1942”.
Extract from the letter sent to the family of AF Birley [Courtesy of Joseph Birley]
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. 180 (Flight 10/12/1942) reported DA John and KA Higgs as “missing” and AF Birley, AE Grounsell, GA Doman, A Priestley and MW Booth as “missing, believed killed in action”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 259 (Flight 29/07/1943) reported AF Birley, AE Grounsell, GA Doman, A Priestley and MW Booth “previously reported missing, believed killed in action” as “now presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be sent to next of kin, along with any monies due.
No. 35 Squadron’s Operations Record Book shows the following information was received relating to the crew:
23/10/1942: Notification received that the bodies of the following members of the crew captained by Sgt John had been washed ashore: AF Birley, AE Grounsell, A Priestley, GA Doman and MW Booth
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 show that the remains of AE Grounsell were located at Middleburg Communal Cemetery.
His remains were exhumed, identified and concentrated (reinterred) on 20th June 1946 as follows:
GROUNSELL, ARTHUR EDWARD, Sergeant ‘1262641’ BERGEN-OP-ZOOM WAR CEMETERY 4. D. 4.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s records do not show where the remains of MW Booth, DAV John, AF Birley, KA Higgs, GA Doman and A Priestley were located but show that after the war they were concentrated (reinterred) as follows:
BOOTH, MAURICE WILLIAM, Sergeant ‘953553’ BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY 6. H. 8.
JOHN, DAVID ALAN VAUGHAN Sergeant ‘1385838’ FLUSHING (VLISSINGEN) NORTHERN CEMETERY Row C. Grave 23.
BIRLEY, ALAN FAY, Pilot Officer ‘118723’ MIDDELKERKE COMMUNAL CEMETERY Row B. Grave 18.
WR Chorley (Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War)
Hit by flak and crashed at 22.30 into the Westerschelde off Koewacht
(Note: There is an eye witness statement that suggests that this information is incorrect and that the aircraft crashed at 23.18 hours, in the estuary of the river Scheldt, 3 kilometres northwest of the resort of De Haan (Belgium)
Bomber Command Loss Card
Birley: Body washed ashore near Ostend 16/09/1942 (buried at Middelkirke)
Grounsell: Body washed ashore 09/09/1942 near Duivendijke; (buried at Haamstede)
Booth: Body washed ashore; buried at Katwijk
Doman: Body washed ashore near Ostend 16/09/1942 (buried at Middelkirke)
Priestley: Body washed ashore near Ostend 15/09/1942 (buried at Middelkirke)
Note: It is understood the DAV John’s body was washed up between Westkapelle and Domburg on 6 September 1942. He was buried at Northern Cemetery in Flushing on 8th September as “an unknown pilot”, but was identified by the Red Cross on 7th November 1942.
P.4 (Cas), Casualty Branch File (available at National Archives)
AIR 81/17529 Sergeant D A V John, Pilot Officer K A Higgs, Pilot Officer A F Birley, Sergeant A E Grounsell, Sergeant A Priestley, Sergeant G A Doman, Sergeant M W Booth: killed; Halifax W7676, 35 Squadron, aircraft failed to return from an operational flight over Nuremberg, Germany, 29 August 1942.
AF Birley Letter
Letter sent to the family of AF Birley [Courtesy of Joseph Birley]
Halifax W7675 was being utilised for an air test on 8th May 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
N Booth (Pilot)
SR Stickney (2nd Pilot)
Other crew?
The AM Form 1180 shows “Pilot made a slightly heavy landing followed by a swing at Linton-On-Ouse and the undercarriage collapsed. Pilot did not align the aircraft with the runway and applied brakes too soon after touch down in an effort to keep aircraft on runway …. further text to be deciphered“.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 78
The movement card shows that the aircraft was classified as Cat. FA E (Write Off) and was struck off charge.
Notes:
The AM Form 1180 shows that the pilot was taken off flying Halifax aircraft
On 21st April 1942, 115 Officers, NCOs and airmen ground personnel took leave for RAF Station Kinloss, which was to be used as an advance base for an attack on the Battleship “Tirpitz”.
On 22nd April, eleven aircraft and crews followed them up to Kinloss including Halifax W7658 which was crewed as follows:
Arthur Wilding (Pilot)
Geoffrey Norman Reeve (2nd Pilot)
Harold Richard Giddens (WOP / AG)
Walter Harold Mennell (WOP / AG)
Joseph Thomas Stanworth (Air Gunner)
John Norman Hindle (Flight Engineer)
On the night of 27th / 28th April 1942, it was one of eleven No. 35 Squadron aircraft that took part in an attack on the Tirpitz which was moored in Fættenfjord (Norway).
The crew reported “Mines jettisoned at the entrance of Fættenfjord owing to intense flak”.
On the night of 28th / 29th April 1942, it was one of seven No. 35 Squadron aircraft that took part in a second attack on the Tirpitz.
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Returned early owing to engine trouble. Mines jettisoned in the sea”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 1180
The AM Form 1180 shows “Aircraft in difficulty during violent evasive action; bombs released during steep turn; although main bomb doors were fully open, bomb fouled doors due to altitude of aircraft. Cockpit drill faulty; no disciplinary action; bombs released in emergency.
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 shows that the aircraft was classified as FB AC on 2nd May 1942. It was repaired on site and returned to the squadron on 7th May 1942
Halifax W7658 was one of nine No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Mannheim on the night of the 19th / 20th May 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Ronald Walter Valters (Pilot)
Sidney Richard Stickney (2nd Pilot)
Richard Guy Baker (Observer)
George Daft (WOP / AG)
Donald George Southwell (Air Gunner)
Gordon Kennedy (Air Gunner)
William Richard Hunt (Flight Engineer)
W7658 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Linton to Mannheim but nothing further was heard; Classified as Missing”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 20th May 1942 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 19th / 20th May 1942”.
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. 167 (Flight 29/10/1942) reported RW Valters, SR Stickney, G Kennedy and WR Hunt as “missing”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 202 (Flight 18/02/1943) reported G Kennedy “previously reported missing” as “now presumed killed in action”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 214 (Flight 01/04/1943) reported RW Valters, SR Stickney and WR Hunt “previously reported missing” as “now presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be sent to next of kin, along with any monies due.
No. 35 Squadron’s Operations Record Book shows the following information was received relating to the crew:
03/01/1943: Information received from the Air Ministry that the following aircrew personnel, missing on 19th / 20th May 1942 were killed: F/O RW Valters, Sgt Stickney and Sgt Kennedy
Crew members who survived the crash and evaded capture
G Daft and DG Southwell survived the crash and evaded capture.
G Daft
Evasion Route: Germany / France / Gibraltar (on Sea Wolf)
Repatriated: Poole 19/10/1942
DG Southwell
Evasion Route: Germany / France / Gibraltar (on Sea Wolf)
Repatriated: Poole 19/10/1942
Note: DG Southwell’s evasion is covered in a book entitled “Airmen on the run” by Laurence Meynell
Crew members who survived the crash and were captured / imprisoned
RG Baker survived the crash and was captured 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:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Sagan Jun-42 to Sep-42
Imprisoned: Oflag XXI-B, Schubin (Poland) Oct-42 to Apr-43
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Sagan Apr-43 to Jan-45
Imprisoned: Marlag und Milag Nord, Westertimke (Tarmstedt) 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 RW Valters, SR Stickney, G Kennedy and WR Hunt were located but show that they were concentrated (reinterred) at AIGLEMONT COMMUNAL CEMETERY as follows:
VALTERS, RONALD WALTER, Flying Officer ‘102574’ Coll. grave 2-4.
In response to enquiry from me, the CWGC provided the following information: In terms of your query – and speaking generally of the information that we hold – for any casualties who were moved and later re-buried into another site, there will always be concentration documents attached to each record. Looking at the information that we hold on these men, it appears that these are their original places of burial.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/14425 Pilot Officer R W Valters, Sergeant Pilot S R Stickney, Sergeant G Kennedy (RCAF), Sergeant W O Hunt: killed; Pilot Officer R G Baker: prisoner of war; Sergeant G Daft, Sergeant D G Southwell: evaded capture; Halifax W7658, 35 Squadron, enemy action, aircraft shot down and crashed near Charleville-Mezieres, France, 20 May 1942.
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
Nightfighter Claim: Lt. Friedrich Graeff, 9./NJG4, Nr. Aiglemont (France), 00.55
Bomber Command Loss Card
After crossing coast, some flak, 00.45hrs attacked by nightfighter unseen. Hit starboard inner engine. Captain asked 2nd pilot to feather this but he feathered the starboard outer. Could not be restarted and aircraft on dive at 25°. Crashed at 00.50hrs at Aiglemont.
Halifax W7657 was one of eight No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Saarbrucken on the night of the 19th / 20th September 1942.
Its six-man crew comprised:
James Hardy Marks (Pilot)
Alan James Child (Observer)
Reginald John Lambert Sawyers (WOP / AG)
Norman Harry Wright (Air Gunner)
Richard Langton Leith-Hay-Clark (Air Gunner)
William G Higgs (Flight Engineer)
W7657 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off carrying 9 x 4 flares and 6 x 250lbs incendiaries. This aircraft failed to return and nothing was heard of it after take-off”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 20th September 1942 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 19th / 20th September 1942”.
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. 209 (Flight 18/03/1943) reported JH Marks, AJ Child and RL Leith-Hay-Clark as “missing, believed killed in action”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 271 (Flight 02/09/1943) reported JH Marks, AJ Child and RL Leith-Hay-Clark, “previously reported missing, believed killed in action” as “now presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be sent to next of kin, along with any monies due.
No. 35 Squadron’s Operations Record Book shows the following information was received relating to the crew:
23/10/1942: Notification received that S/L Marks, P/O Child and P/O Leith-Hay-Clark, lost on 19th / 20th September 1942 were killed but the remainder of the crew were taken prisoner
Crew members who survived the crash and were captured / imprisoned
RJL Sawyers, NH Wright and WG Higgs survived the crash and were captured, interrogated and imprisoned for the remainder of the war.
Their POW Liberation Questionnaires, which were completed as part of the repatriation process in 1945, show the following details:
RJL Sawyers (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III
Repatriated:
NH Wright
Captured: 23/09/1942 (St Dizier, France) [Reported by French civilian]
Imprisoned: Stalag VIII-B / Stalag 344, Lamsdorf Oct-42 to Mar-44?
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Sagan Mar-44? to Jan-45
Imprisoned: Stalag III-A, Luckenwalde Feb-45 to Apr-45
Repatriated: Apr-45
WG Higgs (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
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 show that their remains of JH Marks, AJ Child and RL Leith-Hay-Clark were located at St Dizier Communal Cemetery
Their remains were exhumed, identified and concentrated (reinterred) at CHOLOY WAR CEMETERY as follows:
CHILD, ALAN JAMES, Flight Lieutenant, ‘116134’, Grave 2A. C. 6.
LEITH-HAY-CLARK, RICHARD LANGTON, Pilot Officer, ‘126897’, Grave 2A. C. 8.
MARKS, JAMES HARDY, Wing Commander, ‘39670’, Grave 2A. C. 7.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
Nightfighter Claim: Lt. Ferdinand Christiner, 4./NJG4, Near Blesme (Marne), 2600m, 01.07
WR Chorley (Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War)
Shot down by a ME110 and crashed at Blesme. Higgs landed across a railway line and broke a leg
P.4 (Cas), Casualty Branch File (available at National Archives)
AIR 81/17939 Wing Commander J H Marks, Pilot Officer A J Child, Pilot Officer R L Leith-Hay-Clark: killed, Flight Lieutenant R J L Sawyers, Flight Lieutenant N H Wright (RAAF), Warrant Officer W G Higgs: prisoner of war, Halifax W7657, 35 Squadron, aircraft failed to return from an operational flight over Saarbrucken, Germany, 20 September 1942.
Bomber Command Loss Card
Shot down by nightfighter; wing set on fire; pilot gave order to abandon;
Pilot and rear gunner found in wreck, navigator nearby.
Higgs: Broke leg landing after baling out; landed on a …… railway line?.
Dead crew members initially buried at St Dizier
NH Wright (Personnel File)
Aircraft attacked from beneath and port wing and petrol tanks on fire. Orders given by Captain to abandon aircraft and acknowledged by all except rear gunner who was silent and who, together with the Captain, did not (I think) leave the aircraft. The Captain was uninjured but when all crew had gone he was apparently too late. Higgs and Child baled out before me and Marks, Leith-Hay-Clark and Sawyers were still in the aircraft. When I left at 12,000 feet the aircraft was under control but port wing and tanks were very much alight. Sawyer and I met on the ground / Higgs was injured on contact with the ground (German Source) / Child’s parachute failed to open / Marks and Leith-Hay-Clark were in plane.
On 21st April 1942, 115 Officers, NCOs and airmen ground personnel took leave for RAF Station Kinloss, which was to be used as an advance base for an attack on the Battleship “Tirpitz”.
On 22nd April, eleven aircraft and crews followed them up to Kinloss including Halifax W7656 which was crewed as follows:
Desmond Petley (Pilot)
Alfred Bernard Columbine (Observer)
Arthur William Smith Evans (WOP / AG)
Gordon Ernest Cranstone (WOP / AG)
George Pomroy (Air Gunner)
George Percy Price (Flight Engineer)
On the night of 27th / 28th April 1942, W7656 was one of eleven No. 35 Squadron aircraft that took part in an attack on the Tirpitz, which was moored in Fættenfjord (Norway).
The crew reported that “it did not locate the fjord where the Tirpitz was, so dropped its mines on an unidentified ship in Trondheim Fjord”
On the night of 28th / 29th April 1942, it was one of seven No. 35 Squadron aircraft that took part in a second attack on the Tirpitz.
W7656 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Kinloss at time stated, Tirpitz being the target. Nothing heard from this aircraft from the time of take off”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 29th April 1942 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 28th / 29th April 1942”.
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. 148 (Flight 27/08/1942) reported AB Columbine and AWS Evans as “missing, believed killed in action”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 184 (Flight 24/12/1942) reported AB Columbine and AWS Evans, “previously reported missing, believed killed in action” as “now presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be sent to the next of kin, along with any monies due
Crew members who survived the crash and were captured / imprisoned
D Petley, GE Cranstone, G Pomroy and GP Price survived the crash and were captured, interrogated and imprisoned for the remainder of the war.
Their POW Liberation Questionnaires, which were completed as part of the repatriation process in 1945, show that they were imprisoned at the following camp(s):
D Petley
Captured: Trondheim Fjord 29/04/42
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Sagan May-42 to Jan-45
Imprisoned: Marlag und Milag Nord, Westertimke (Tarmstedt) Feb-45 to Apr-45
Repatriated: May-45
GE Cranstone
Captured: Trondheim Fjord 29/04/42
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Sagan Apr-42 to Jul-43
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft VI, Heydekrug Jul-43 to Jan-44
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft I, Barth Feb-44 to May-45
Repatriated: May-45
GP Price and G Pomroy
Captured: Trondheim Fjord 29/04/42
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Sagan Apr-42 to Jul-43
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft VI, Heydekrug Jul-43 to Jul-44
Imprisoned: Stalag 357, Thorn Jul-44 to Aug-44
Imprisoned: Stalag 357, Fallingbostel Aug-44 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 show that the remains of AWS Evans and AB Columbine were not located and, as such, their names are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial as follows:
COLUMBINE, ALFRED BERNARD, Sergeant, ‘1185189’, Panel 80.
EVANS, ARTHUR WILLIAM SMITH, Flight Sergeant,’402989′, Panel 117.
[Courtesy of Clive Lewis]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/13739 Sergeant A B Columbine, Sergeant A W S Evans (RNZAF): killed; Flight Lieutenant D Petley, Sergeant G E Cranstone, Sergeant G Pomroy, Sergeant G P Price: prisoners of war; Halifax W7656, 35 Squadron, aircraft crashed during operational flight at Trondheim, Fjord, Norway, 29 April 1942.
Bomber Command Loss Card
Text on Reverse:
20A Shot down by flak at 4000 feet.
152A Came down on fire into fjord. Hit water at high speed. Nose of machine broke off on impact and sank.
Missing Research and Enquiry Report 1946 [Courtesy of Evan Lloyd]
The aircraft had just attacked the Tirpitz and force landed in the fjord opposite Vilkhamer. The Coast Guard (Mr Martin Vikmar) witnessed the crash and gave me the following information:
The plane was on fire and badly damaged by Ack Ack
The pilot made a perfect forced landing which seemed to be 100yds off Vilkhamer’s pier (subsequently believed that it was further out than this)
The Coast Guard was unable to assist the crew as no boats were available.
Four members of the crew reached land the following morning by dinghy. They went to a nearby farmhouse (Mr Svendsen) and requested the people inform the Germans.
A week was spent by the MRES officer searching the approximate place of crash in the hope of finding the two missing crew members, who are believed to be inside the aircraft.
A Norwegian submarine was used to patrol the area and with the aid of the submarine’s ASDIC, several contacts were made at different positions. Two navy divers spent two days investigating the ASDIC contacts, which were huge rocks. The whole area was dragged several times with two navy motor boats, covering a distance of 30 yards at a time.
Sgt Columbine and Sgt Evans presumably are still in the aircraft as no bodies have been washed ashore in the locality.
Discovery of the wreckage
It is understood that the wreckage of the aircraft has been located by divers at Trondheimsfjord (December 2014) – read more –
Visit to the Crash Site
Visit to the Crash Site of Halifax W7656 TL-P, Trondheim, Norway – June 2017 by Evan Lloyd – read more –
Halifax W1242 was one of three No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Le Havre on the night of the 11th / 12th August 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Kenneth Frederick Saunders (Pilot)
Lionel Parsell (Observer)
Eric Charles Herwin (Air Bomber)
Wilfred James Reynolds (WOP / AG)
Henry Thomas Smith (Air Gunner)
Jack Truesdell Arnold (Air Gunner)
Michael Goff (Flight Engineer)
W1242 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Linton to attack the dock area of Le Havre; nothing was heard of this aircraft after leaving base”.
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 12th August 1942 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 11th / 12th August 1942”.
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:
No information found to date
Crew members who survived the crash and were captured / imprisoned
All members of the crew survived the crash and were captured, interrogated and imprisoned for the remainder of the war.
Their POW Liberation Questionnaires, which were completed as part of the repatriation process in 1945, show the following details:
JT Arnold
Captured: Honfleur (Le Havre) Aug-42
Interrogated: Dulag Luft Oberursel, Frankfurt Aug-42 to Sep-42
Imprisoned: Stalag VIIIB, Lamsdorf Sep-42 to Jan-45
Repatriated: May-45
KF Saunders (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III
Repatriated:
L Parsell (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III
Repatriated:
EC Herwin (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag VIII-B, Stalag 344
Repatriated:
WJ Reynolds (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag VIII-B, Stalag 344
Repatriated:
HT Smith
Captured: Le Havre 12/03/1942
Imprisoned: Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf Sep-42 to Jan-45
Imprisoned: Stalag IV-C, Teplitz Feb-45 to Mar-45
Imprisoned: Stalag IV-B, Muhlberg Mar-45 to Apr-45
Repatriated: May-45
M Goff (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag VIII-B, Stalag 344
Repatriated:
Extract from L Parsell’s POW Log Book [Courtesy of Ashley Davis]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/17078 Pilot Officer K F Saunders (RNZAF), Sergeant E C Herwin, Sergeant W J Reynolds, Pilot Officer L Parsell, Sergeant J T Arnold (RCAF), Sergeant H T Smith, Sergeant M Goff: prisoners of war; Halifax W1242, 35 Squadron, aircraft failed to return from operational flight over Le Havre, France, 12 August 1942.
Halifax W1226 was one of ten No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Flensburg on the night of the 18th / 19th August 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
John Walter Smith (Pilot)
Cyril Samuel Crutchley (Observer)
Ralph Graham Humphreys (Air Bomber)
George Arthur Brassey (WOP / AG)
Arthur John Owen Leo (Air Gunner)
Ronald Francis Wall (Air Gunner)
William Basil Cooper (Flight Engineer)
The route (for PFF aircraft) was Base, Cromer, north of 5400N 0500E, Amrum, Target, turn right, north of 5400N 0500E, Cromer, Base
W1226 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Graveley to attack Flensburg; nothing further was heard of this aircraft”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 19th August 1942 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 18th / 19th August 1942”.
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 provided No. 35 Squadron with the following information:
19/09/1942: Notification received that Sgt Smith and his crew, lost on 18th / 19th August are all prisoners of war.
Crew members who survived the crash and were captured / imprisoned
JW Smith, CS Crutchley, RG Humphreys, GA Brassey, RF Wall and WB Cooper survived the crash and were captured, interrogated and imprisoned for the remainder of the war.
Their POW Liberation Questionnaires, which were completed as part of the repatriation process in 1945, show the following details:
Humphreys and Brassey after their capture by Danish Police [Courtesy of Jan Kesby]
Note: It is unclear whether RG Humphreys moved to Gorlitz in January 1944 or in January 1945 (when the camp was evacuated), but the Questionnaire clearly shows 1944. He also states that he swapped identities with VF Bevan (NZ Army) on an unknown date, so it may be that he went to Gorlitz as Bevan, rather than Humphreys. At this stage, it has not been possible to find any additional supporting information which would clarify this matter
AJO Leo also survived the crash and was captured, interrogated and imprisoned (Stalag VIII-B). On 20th August 1944, the I.G. Farben factories at Monowitz were bombed by B-17’s of the 15th USAAF and a number of working party prisoners, including AJO Leo, were killed.
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 show that the remains of AJO Leo were located at Auschwitz.
His remains were exhumed, identified and concentrated (reinterred) at KRAKOW RAKOWICKI CEMETERY on 15th July 1948 as follows:
LEO, ARTHUR JOHN OWEN, Warrant Officer, ‘778694’, Grave 1. C. 12.
[Source: flensted.eu.com]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
Nightfighter Claim: Fw. Herbert Altner, 5./NJG3, 1km ESE Sønderborg (Denmark), 4000-4800m, 00.08
Bomber Command Loss Card
Under fire from flak when attacked by fighter which it shot down. Second fighter followed and aircraft badly shot up. Eventually down in sea. One wing set alight by second fighter and controls went
RG Humphrey’s POW Liberation Questionnaire
Attacked by fighters while circling to bomb Flensburg. First attack (according to the pilot) disabled the rudders. Second attack set the starboard wing on fire. Pilot ordered bale out. Was picked up by Danish youths who took me to a house where they informed the police and I was taken to Sonderborg and interrogated. I was then handed over to the German Air Force
Halifax W1165 was one of thirteen No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Cologne on the night of the 15th / 16th October 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Oscar William Rees (Pilot)
Herbert Brian Felix Lymna (Navigator)
PA Taylor (Air Bomber)
Henry Randolph McMahon Stroud (Wireless Operator)
GF Calver (Air Gunner)
William Gordon Leslie Brown (Air Gunner)
John Maurice Mitchell (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “The aircraft was caught in a cone of searchlights and received severe hits by flak, which wounded three members of the crew (GF Calver, HRM Stroud and WGL Brown) and damaged the aircraft considerably, puncturing the starboard and tail wheels. Despite the serious handicap, an excellent landing was made at Martlesham when the three injured members of the crew were taken immediately to hospital. Sgt Calver’s injuries being so serious that both legs were amputated”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows that the aircraft was classified as FB AC. It was repaired on site and returned to the squadron on 26th December 1942.
Personnel
WGL Brown appears to have returned to operational flying by February 1943
HRM Stroud appears to have returned to operational flying by August 1943
London Gazette (24/11/1942)
Distinguished Flying Cross: Awarded to OW Rees
Distinguished Flying Medal: Awarded to HRM Stroud
One night in October, 1942, Pilot Officer Rees and Flight Sergeant Stroud were captain and wireless operator/air gunner respectively of an aircraft detailed to attack Cologne. The target was bombed successfully and Flying Officer Rees continued his run in an endeavour to obtain photograph. Whilst so doing, the aircraft was hit by anti aircraft fire. Two engines were damaged and the turrets rendered unserviceable. Flight Sergeant Stroud and 2 other members of the crew were wounded. By skilful airmanship, Pilot Officer Rees succeeded in evading the defences and headed for home. Meanwhile, the injured members of his crew were made as comfortable as possible. When an aerodrome in this country was reached, Flight Sergeant Stroud, although in much pain, insisted on returning to his wireless set and, supported by the flight engineer, transmitted the necessary signals. In spite of difficulties, Pilot Officer Rees landed his damaged aircraft safely. Both these members of the crew displayed great courage and resolution.
Halifax W1165 was on a non operational flight on 23rd June 1942
Its seven-man crew consisted of:
DJ Perry (Pilot)
Other crew?
AM Form 1180 shows: Engine Failure; Pilot overshot when making three engine landing, insufficient height to go around again. Aircraft crash landed on aerodrome. Undercarriage had been selected down but was not locked.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 78
The movement card shows that the aircraft was classified as Cat. FA AC; it was repaired and returned to the squadron on 20th September 1942.
Notes:
The accident card suggests that the pilot was subsequently taken off type, although he captained an aircraft on three sorties after this incident. The London Gazette shows that his commission was terminated on 27th August 1942
Halifax W1154 was one of nine No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Duisburg on the night of the 13th / 14th July 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Raymond Francis Casey (Pilot)
Peter McGregor Jackson (Navigator)
Walter Alfred Elliot (Air Bomber)
James Henry Janes (WOP / AG)
Donald Robert Alexander (Air Gunner)
Roy Frederick MacDonald (Air Gunner)
John Cyril Williams (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “This aircraft returned from the target with its port outer engine out of action. The propeller of this engine would not feather and the aircraft became difficult to control. Height was lost until the aircraft finally crashed near Canterbury. The captain, F/S Casey and Flight Engineer Williams remained in the aircraft and were killed. The rest of the crew baled out and landed safely”.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records show the following burial details:
CASEY, RAYMOND FRANCIS, Warrant Officer Class II ‘R/54313’ AYLESHAM CEMETERY Block O. Row B. Grave 3.
WILLIAMS, JOHN CYRIL, Sergeant ‘575332’ LLANWNOG (ST. GWYNOG) CHURCHYARD South side.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows that the aircraft was classified as Cat FA/E (FB/E?) and was struck off charge on 25th July 1942
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/16018 Flight Sergeant R F Casey (RCAF), Sergeant J C Williams: killed; Halifax W1154, 35 Squadron, returning from an operational flight aircraft abandoned due to losing height, crash landed, Churchwood, Kent 14 July 1942.
RAF Linton-On-Ouse Record Books
Unable to feather an engine which had been hit near the target area, it made for the Kentish coast where the weather was extremely poor. The Captain, having ordered all but the Flight Engineer to bale out, attempted to land his aircraft but in doing so, landed in a wood with fatal results. The remainder of the crew all made a successful jump and have since returned to the station
RF Casey’s Service File
RF Casey’s Service File is digitised and can be viewed online at the Canadian Archives. It shows that the aircraft crashed at Churchwood (sic) Church Wood, near Canterbury and that RF Casey received fatal injuries.
Halifax W1147 was one of eight No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Duisburg on the night of the 25th / 26th July 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
John Edward Maple (Pilot)
Clarence Ernest Evans (Observer)
John Francis Day (WOP / AG)
Douglas Macrae Ross (WOP / AG)
Haddo Eric Von Bruce (Air Gunner)
William Arthur Allsopp (Air Gunner)
John Thomas Bennett (Flight Engineer)
Halifax W1147 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Linton to attack Duisburg; nothing was heard from this aircraft after take-off and it failed to return”.
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 26th July 1942 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 25th / 26th July 1942”.
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. 162 (Flight 08/10/1942) reported JE Maple, CE Evans, DM Ross, JF Day, WA Allsopp and HEV Bruce as “missing”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 224 (Flight 29/04/1943) reported JE Maple, CE Evans, DM Ross, JF Day, WA Allsopp and HEV Bruce “previously reported missing” as “now presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be sent to next of kin, along with any monies due.
No. 35 Squadron’s Operations Record Book shows the following information was received relating to the crew:
22/12/1942: Information received from the Air Ministry that P/O Maple, P/O Day and Sgt Allsopp were all killed on the night of 25th July 1942
Crew members who survived the crash, evaded capture and returned to the UK
JT Bennett survived the crash and evaded capture as follows:
Evasion Route: Holland / Belgium / France / Spain / Gibraltar (Comet 41)
Repatriated: Whitchurch (14/09/1942)
It is understood that he was initially captured with injured leg, but escaped
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 show that the remains of DM Ross, CE Evans and HEV Bruce were located at Uden
Their remains were exhumed, identified and concentrated (reinterred) on 21st June 1946 [Ross and Evans] and 2nd July 1946 [Bruce] at UDEN WAR CEMETERY as follows:
ROSS, DOUGLAS MACRAE, Flight Sergeant ‘R/76228’ Joint grave 4. A. 10-11.
BRUCE, HADDO ERIC VON, Pilot Officer ‘J/15668’ Grave 4. A. 13.
Ross [Findagrave]Evans [Findagrave]Bruce [Findagrave]
The CWGC records show that the remains of JE Maple, JF Day and WA Allsopp were located N. of S. Hertogenbosch (GSGS 2541)
Their remains were exhumed, identified and concentrated (reinterred) on 4th December 1947 at JONKERBOS WAR CEMETERY as follows:
MAPLE, JOHN EDWARD, Pilot Officer ‘110870’ Joint grave 18. E. 7.
DAY, JOHN FRANCIS, Pilot Officer ‘J/8099’ Joint grave 18. E. 7.
ALLSOPP, WILLIAM ARTHUR, Sergeant ‘411063’ Grave 18. E. 8.
Maple [Findagrave]Day [Veterans.gc]Allsopp [Findagrave]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/15980 Sergeant D M Ross (RCAF), Flight Sergeant C E Evans (RCAF), Pilot Officer H E V Bruce (RCAF), Pilot Officer J F Day (RCAF), Pilot Officer J E Maple, Sergeant W A Allsopp (RAAF): killed; Sergeant J T Bennett: missing now safe; Halifax W1147, 35 Squadron, aircraft failed to return from an operational flight over Duisburg, Germany, 26 July 1942.
Bomber Command Loss Card
Extract fromMRES Preliminary Report (26th July 1946)
Aircraft was shot down by flak, burnt out and disappeared partially into the ground where it still remains buried out of sight on the property of Mr Veghel.
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
Nightfighter Claim: Oblt. Kurt Loos, 1./NJG1, 3km N S-Hertogenbosch (Holland) (5B), 3000m, 02.26
WR Chorley (Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War)
Crashed 02.30hrs near S-Hertogenbosch (Holland)
Evasion Report Numbers (National Archives)
WO208/3310/854 JT Bennett
Citation for DFM award (JT Bennett)
JT Bennett was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for his efforts. The recommendation, but not the final citation, reads:
This airman was a member of a crew of an aircraft shot down over Holland on 25th July 1942 while returning from an attack on Duisberg. Unable to escape from the scene of his landing through a leg injury sustained while baling out, he was arrested by the enemy and imprisoned. Applying an old stratagem, he soon succeeded in breaking out and, escaping from the neighbourhood, went into hiding. During this period he endeavoured to rescue other British airmen who had baled out nearby, and also avoided detection from no less than four searches of his place of concealment. He ultimately reached Belgium by crossing a bridge at the Dutch-Belgian frontier, pausing a while to offer cigarettes to the enemy sentries. Passing through Belgium and France he reached Paris to find himself suspected and shadowed by a Gestapo agent. He lured his would-be captor into an air raid shelter where he overpowered and killed him. Sergeant Bennett then continued his adventurous journey into Spain, whence he was repatriated on 13th September 1942. This airman displayed the greatest courage, coolness and resource in carrying out his escape from the enemy.
Notes:
WA Allsopp’s service file is digitised in the Australian Archives; there are no details regarding the loss
Halifax W1141 was one of seven No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Essen on the night of the 16th / 17th June 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Harold Adrian Brown (Pilot)
Charles Vincent Harvey (Observer)
Walter Alfred Elliot (Air Bomber)
George Arthur Brassey (WOP / AG)
[-] Long (WOP / AG)
[-] Shaw (Air Gunner)
[-] Inward (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Aircraft caught fire on landing; observer hurt”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 1180
The AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) shows “ARI (Boozer) and IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) equipment were detonated after aircraft landed; aircraft caught fire. OC suggested accidental partial depression of the master switch from the safe to the live position
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows that the aircraft was classified as Cat. FB AC. It was repaired and returned to the squadron on 1st September 1942
CV Harvey
It appears that CV Harvey (who was reported as injured) immediately returned to operational service
Halifax W1105 was one of eighteen No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Bremen (Operation Millennium Two) on the night of 25th / 26th June 1942.
Its seven-man crew consisted of:
Herbert Gordon Badger Mays (Pilot)
Sydney John Harding (2nd Pilot)
Ronald Harry Birch (Observer)
Stanley Frank Hazleton (WOP / AG)
Arthur John Selby (Air Gunner)
Ronald Willis Fisher (Air Gunner)
Robert George Gumbley (Flight Engineer)
The route was: Egmond, Target, Osterholz Scharmbeck, 5415N 0500E
W1105 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Linton for Bremen; nothing was heard of this aircraft after it left base”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 26th June 1942 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 25th / 26th June 1942”.
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. 150 (26/08/1942) reported HGB Mays, SF Hazleton, AJ Selby, RW Fisher and RG Gumbley as “missing”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 256 (14/07/1943) reported HGB Mays, SF Hazleton, AJ Selby, RW Fisher and RG Gumbley “previously reported missing” as “now presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be sent to next of kin, along with any monies due.
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows that the following information was received relating to the crew:
30/08/1942: Notification received from Air Ministry that R Birch is a prisoner of war; also that HGB Mays, SF Hazleton, AJ Selby, RW Fisher and RG Gumbley are reported killed.
Crew members who survived the crash and were captured / imprisoned
R Birch and SJ Harding survived the crash and were captured, interrogated and imprisoned for the remainder of the war.
Their POW Liberation Questionnaires, which were completed as part of the repatriation process in 1945, show the following details:
R Birch (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III
Repatriated:
SJ Harding (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag VIII-B, Stalag 344
Repatriated:
Post War search for 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 show that the remains of HGB Mays, SF Hazleton, RW Fisher, RG Gumbley and AJ Selby were located at Oldenburg New Cemetery.
RW Fisher is recorded on separate list
Their remains were exhumed, identified and concentrated (reinterred) at SAGE WAR CEMETERY on 28th March 1947 as follows:
MAYS, HERBERT GORDON BADGER Flying Officer ‘104520’ Coll. grave 1. C. 1-3.
HAZLETON, STANLEY FRANK Pilot Officer ‘128445’ Grave 1. C. 4.
SELBY, ARTHUR JOHN Sergeant ‘1177286’ Coll. grave 1. C. 1-3.
FISHER, RONALD WILLIS Sergeant ‘1058488’ Grave 1. C. 5.
GUMBLEY, ROBERT GEORGE Flight Sergeant ‘156458’ Coll. grave 1. C. 1-3.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/15519 Sergeant S J Harding, Pilot Officer R H Birch: prisoners of war; Pilot Officer H G B Mays, Sergeant S F Hazelton, Sergeant A J Selby, Sergeant R Fisher, Sergeant R G Gumbley: killed; Halifax W1105, 35 Squadron, aircraft failed to return from an operational flight over Bremen, Germany, 26 June 1942. With photographs.
WR Chorley (Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War)
Hit by flak at 14,000ft and crashed near Oldenburg (Oldenburg in Oldenburg, Germany)
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
Hit by 2./Res.Flak.Abt. 117, 2./Res.Flak.Abt. 265, 1./Res.Flak.Abt. 334 and 1,3 & 4/Res.Flak.Abt. 231. Crashed near Colmar II-Nordmentzhausen at 02.21 hours
Halifax W1102 was one of seven No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Emden on the night of the 19th / 20th June 1942.
Its six-man crew comprised:
Samuel Davis Jones (Pilot)
Alfred Ernest Webster (Observer)
William Alexander Gordon (WOP / AG)
[-] Harvey (WOP / AG)
Royston Denis William Carrington (Air Gunner)
John Maurice Mitchell (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Attacked by a JU88 and badly damaged; Sgt. Gordon (WOP/AG) was seriously wounded. Landed at Coltishall”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows that the aircraft was classified as Cat. FB AC. It was repaired and returned to the squadron on 3rd September 1942.
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/15130 Sergeant W A Gordon: injured; Halifax W1102, 35 Squadron, enemy action, aircraft force landed at RAF Coltishall, Norfolk during an operational flight over Emden, Germany, 20 June 1942.
Sgt. Gordon
Sgt. Gordon did not fly operationally with the squadron after this date; no details on his injuries are available
Halifax W1102 was one of twelve No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Kiel on the night of the 13th / 14th October 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Oscar William Rees (Pilot)
Herbert Brian Felix Lymna (Navigator)
PA Taylor (Air Bomber)
Henry Randolph McMahon Stroud (Wireless Operator)
William Gordon Leslie Brown (Air Gunner)
William Joseph Freeman (Air Gunner)
John Maurice Mitchell (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “The aircraft was hit by flak when approaching the target at 17000ft and the starboard outer engine was rendered unserviceable and the fuel tanks holed. Despite considerable handicaps and difficulty the aircraft made a good landing whilst almost out of fuel at Sutton Bridge”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows that the aircraft was classified as Cat. FB AC. It was repaired and returned to the squadron on 22nd November 1942.
Halifax W1100 was one of thirteen No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Dusseldorf on the night of the 31st July / 1st August 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Cyril Charles Spencer (Pilot)
Ronald Casey (Observer)
Walter Alfred Elliot (Air Bomber)
Harold Clarke (WOP / AG)
Bertram Stanley Braybrook (Air Gunner)
Robert Thomas Morris (Air Gunner)
Caudray Albert Charles Pithers (Flight Engineer)
W1100 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Linton to attack Dusseldorf and failed to return; nothing was heard of this aircraft after leaving base”.
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 1st August 1942. 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 31st July / 1st August 1942.”.
Extract from a letter sent to the family of BS Braybrook
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. 274 (Flight 09/09/1943) reported RT Morris and BS Braybrook as “killed in action”
No. 35 Squadron’s Operations Record Book shows the following information was received relating to the crew:
08/09/1942: Notification was received that Sgt Spencer and his crew have been taken prisoners of war except for Sgt Morris and Braybrook who were reported dead.
Crew members who survived the crash and were captured / imprisoned
CC Spencer, R Casey, WA Elliott, H Clarke and CAC Pithers survived the crash and were captured, interrogated and imprisoned for the remainder of the war.
Their POW Liberation Questionnaires, which were completed as part of the repatriation process in 1945, show the following details:
CC Spencer (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag VIII-B, Stalag 344, Stalag Luft III
Repatriated:
R Casey
Captured: Middleburg, Walcheren (01/08/1942)
Imprisoned: Stalag VIII-B / Stalag 344, Lamsdorf Aug-42 to Jul-43
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Sagan Jul-43 to Jan-45
Imprisoned: Marlag and Milag Nord, Tarmstedt Feb-45 to Apr-45
Repatriated: May-45
WA Elliott (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag VIII-B, Stalag 344
Repatriated:
H Clarke (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag VIII-B, Stalag 344
Repatriated:
CAC Pithers (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag VIII-B, Stalag 344
Repatriated:
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 BS Braybrook and RT Morris were located. However, a wartime letter (in BS Braybrook’s file), shows that initial burial was in the Cemetery of Flushing (Isle of Walcheren) with RT Morris in Grave 74 and BS Braybrook in Grave 75
The CWGC records show that they were concentrated (reinterred) at FLUSHING (VLISSINGEN) NORTHERN CEMETERY as follows:
BRAYBROOK, BERTRAM STANLEY Sergeant ‘403470’ Row C. Grave 13.
MORRIS, ROBERT THOMAS Sergeant ‘1230755’ Row C. Grave 12.
[Source: Find-a-Grave][Source: flensted.eu]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
WR Chorley (Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War)
Hit by flak over the target and later crashed at 03.45 near Serooskerke on Schouwen, Netherlands
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
Hit by flak over Dusseldorf by 1./schw. Flak Abt. 404, 2./schw. Flak Abt. 407, 2. & 3./schw. Flak Abt. 133, 3./schw. Flak Abt. 151. Crashed near Serookerke on Schouwen at 03.45 hours.
Halifax W1100 [Source: wingsstovictory.nl]
BS Braybrook’s Service and Casualty Files
BS Braybrook’s service file and casualty file are digitised (and therefore available online) at the National Australian Archives
On 21st April 1942, 115 Officers, NCOs and airmen ground personnel took leave for RAF Station Kinloss, which was to be used as an advance base for an attack on the Battleship “Tirpitz”.
On 22nd April, eleven aircraft and crews followed them up to Kinloss including Halifax W1053 which was crewed as follows:
John Raemonde Roe (Pilot)
David Reginald Powell Williams (Observer)
Cyril Frederick Russell (WOP / AG)
John Stewart Morrison (WOP / AG)
William Russell Parr (Air Gunner)
Dennis Clancy Gardner Butchart (Flight Engineer)
On the night of 27th / 28th April 1942, it was one of eleven No. 35 Squadron aircraft that took part in an attack on the Tirpitz which was moored in Fættenfjord (Norway).
The crew reported “Mines dropped in vicinity of target possibly to port – obscured by smoke screen”.
On the night of 28th / 29th April 1942, it was one of seven No. 35 Squadron aircraft that took part in a second attack on the Tirpitz.
W1053 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Kinloss at time stated, Tirpitz being the target. Nothing heard from this aircraft from the time of take off”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 29th April 1942 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 28th / 29th April 1942”.
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. 148 (Flight 27/08/1942) reported CF Russell as “missing, believed killed in action”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 188 (Flight 07/01/1943) reported CF Russell “previously reported missing, believed killed in action” as “now presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be sent to next of kin, along with any monies due.
Crew members who survived the crash and were captured
JR Roe, DRP Williams, JS Morrison, WR Parr and DCG Butchart survived the crash and were captured, interrogated and imprisoned for the remainder of the war.
Their POW Liberation Questionnaires, which were completed as part of the repatriation process in 1945, show the following details:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Sagan May-42 to Jun-43
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft VI, Heydekrug Jun-43 to Jul-44
Imprisoned: Stalag 357, Thorn Jul-44 to Aug-44
Imprisoned: Stalag 357, Fallingbostel Aug-44 to Apr-45
Repatriated: May-45
JR Roe (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III
Repatriated:
DRP Williams (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Stalag Luft VI, Stalag 357
Repatriated:
WR Parr (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Stalag Luft VI, Stalag 357
Repatriated:
DCG Butchart
Captured: (29/04/1942) (Injured)
Hospitalised: Akers Sykhus Hospital, Oslo Apr-42 to May-42
Hospitalised: POW Hospital, Obermassfield Jun-42 to Aug-42
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Sagan Aug-42 to Jun-43
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft VI, Heydekrug Jun-43 to May-44
Imprisoned: Stalag 357, Fallingbostel May-44 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 show that the remains of CF Russell were located at Trondheim (Stavne) Cemetery.
It is not known if his remains were left in situ or whether they were exhumed, identified and concentrated (reinterred) at TRONDHEIM (STAVNE) CEMETERY as follows:
RUSSELL, CYRIL FREDERICK, Sergeant, ‘1259848’ Grave A IV British. J. 5.
[Courtesy of Linzee Duncan]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Location of Loss
Markabygd, Norway
More details on the loss and the subsequent events
Halifax W1051 was one of four No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Stuttgart on the night of the 6th / 7th May 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Harold Adrian Brown (Pilot)
Charles Vincent Harvey (Observer)
Walter Alfred Elliot (Air Bomber)
[-] Long (WOP / AG)
[-] Stewart (Air Gunner)
[-] Ogg (Air Gunner)
Frederick Esmond Perry Burtonshaw (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Aircraft was trimmed so poorly that it took the pilot two and a half hours to reach 10,000 feet and almost exhausted him. Pilot suggested that cause was badly slung 4,000lb bomb which was jettisoned at 10,000 feet over enemy waters. Aircraft returned to base but crash landed slewing to starboard, reason unknown, after normal touch down and collided with stationary aircraft off runway. (L9568 of 35 Conversion Flight)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 1180
AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) shows “W1051 ran off flight path on landing and hit L9568, 300ft off line of runway. Splinters from the propellers of W1051 also damaged L9607 of 35 Conversion Flight; W1051 failed to line up with flight path; approach was too fast and the weight of the aircraft proved too much for brakes. Pilot informed of wind strength over R/T (Inexperienced Pilot [OC]
Halifax W1159 was being utilised for an air test on 22nd June 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
HB MacDonald
Possibly:
J Baker (Observer)
E Whitter (WOP / Air Gunner)
JR Ely (WOP / Air Gunner)
GF Freedman (Air Gunner)
JE Jones (Flight Engineer)
The AM Form 1180 shows “The pilot was forced to make a cross wind landing at Linton-On-Ouse owing to an obstruction on aerodrome. Aircraft swung off runway, tail wheel was torn off on rough ground, causing aircraft to swing and starboard undercarriage to collapse”.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows that aircraft was initially classified as Cat. FA B but was subsequently reclassified as Cat. FA E (write off); it was struck off charge on 16th July 1942
Halifax W1050 was one of four No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Stuttgart on the night of the 6th / 7th May 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Glenn Powell Gardiner (Pilot)
Kenneth Whyte Bonnar (2nd Pilot)
Alec Henry Fuce (Observer)
John Alexander George Firth (WOP / AG)
Norman Henry Hood (WOP / AG)
Joseph Thomas Stanworth (Air Gunner)
John Norman Hindle (Flight Engineer)
W1050 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Aircraft failed to return; nothing was heard from time of take off”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 7th May 1942 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 6th / 7th May 1942”.
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. 165 (Flight 22/10/1942) reported KW Bonnar, NH Hood, JAG Firth, JT Stanworth and JN Hindle as “missing believed killed in action”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 188 (Flight 07/01/1943) reported KW Bonnar, NH Hood, JAG Firth, JT Stanworth and JN Hindle “previously reported missing, believed killed in action” as “now presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be sent to next of kin, along with any monies due.
Crew members who survived the crash and were captured / imprisoned
GP Gardiner and AH Fuce survived the crash and were captured, interrogated and imprisoned for the remainder of the war.
Their POW Liberation Questionnaires, which were completed as part of the repatriation process in 1945, show the following details:
GP Gardiner (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III (Sagan)
Repatriated:
AH Fuce (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III (Sagan), Stalag Luft VI (Heydekrug) and Stalag 357
Repatriated:
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 KW Bonnar, NH Hood, JAG Firth, JT Stanworth and JN Hindle were located but show that they were concentrated (reinterred) at NEUFCHATEAU COMMUNAL CEMETERY as follows:
FIRTH, JOHN ALEXANDER GEORGE, Sergeant ‘986458’ Grave 6.
STANWORTH, JOSEPH THOMAS, Sergeant ‘1021906’ Grave 8.
HINDLE, JOHN NORMAN, Sergeant ‘620185’ Grave 5.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/14111 Squadron Leader K W Bonnar, Sergeant J N Hindle, Sergeant J A G Firth, Sergeant N H Hood, Sergeant J T Stanworth: killed; Flying Officer G P Gardiner (RCAF), Sergeant A H Fuce: prisoners of war; Halifax 1050, 35 Squadron, enemy action, aircraft shot down and crashed at Ochamps, Belgium during an operational flight to Stuttgart, Germany, 7 May 1942.
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
Nightfighter Claim: Oblt. Hubert Rauh, 7./NJG4, S Libin 10km SW St Hubert (Belgium), 00.25
Note: Other sources suggest that the claim was credited to Wilhelm Herget; however, Dr Theo Boiten has confirmed that the claim was credited to Oblt. Hubert Rauh
Sources suggest that the aircraft crashed into the village, a few metres from the houses, near the Peroy farm. after being shot down by a Luftwaffe fighter plane. Of the seven crew members, two survived by parachuting. They were later taken prisoner by the Germans. The other 5 were buried in the cemetery of Neufchâteau.
Model of W1050
A model of W1050, built in 2018 by John Wilson to commemorate the loss of the aircraft
Notes:
It is understood that the ashes of GP Gardiner were scattered at Neufchâteau Communal Cemetery in 2012 following his death in 2011
On 21st April 1942, 115 Officers, NCOs and airmen ground personnel took leave for RAF Station Kinloss, which was to be used as an advance base for an attack on the Battleship “Tirpitz”.
On 22nd April, eleven aircraft and crews followed them up to Kinloss including Halifax W1048 which was crewed as follows:
Donald Philip MacIntyre (Pilot)
Ian Hewitt (Observer)
David Lionel Perry (WOP / AG)
Joseph Pierre Gaston Blanchet (WOP / AG)
Ronald Horace David Wilson (Air Gunner)
Victor Charles Stevens (Flight Engineer)
On the night of 27th / 28th April 1942 it was one of eleven aircraft which took part in a raid on the battleship which was moored in Fættenfjord, Norway.
W1048 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows ” Took off from Kinloss at time stated, Tirpitz being the target. Nothing heard since take off”.
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 28th April 1942 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 27th / 28th April 1942”.
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:
None found during research of this aircraft
Crew members who survived the crash and evaded capture
DP MacIntyre, I Hewitt, AL Perry, JPG Blanchet and RHD Wilson survived the crash and evaded capture.
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Sagan May-42 to Aug-43
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft VI, Heydekrug Aug-43 to Jul-44
Imprisoned: Stalag 357, Thorn Jul-44 to Sep-44
Imprisoned: Stalag 357, Fallingbostel Sep-44 to Apr-45
Repatriated: May-45
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/13931 Flying Officer D P MacIntyre (RCAF), Pilot Officer I Hewitt, Sergeant D L Perry, Sergeant R G Blanchet (RCAF), Sergeant R H D Wilson: interned in Sweden, Sergeant V C Stevens: prisoner of war; Halifax W1048, 35 Squadron, aircraft crashed into Lake Hocklingen, Norway, during attack on German battleship Tirpitz, 28 April 1042. With photograph.
Bomber Command Loss Card
Hit by flak and ditched Lake Hoklingen, Norway
DFC Citation for DP MacIntyre and I Hewitt
One night in April 1942, F/O MacIntyre and P/O Hewitt were captain and navigator respectively of an aircraft detailed to carry out a low level attack on the German naval base at Trondheim. The target was located and, in the face of intense opposition from the enemy’s ground defences, the attack was pressed home with great coolness and determination from a low level. During this operation the aircraft was hit. The outer portion of the wing caught fire, and the fuselage and cockpit were filled with smoke. Soon the aircraft was well alight, and as it became uncontrollable F/O MacIntyre decided to descend on to a lake, to which he was directed by P/O Hewitt. This he achieved by a feat of superb airmanship. The crew then manned their dinghy and made their way to the side of the lake. After a perilous journey, and suffering great hardships, F/O MacIntyre and his crew eventually reached England. The greatest credit is due to both these officers for their calm efficiency and courageous devotion to duty.
Evasion Report Numbers (National Archives)
WO208/3309/746 DP MacIntyre
WO2O8/3309/747 I Hewitt
WO208/3312/1133 DL Perry
WO208/3312/1153 PG Blanchet
WO208/3312/1152 RHD Wilson
Extract from Blanchet and Wilson’s Evasion Report
Our craft was hit by light flak over Trondheim while we were bombing the Tirpitz and we crashed on a lake about 0050 hours, 28 April 1942. The other members of the crew were:
P/O MacIntyre (S/P.G. -746)
P/O Hewitt (S/P.G. – 747)
Sergeant Perry (S/P.G. – 1132)
Sergeant Stevens (left injured in Norway).
The whole crew continued together after landing, as described in P/O MacIntyre’s and P/O Hewitt’s report. P/O McIntyre, our captain, decided about 1800 hours that we should split up into two groups. He went with F/O Hewitt and Sergeant Perry, and we went with Sergeant Stevens who had broken the arch of his foot in landing. We were near Levanger when we split.
After leaving the others, our party continued walking across country. We had many fences to climb, and Sergeant Stevens fainted several times. His foot was badly swollen and a bone was sticking out. Eventually, on 29 April, we left Sergeant Stevens, at his own request, at a farm house about 15 miles from Levanger, where the people, who spoke English, promised to get him a doctor. We left him 150 kroner, half our rations, a compass and a map.
We then continued east to a frozen lake which we crossed three days after we had crashed (31 April) [sic]. On the day we left Sergeant Stevens we were almost caught by a party of about 25 Germans, who searched a house near the one where we were being sheltered. We left the house at once and got away through the woods.
We made east after crossing the frozen lake, to another large lake across the frontier in Sweden. We crossed the frontier about six days after we had crashed, at a point about ten miles north of Storlien. We got considerable help on the way from the Norwegians, and about two days before we reached the frontier we got food and shelter at a shack, where the people also supplied us with maps and a compass and showed us a route to the border.
We gave ourselves up after crossing the frontier and were taken to Storlien (one night in prison) and Ostersund (two days). We were then interned from 5 May 1942 to 5 April 1943 in Falun camp.
Extract from “Making For Sweden… Part 1 – The RAF 1939 to 1945”
The following extract from the book “Making For Sweden… Part 1 – The RAF 1939 to 1945” by Rolph Wegmann and Bo Widfeldt describes their escape through Sweden and their repatriation.
“Flying at low level on three engines and on fire was a ‘dicey’ proposition. Eventually the Halifax was put down on the ice of lake Hoklingen. The crew made a swift exit from the burning bomber and the rear gunner, Sergeant Stephens, broke his ankle in the process. The ice was cracking and Pilot Officer Hewitt had an inadvertent dip in the cold water after jumping from the aircraft. During their exit from the bomber the crew came under small arms fire, and Sergeant Stephens had to be left on the beach. He was later taken prisoner by the Germans. The others divided into two parties before leaving the area.
The first of the two groups to reach Sweden comprised Pilot Officer MacIntyre, Pilot Officer Hewitt and Sergeant Perry, arriving on 1st May 1942. The second group, formed by Sergeant Wilson and Sergeant Blanchet, reached Skalstugan on 3rd May. The two parties had been helped to the Swedish border by independent groups of friendly Norwegians. Both groups were taken to Undersaker for interrogation.
Following the interrogation, the men were taken to Falun by train for internment in Framby. Pilot Officer MacIntyre and Pilot Officer Hewitt were repatriated on 1st June 1942 in exchange for a German crew that landed in Sweden on 29th May 1942. Sergeant Perry left Sweden on 30th March 1943, followed by Sergeant Wilson and Sergeant Blanchet on the 5th April 1943″
Aircraft Recovery
The aircraft was recovered from Lake Hoklingen in 1973 and parts are now on display at the RAF Museum, Hendon.
Halifax W1047 was one of eleven No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Emden on the night of the 6th / 7th June 1942
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Norman Wallis MacKenzie (Pilot)
Herbert Henry Sandford (Observer)
Jonathan Raymond Field (Air Bomber)
Leslie Smith (WOP / AG)
Leslie Ledger (Air Gunner)
[-] Richmond (WOP / AG)
John Griffin Davis (Flight Engineer)
AM Form 1180 shows “On landing, collided with Fordson Tender 24204. Investigation Officer: Carelessness on part of driver in crossing runway whilst aircraft landing. Driver failed to see this aircraft due to half light”.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) does not show the aircraft being taken off strength of the squadron as a result of this incident
Halifax W1047 was being utilised for aerial photography on 8th July 1942.
The crew comprised:
PH Cribb
Others?
The AM Form 1180 shows “Tail oleo casting fractured after landing. Aircraft swung after touch down, swing checked at once, but tail wheel ran off runway and was wrecked by rough ground. Weather conditions were mainly responsible for the accident (Wind caught tail before swing could be fully checked and took tail wheel off runway onto rough ground)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Halifax W1047
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows that the aircraft was repaired on site and returned to the squadron on 5th August 1942
Halifax W1047 was one of twelve No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Aachen on the night of the 5th / 6th October 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Jack Gordon Kerry (Pilot)
Horace Johnson (Navigator)
Walter Chester (Air Bomber)
William Gorman (WOP / AG)
Peter Richard Parsons (Air Gunner)
Royston Denis William Carrington (Air Gunner)
Wilfred Thomas Palmer (Flight Engineer)
W1047 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off with a load of 15 x 250lb incendiaries after which nothing further was heard from the aircraft”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 6th October 1942 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 5th / 6th October 1942”.
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. 192 (Flight 21/01/1943) reported JG Kerry, H Johnson, W Chester, W Gorman, RDW Carrington, PR Parsons and WT Palmer as “missing”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 255 (Flight 15/07/1943) reported JG Kerry, H Johnson, W Chester, W Gorman, RDW Carrington, PR Parsons and WT Palmer “previously reported as missing” now “presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be sent to next of kin, along with any monies due.
No. 35 Squadron’s Operations Record Book shows the following information was received relating to the crew:
09/01/1943: Information received from Air Ministry that the following aircrew, missing on 5th / 6th October 1942, were killed: S/L Kerry, P/O Johnson, F/L Carrington, Sgt Chester, Sgt Gorman, Sgt Parsons and Sgt Palmer
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 JG Kerry, H Johnson, W Chester, W Gorman, RDW Carrington, PR Parsons and WT Palmer were located but show that they were concentrated (reinterred) at LILLE SOUTHERN CEMETERY as follows:
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows that Halifax W1046 was damaged (Cat. FA AC) on 15th September 1942; the aircraft was “ROS” (repaired on site) and returned to the squadron on 30th September 1942.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
There are no details relating to the incident in the squadron’s Operations Record Book;
Halifax W1046 was one of seven No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Stuttgart on the night of the 4th / 5th May 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
DH Reed (Pilot)
Others?
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “W1046, through inexperience on the part of the pilot, crashed on run up preparatory to take off”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 1180
Aircraft swang on runway during daylight take off with full petrol and bomb loads. Pilot (DH Reed) failed to check swing, carried out incorrect cockpit drill. No disciplinary action.
Notes:
The Movement Card shows that the aircraft was damaged on 05/04/1942 (Cat. FB AC); it is assumed that this should read 04/05/1942 as there were no operations on 05/04/1942
On 21st April 1942, 115 Officers, NCOs and airmen ground personnel took leave for RAF Station Kinloss, which was to be used as an advance base for an attack on the Battleship “Tirpitz”.
On 22nd April, eleven aircraft and crews followed them up to Kinloss including Halifax W1020 which was crewed as follows:
Michael Reginald Mark Pooles (Pilot)
Gerard John Peter Henry (Observer)
Allan Wilstrop (WOP / AG)
Donald Edgar Rarity (WOP / AG)
Frank William Gosnell Hill (Air Gunner)
Hubert Allan Booth (Flight Engineer)
On the night of 27th / 28th April 1942 it was one of eleven aircraft which took part in a raid on the battleship which was moored in Fættenfjord, Norway.
W1020 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows ” Took off from Kinloss at time stated, Tirpitz being the target. Nothing heard since take off”.
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 28th April 1942 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 27th / 28th April 1942”.
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. 144 (Flight 06/08/1942) reported MRM Pooles, GJP Henry, DE Rarity, A Wilstrop, FWG Hill and HA Booth as “missing”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 224 (Flight 29/04/1943) reported MRM Pooles, GJP Henry, DE Rarity, A Wilstrop, FWG Hill and HA Booth “previously reported missing” as “now presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be sent to next of kin, along with any monies due.
No. 35 Squadron’s Operations Record Book shows the following information was received relating to the crew:
10/07/1942: An Air Ministry signal reports the F/L Pooles and his crew in W1020, lost on 27th / 28th April were all killed
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 show that the remains of all the crew members were located, identified and concentrated (reinterred) at TRONDHEIM (STAVNE) CEMETERY as follows:
POOLES, MICHAEL REGINALD MARK Flight Lieutenant ‘68736’ Grave A IV British. J. 11.
HENRY, GERARD JOHN PETER Pilot Officer ‘48086’ Grave A IV British. J. 7.
RARITY, DONALD EDGAR Sergeant ‘950595’ Grave A IV British. J. 9.
WILSTROP, ALLAN Sergeant ‘1054130’ Grave A IV British. J. 12.
HILL, FRANK WILLIAM GOSNELL Pilot Officer ‘120706’ Grave A IV British. J. 14.
BOOTH, HUBERT ALLAN Sergeant ‘519995’ Grave A IV British. J. 13.
[Courtesy of Linzee Duncan]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/13908 Flying Officer M R M Pooles, Pilot Officer G J P Henry, Sergeant D E Rarity, Sergeant A Wilstrop, Pilot Officer F W G Hill, Sergeant H A Booth: killed; Halifax W1020, 35 Squadron, aircraft failed to return from an Operational flight over Trondheim, Norway, 28 April 1942.
Location of Loss
Borås, Skjekstadmark, Norway
Crew Memorial
[Source: Linzee Duncan]
Note: Memorial is for the crew of Halifax W1020 and Lancaster L7572 from 97 Squadron
The Movement Card for Halifax W1019 shows that the aircraft was classified as FA (AC) on 28th April 1942; it was returned to the squadron on 12/06/1942.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Squadron Operations Record Book There are no details of any incidents relating to this aircraft arising from the operational sortie on 27th / 28th April 1942 (Tirpitz), although it was not on the Tirpitz operation the following night (28th / 29th April)
AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) There are no AM Form 1180 (Accident Cards) for this aircraft for the dates shown above
Halifax W1015 was one of thirteen aircraft dispatched by No. 35 Squadron to a forward base at RAF Kinloss on 27th March 1942 in readiness for an attack on the Battleship Tirpitz, which was moored in Fættenfjord, Norway.
On the night of 30th/ 31st March 1942 it was one of twelve aircraft which took part in a raid on the battleship.
Its seven-man crew consisted of:
George Henry Steinhauer (Pilot)
Peter Gregory Brown (2nd Pilot)
Lewis Edward Goodrum (Observer)
Douglas Granville Joseph Campbell (WOP / AG)
Eric Talbot Meade (WOP / AG)
Maurice Cohen [aka Cowan] (Air Gunner)
James Black Dunlop (Flight Engineer)
W1015 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “This aircraft took part in a raid on the Norwegian Coast and is missing; no further details are given”.
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 31st March 1942 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 30th / 31th March 1942”.
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. 134 (Flight 04/06/1942) reported GH Steinhauer, PG Brown, LE Goodrum, ET Meade, DGJ Campbell, M Cohen and JB Dunlop as “missing”
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 show that the remains of ET Meade and M Cohen (*) were located at Kristiansund (Norway)
Their remains were exhumed, identified and concentrated (reinterred) at TRONDHEIM (STAVNE) CEMETERY on 9th May 1946 as follows:
MEADE, ERIC TALBOT, Sergeant ‘920366’ Grave A IV British. C. 7.
COHEN, MAURICE, Sergeant ‘655080’ Grave A IV British. C. 6.
[Courtesy of Linzee Duncan]
(*) It is interesting to note that wartime records show M Cohen’s surname as Cowan
CWGC records show that the remains of GH Steinhauer were located at Trondheim (Stavne) Cemetery (Norway)
It is unclear whether his remains were exhumed, identified and concentrated (reinterred) or left in situ at TRONDHEIM (STAVNE) CEMETERY as follows:
STEINHAUER, GEORGE HENRY, Flight Sergeant ‘R/70825’ Grave A IV British. K. 3.
[Courtesy of Linzee Duncan]
CWGC records show that the remains of PG Brown were located at Edøy (Norway)
His remains were exhumed, identified and concentrated (reinterred) at TRONDHEIM (STAVNE) CEMETERY on 9th May 1946 as follows:
BROWN, PETER GREGORY, Pilot Officer ‘106502’ Grave A IV British. B. 3.
[Courtesy of Linzee Duncan]
The remains of LE Goodrum, DGJ Campbell and JB Dunlop were not located, or could not be formally identified and, as such, they are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial as follows:
GOODRUM, LEWIS EDWARD, Flight Sergeant ‘954695’ Panel 74.
CAMPBELL, DOUGLAS GRANVILLE JOSEPH, Sergeant ‘1173814’ Panel 79.
DUNLOP, JAMES BLACK, Sergeant ‘547222’ Panel 82.
[Courtesy of Clive Lewis]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/13071 Flight Sergeant G H Steinhauer (RCAF), Pilot Officer P G Brown, Sergeant E T Meade, Sergeant M Cowan: killed; Flight Sergeant L E Goodrum, Sergeant D G Campbell, Sergeant J B Dunlop: missing believed killed; Halifax W1015, 35 Squadron; aircraft shot down and crashed near Trondheim, Norway, during an attack on the German warship Tirpitz, 31 March 1942.
Post War Research
Post war research carried out by Linzee Duncan and Morten Moe records that the body of Steinhauer was recovered from the crash site at Remmingskjæret, Norway and was buried at Trondheim (Stavne) Cemetery on 8th April 1942. The bodies of Brown, Meade and Cohen, were subsequently recovered from the sea, one at Remmingen, one at Hellesfjorden and another at Lauvøya. The bodies of Goodrum, Campbell and Dunlop were never found.
Allied Airmen Memorial
In 1985, a memorial was erected at the head of Faettenfjord in memory of the allied airmen (including those from No. 35 Squadron) who lost their lives in the attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz in 1942.
Halifax R9496 was one of thirteen aircraft dispatched by No. 35 Squadron to a forward base at RAF Kinloss on 27th March 1942 in readiness for an attack on the Battleship Tirpitz.
On the night of 30th / 31st March 1942 it was one of twelve aircraft which took part in a raid on the battleship which was moored in Fættenfjord, Norway.
Its seven-man crew consisted of:
William Bruce Archibald (Pilot)
Leslie John Nelmes (2nd Pilot)
Geoffrey Hillam Gurr Murray (Observer)
Archibald McCulloch McLaren (WOP / AG)
James Frederick Staff (WOP / AG)
Douglas Francis (Air Gunner)
Samuel Palmer (Flight Engineer)
R9496 failed to return and the squadron’s operations record book shows “This aircraft took part in a raid on the Norwegian Coast and is missing; no further details are given”.
War time activities relating to the loss
On 31st March 1942 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 30th / 31st March 1942”.
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. 134 (Flight 04/06/1942) reported WB Archibald, AM McLaren and D Francis as “missing, believed killed in action” and LJ Nelmes, GHG Murray, JF Staff and S Palmer as “missing”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 147 (Flight 27/08/1942) reported WB Archibald, AM McLaren and D Francis previously reported “missing, believed killed in action” as “now presumed killed in action”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 199 (Flight 11/02/1943) reported GHG Murray “previously reported missing” as “now presumed killed in action”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 240 (Flight 10/06/1943) reported LJ Nelmes, JF Staff and S Palmer “previously reported missing” as “now presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be sent to next of kin, along with any monies due.
Post War search for the missing members of the crew
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 WB Archibald, AM McLaren and D Francis were located but show that they were concentrated (reinterred) at TRONDHEIM (STAVNE) CEMETERY as follows:
ARCHIBALD, WILLIAM BRUCE, Flight Sergeant, ‘533809’ Grave A IV British. K. 2.
McLAREN, ARCHIBALD MCCULLOCH, Sergeant, ‘993204’ Grave A IV British. K. 5.
FRANCIS, DOUGLAS, Sergeant, ‘632346’ Grave A IV British. K. 1.
[Courtesy of Linzee Duncan]
The remains of the remaining crew members were not located, or could not be identified and, as such, their names are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial as follows:
STAFF, JAMES FREDERICK, Sergeant ‘959971’ Panel 94.
PALMER, SAMUEL, Sergeant ‘526215’ Panel 91.
[Courtesy of Clive Lewis]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
WR Chorley (Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War)
Shot down in the target area
Allied Airmen Memorial
In 1985, a memorial was erected at the head of Faettenfjord in memory of the allied airmen (including those from No. 35 Squadron) who lost their lives in the attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz in 1942.
Halifax R9489 took off for an air test on 21st July 1942.
Its seven-man crew (along with two army passengers) comprised:
Thomas Craik Murray (Pilot)
Peter Mitchell Thurgood (Observer)
Harry Hibbert (Air Bomber)
Harold Richard Giddens (WOP / AG)
William Warren Craig (WOP / AG)
Stanley Allan Keen (Air Gunner)
Arthur Thomas Wharfe (Flight Engineer)
A Roebuck (Army)
W McBurney (Army)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Whilst carrying out an air test at about midday, R9489 (T), with two army sergeants McBurney and Roebuck flying as passengers, crashed near Tadcaster (Catterton), bursting into flames on impact. All in the aircraft were killed”
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s records show the following burial details:
CRAIG, WILLIAM WARREN, Warrant Officer Class I,I ‘R/63057’, NEWTON-ON-OUSE (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD Row T. Grave 6B.
GIDDENS, HAROLD RICHARD, Flight Sergeant, ‘R/66046,’ NEWTON-ON-OUSE (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD Row T. Grave 6A.
HIBBERT, HARRY Pilot Officer ‘117003’ SUTTON-IN-ASHFIELD CEMETERY Sec. A. Grave 11545.
KEEN, STANLEY ALLAN Sergeant ‘844873’ ST. ALBANS (ST. STEPHEN) CHURCHYARD Sec. F. Grave 1.
MURRAY, THOMAS CRAIK Sergeant ‘1365896’ MARKINCH (ST. DROSTAN’S) CEMETERY Compt. U. Grave 34.
THURGOOD, PETER MITCHELL Sergeant ‘1312235’ NEWTON-ON-OUSE (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD Row T. Grave 7.
WHARFE, ARTHUR THOMAS Sergeant ‘567426’ KERESLEY (ST. THOMAS) CHURCHYARD New Part. Row B. Grave 5.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 1180
The AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) shows “At approx 1200 feet, three steep turns alternatively to port and starboard, first from 200 – 300 feet; apparently full control first two turns, started on third, partially stalled. Two army NCOs carried extra to orders. No consensus on cause due to lack of evidence”
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/16084 Sergeant T C Murray, Pilot Officer H Hibbert, Sergeant P M Thurgood, Sergeant W Craig (RCAF), Sergeant H R Giddens (RCAF), Sergeant S A Keen, Sergeant A T Wharfe, Sergeant W McBurney, Sergeant A Roebuck: killed; Halifax R9489, 35 Squadron, Tadcaster, Yorkshire, 21 July 1942.
Army Personnel
It is understood that the army personnel were members of the 43 Searchlight Reg. (5th Bn The Duke of Wellington’s Reg.) Royal Artillery, stationed at Linton. CWGC records show that they were buried as follows:
Sgt William Henry McBurney – Stottercliffe Cemetery Penistone Section 4 Consecrated Grave 109.
Halifax R9450 was one of five No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Essen on the night of 9th / 10th March 1942.
Its seven-man crew consisted of:
Conrad Charles William Ganly (Pilot)
Peter Vincent Barthel (2nd Pilot)
Cyril Edmund Johnson (Observer)
George Cartwright (WOP / AG)
Russell James Gibson Jones (WOP / AG)
Ronald Morley Mules (Air Gunner)
Alfred Thomas Bennett (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “R9450 was last in communication with control about 21.50hrs when they stated they were in trouble and returning to base. The RDF track was followed by No 13 Group but this faded out at 22.15hrs. The aircraft was believed to be down in the sea approx 30 miles off Mablethorpe. Lysanders took off from York Aerodrome and rescue boats went in search from Calshot. Early the following morning Halifax aircraft took up the search from here but found no trace of the aircraft or crew. [Last fix HLFE 5258-2-2150 Bircham]”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 10th March 1942 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 9th / 10th March 1942”.
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. 127 (Flight 30/04/1942) reported CCW Ganly, PV Barthel, CE Johnson, G Cartwright, RJG Jones, RM Mules and AT Bennett as “missing”
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 show that the remains of the crew were not located (or could not be formally identified) and, as such, their names are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial as follows:
BARTHEL, PETER VINCENT Pilot Officer ‘46708’ Panel 68.
BENNETT, ALFRED THOMAS Sergeant ‘546151’ Panel 78.
CARTWRIGHT, GEORGE Sergeant ‘1304031’ Panel 79.
GANLY, CONRAD CHARLES WILLIAM Flight Sergeant ‘1174904’ Panel 74.
JOHNSON, CYRIL EDMUND Sergeant ‘1164465’ Panel 87.
JONES, RUSSELL JAMES GIBSON Sergeant ‘1169608’ Panel 87.
MULES, RONALD MORLEY Sergeant ‘647415’ Panel 90.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/12608 Pilot Officer P V Barthel, Sergeant C G Ganley, Sergeant C E Johnson, Sergeant A T Bennett, Sergeant R G Jones, Sergeant G Cartwright, Sergeant R M Mules; missing believed killed; Halifax R9450, 35 Squadron; aircraft failed to return from an operational flight over Essen, Germany, 9 March 1942.
AM Form 1180
The AM Form 1180 shows “in sea, 30 miles off Mablethorpe”
Halifax R9446 was one of ten No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Essen on the the night of 8th / 9th March 1942
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Glenn Powell Gardiner (Pilot)
Richard Joseph Clarke (2nd Pilot)
Alec Henry Fuce (Observer)
John Alexander George Firth (WOP / AG)
Norman Henry Hood (WOP / AG)
William Russell Parr (Air Gunner)
[-] Gregson (Flight Engineer)
The AM Form 1180 shows “Bomb door damaged due to selection lever accidentally placed in “closed” position. When engines started the pressure from the pump forced the doors too tightly against two protruding 4000lb bombs. Retro action by unit to fit a bomb door stop …… to each aircraft”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows no damage to the aircraft and it remained on charge of the squadron;
Halifax R9445 was one of ten aircraft dispatched by No. 35 Squadron to attack the Renault Works at Billancourt on the night of 3rd / 4th March 1942.
Its seven-man crew consisted of:
Samuel Davis Jones (Pilot)
CS Stringer (2nd Pilot)
HA Hawkin (Observer)
James Henry Janes (WOP / AG)
[-] Harvey (WOP / AG)
[-] Russell (Air Gunner)
John Maurice Mitchell (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operation Record Book shows “R9445 was unable to attack the Renault works owing to the port wing and fuselage being hit by light flak causing a short circuit in the electrical bomb release preventing dropping of bombs. Could not aim accurately manually. Both port engines cut whilst making approach. This aircraft crash landed at Oakington“
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P.4 (Cas), Casualty Branch Files
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives
AIR 81/12496 Sergeant H A Hawkin: injured; Halifax R9445, 35 Squadron; aircraft crashed near Cottenham on return from an operational flight over Billancourt, France, 3 March 1942.
HA Hawkin
The squadron’s record book shows that HA Hawkin had returned to operational duties by 9th March 1942
Halifax R9444 was one of nine No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Essen on the night of the 2nd / 3rd June 1942.
Its six-man crew comprised:
Paul Alexander Hilton (Pilot)
Walter Sharp (Observer)
Charles Burdon (WOP / AG)
Sewell Thickett (WOP / AG)
Peter Edgar Davis (Air Gunner)
Ronald Charles Vosper Prout (Flight Engineer)
Aircraft were routed to cross the Dutch Coast north of the Hague and then to proceed to the target; turning right handed they were to return south of Krefeld and the Hague.
R9444 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off Linton for Essen, nothing was heard of this aircraft after leaving base. Now reported missing”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 3rd June 1942 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 2nd / 3rd June 1942”.
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 provided No. 35 Squadron with the following information regarding the crew:
10/07/1942: During the last three days information has been received covering all the crew of R9444, lost on 2nd / 3rd June 1942, who are prisoners of war
Crew members who survived the crash and were captured / imprisoned
PA Hilton, W Sharp, S Thickett, C Burdon, PE Davis and RCV Prout survived the crash and were captured, interrogated and imprisoned for the remainder of the war.
Their POW Liberation Questionnaires, which were completed as part of the repatriation process in 1945, show the following details:
PE Davis
Captured: Casterle, Belgium 04/06/1942
Imprisoned: Stalag Lugt III, Sagan Jun-42 to Jul-43
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft VI, Heydekrug Jul-43 to Jul-44
Imprisoned: Stalag 357 Jul-44 to Apr-45
Repatriated: May-45
S Thickett
Captured: Near Breda (05/06/1942)
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Sagan Jun-42 to Jul-43
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft VI, Heydekrug Jul-43 to Jul-44
Imprisoned: Stalag 357, Fallingbostel Aug-44 to Apr-45
Repatriated: May-45
PA Hilton (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Stalag Luft VI, Stalag 357
Repatriated:
W Sharp (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Stalag Luft VI, Stalag 357
Repatriated:
C Burdon (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Stalag Luft VI, Stalag 357
Repatriated:
RCV Prout (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Stalag Luft VI, Stalag Luft IV
Repatriated:
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/15419 Sergeant W Sharp, Sergeant R C Prout, Sergeant P A Hilton, Leading Aircraftsman P E Davis, Sergeant S Thickett, Sergeant C Burdon: prisoners of war; Halifax R9444, 35 Squadron, crew baled from aircraft near of Antwerp, during operational flight Essen, Germany, 3 June 1942.
Bomber Command Loss Card
Attacked by nightfighters after being badly damaged by flak (Brecht?, Belgium)
Note: Photographs on sale on E-Bay in January 2021, which are believed to show R9444 after the crash, are annotated with the words “at Deurne” (which is south-west of Brecht); other sites suggest that the aircraft crashed in the farm “Heihoefke” at Sint-Lenaarts, where five civilians were killed instantly
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive) Nightfighter Claim: Ofw. Rolf Bussmann 7./NJG2. at 02.25 Also claimed by Flak of 1./Res. Flak Abt. 157, 1. & 2./Res. Flak Abt. 266, 11-13./Flak Rgt. 32
Citation for Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying) for PA Hilton
Sgt. Hilton was pilot and captain of an aircraft detailed for a night operation in June 1942. While over enemy territory, his aircraft was attacked by three enemy fighters. As a result, the aircraft sustained serious damage and three engines were put out of action. Sgt. Hilton gave the order to abandon aircraft; this order was obeyed by all members of the crew, with the exception of the flight engineer, whose parachute had become unserviceable. Sgt. Hilton showed that his first thought was for the safety of his crew, and although he knew it meant almost certain death, he gave his own parachute to the flight engineer, who thus was enabled to leave the badly damaged aircraft. With great courage and gallantry, Sgt. Hilton then attempted to make a forced landing. He was thrown clear of the crashed aircraft, which caught fire. Subsequently he was taken prisoner of war. Sgt. Hilton displayed outstanding courage and coolness in the face of great danger. His complete disregard for his own safety, in order to save the life of one of his crew, showed a devotion to duty worthy of the highest praise.
Halifax R9440 was one of eleven No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Cologne (Special Target A) on the night of 13th / 14th March 1942.
Its seven-man crew consisted of:
William Bruce Archibald (Pilot)
Leslie John Nelmes (2nd Pilot)
Geoffrey Hillam Gurr Murray (Observer)
Archibald McCulloch McLaren (WOP / AG)
James Frederick Staff (WOP / AG)
Douglas Francis (Air Gunner)
Samuel Palmer (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “R9440 was unable to reach the primary target owing to the starboard inner engine failing. On landing at Linton, this aircraft overshot the runway and crash landed, afterwards being struck off charge. All crew members escaped uninjured”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 1180
The AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) shows “Overshot when landing at night. Pilot purposely came in fast as 3 engines only were being used. Ground haze made landing difficult”
Halifax R9438 was one of thirteen aircraft dispatched by No. 35 Squadron to a forward base at RAF Kinloss on 27th March 1942 in readiness for an attack on the Battleship Tirpitz.
On the night of 30th/ 31st March 1942 it was one of twelve aircraft which took part in a raid on the battleship which was moored in Fættenfjord, Norway.
Its seven-man crew consisted of:
Joseph Bryan Bushby (Pilot)
Anthony John Peach (2nd Pilot)
Geoffrey Noel Edward Powell (Observer)
John Peter Burton Buckley (WOP / AG)
Moses Lewis Usher (WOP / AG)
John Allen Wood (Air Gunner)
Ronald Meredith (Flight Engineer)
R9438 failed to return and the squadron’s operations record book shows “This aircraft took part in a raid on the Norwegian Coast and is missing; no further details are given”.
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 31st March 1942 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 30th / 31st March 1942”.
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, published the following information regarding the crew:
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 138 (Flight 02/07/1942) reported JPB Buckley and ML Usher as “killed in action”.
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 139 (Flight 09/07/1942) reported JB Bushby, AJ Peach, GNE Powell and JA Wood as “missing”.
Wartime search for the missing crew members
On 31st March 1942, the wreckage of the aircraft, along with the bodies of some of the crew, was found at Fitful Head, Shetland.
A search for the missing airmen was carried out and the bodies of JPB Buckley and ML Usher were located and identified.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) records show the following burial details:
BUCKLEY, JOHN PETER BURTON, Flight Sergeant, ‘R/56144’, LERWICK NEW CEMETERY Terrace 7B. Grave 7.
USHER, MOSES LEWIS, Pilot Officer, ‘J/15861’, LERWICK NEW CEMETERY Terrace 7B. Grave 5.
It is also understood that the body of AJ Peach was located and buried on the cliff face where it was found. In addition, further remains were located at the crash site in 1943; these were placed in an unmarked grave at Lerwick New Cemetery (see additional information below)
[Courtesy of Linzee Duncan]
Post War search for the missing crew members
It is not known if any further searches were carried out after the war to locate the missing crew members.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s records show that the remains of JB Bushby, R Meredith, AJ Peach, GNE Powell and JA Wood were not found, or could not be formally identified and, as such, their names are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial as follows:
BUSHBY, JOSEPH BRYAN Flight Sergeant ‘1057442’ Panel 73.
MEREDITH, RONALD Sergeant ‘937585’ Panel 89.
PEACH, ANTHONY JOHN Sergeant ‘1268062’ Panel 91.
POWELL, GEOFFREY NOEL EDWARD Sergeant ‘922976’ Panel 91.
WOOD, JOHN ALLEN Sergeant ‘901160’ Panel 97.
[Courtesy of Clive Lewis]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Crew Memorial
Memorial to the crew at Fitful Head [Courtesy of John Winterburn]
Linzee Duncan Article
The following is extracted from an article about the recovery process written by Linzee Duncan:
“The next day, two local crofters, John Mainland and George William Leslie from Brake, Quendale, were out on Fitful Head checking their sheep. They rounded a corner and were taken by surprise to find two airmen who at first glance appeared to be alive since they were in a seated position. However, as the men approached the airmen they realised that they were dead and that an aircraft must have flown into the cliff. The crofters returned home and telephoned the RAF at Sumburgh to report the crash and the discovery of the bodies. The two airmen were identified as Flight Sergeant Buckley and Sergeant Usher who were the Wireless Operators, both were Canadian. With the help of Magnus Burgess of Quendale Farm, Tammie Flaws of Gord and Willie Aitken of Hillwell, the bodies were recovered and taken for burial in Lerwick Cemetery.
Also on the morning of March 31st the body of Sergeant Peach, the Second Pilot, was discovered hanging 200 feet above the water by his parachute on Fitful Head. Tom Warner was the RAF Padre at RAF Sumburgh, and despite the obvious danger to himself, decided that an attempt to recover the body must be made. He gathered a small party of men, a friend Flight Lieutenant Taylor, RAF driver LAC Finney and local John Mainland and together they went to Fitful Head to see what they could do. LAC Finney and Tom Warner descended the cliff until they were able to reach the body of Sergeant Peach. It was impossible to recover the body to the top of the cliff and so they no alternative other than to pull the body into a fissure in the cliff where they covered it with the parachute and some rocks. They were able to positively identify it as being that of Sergeant Peach from his identity disc. Prayers were said from the Burial Service and three shots were fired over the grave.
The following day Johnnie Eunson and some others went to look for possible survivors. During the search, Johnnie Eunson was lowered down the cliff face on a rope where he discovered some aircraft wreckage and another body. It was impossible due to the precipitous nature of the terrain to recover the body up the cliff face. The airman was identified as being Sergeant Meredith, the Flight Engineer. His body was wrapped in his parachute and a grave was made for him on the cliff using a natural fissure in the rock and the wreckage from the aircraft.
Over one year later, in May 1943, an unidentified body of a Sergeant was recovered from the wreckage which still lay on the cliff face. The body was taken to Lerwick Cemetery where it was buried on 14th June 1943 as “An airman of the 1939-1945 War”. The three airmen who were not recovered at the time of the crash were the Pilot, Flight Sergeant Bushby, the Navigator, Sergeant Powell and the Tail Gunner, Sergeant Wood. It must be assumed that the ‘unknown’ grave is that of one of these three men”
Halifax R9367 was one of four aircraft dispatched by No. 35 Squadron to attack the main railway station at Hamburg on the night of 15th / 16th January 1942.
Its seven-man crew consisted of:
Glenn Powell Gardiner (Pilot)
Richard Joseph Clarke (2nd Pilot)
Alec Henry Fuce (Observer)
Norman Henry Hood (WOP / AG)
Walter Harold Mennell (WOP / AG)
AM Hampton (Air Gunner)
[-] Gregson (Flight Engineer)
No. 35 Squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “The aircraft lost an engine immediately after take off and was forced to land. Since the “Q” site was unusable, he was instructed to jettison his bombs just outside the aerodrome perimeter. One 1,000lb bomb dropped short of the perimeter and exploded; a large piece of shrapnel penetrated hangar “D” door (which was 500 yards away) and seriously damaged Halifax L9584”
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) does not record any damage to the aircraft (R9367). L9584 was classified as FA AC; it was repaired on site and returned to the squadron on 10th February 1942
The Movement Card shows that the aircraft was classified as FA (AC) on 22nd March 1942. It was repaired on site and returned to the squadron on 7th April 1942.
AM Form 1180
Unable to find a AM Form 1180 on RAF Museum microfiche as at 21st March 2018
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows that the aircraft was “Repaired on Site” 16th July 1942; it was returned to the squadron on 26th July 1942 (transferring to 35 Conversion Flight on the same day)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 1180
There is no AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) for this aircraft on this date
Halifax W1117 was one of seven No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack “Special Target B” at Essen (with Bonn as an alternative target) on the night of 16th / 17th June 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Arthur Edward Hammond (Pilot)
Murray Walker Brown (Observer)
George William Brown (WOP / AG)
John Ryland Jones (WOP / AG)
Cecil Francis Goode (Air Gunner)
Samuel Herbert Woolley (Air Gunner)
Reginald Ernest Gay (Flight Engineer)
W1117 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “took off from Linton for Essen; nothing was heard of this aircraft after leaving base”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 17th June 1942 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 16th / 17th June 1942”.
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. 172 (Flight 12/11/1942) reported AE Hammond, GW Brown, JR Jones, CF Goode, SH Woolley and RE Gay as “missing, believed killed in action”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 231 (Flight 13/05/1943) reported GW Brown, JR Jones, CF Goode, SH Woolley and RE Gay “previously reported missing, believed killed in action” as “now presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be sent to the next of kin, along with any monies due
Crew members who survived the crash and were captured
MW Brown survived the crash and was captured, hospitalised and subsequently 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:
Captured: S-Hertogenbosch (Concussion and Broken Ankle) Jun-42
Hospitalised: S-Hertogenbosch, Holland Jun-42 to Aug-42
Imprisoned: Stalag X111-D, Nuremberg Mar-45 to Apr-45
Imprisoned: Stalag VII-A, Mooseburg Apr-45 to May-45
Repatriated: May-45
Post War search for 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 Runnymede Memorial, which was unveiled in 1953.
CWGC records do not show where the remains of AE Hammond, GW Brown, JR Jones, CF Goode, SH Woolley and RE Gay were located but show that they were concentrated (reinterred) at EINDHOVEN (WOENSEL) GENERAL CEMETERY as follows:
HAMMOND, ARTHUR EDWARD, Flight Sergeant, ‘R/68734’, Plot JJ. Grave 76.
BROWN, GEORGE WILLIAM, Sergeant, ‘1187004,’ Plot JJ. Grave 77.
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/15592 Sergeant M W Brown (RCAF): prisoner of war; Flight Sergeant A E Hammond (RCAF), Sergeant G W Brown, Sergeant J R Jones, Sergeant C F Goode, Sergeant S H Wooley, Sergeant R E Gay: killed; Halifax W1117, 35 Squadron, aircraft failed to return from an operational flight over Essen, Germany, 17 June 1942.
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
Nightfighter Claim: Oblt. Reinhold Knacke 1./NJG1, Bijsterveld, 5km W of Eindhoven, 5,300m, 02.28
WR Chorley (Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War)
Crashed 02.30 onto land owned by Mr Van Hees at Bijsterveld
From the “Loss of Aircraft” questionnaire completed by MW Brown
It is understood that the questionnaire shows: Airborne 2230 hours on 16 June 1942. Were to bomb Essen, if 10/10 cloud by Gee. If broken at Bonn to bomb there. Cloud was 9/10 approximately and we approached to Essen and bombed. At 0230 hours approximately six minutes from Dutch coast attacked by Me.110. German info. Attacked from below. Second attack followed closely on first. Rear Gunner shouted over inter com but indistinct and not understandable. On second attack pilot ordered jump and then inter com broke down. Bomb Aimer was sick in rest position but when I passed chute to him he was OK. To best of my knowledge no one was hit. Pilot held aircraft steady. As WOP would not jump when I had cleared hatch and as rest of crew, i.e Engineer, Bomb Aimer and mid-upper were behind stepping down, I left rather than cause further delay. I do not know why others did not get out. Did not see or hear aircraft crash. Weather was cloudy. Hit between Vessom and Hertugenbusen.
Notes: Out of front hatch. Landed unconscious, broke left ankle and received concussion. Believed through lack of oxygen
From the logbooks of the ARP Eindhoven on 16/17th June 1942 (Source: RAFCommands Thread)
It is understood that the logbook shows “On 16/17th June 1942 at 04.40hrs the ARP received a message from the Headquarters ARP Waalre that at about 02.30hrs they observed descending aircraft, and shortly afterwards an aircraft in flames and loud bangs. It added that at about 02.30hrs in a garden in Eindhoven (Wal 8) we found a big part made of aluminium. About the shape and proportion, we found out that this was a bonnet from an aircraft. On the inside of the part we found British markings. At about the same time almost the same piece but smaller was found at Pieter Breugelstraat 20 in Eindhoven. Both parts were heavily shot. No personal accidents, and no damage. Signed Mr Johannus Donker, police officer and head of the ARP”
A Veldhoven ARP report about the crash (Source: RAFCommands Thread)
It is understood that the ARP reports state “I have the honour to report you the following message; On the 17th June 1942 03.45 in the early morning I have got the message that at the Hamlet Scherpenering, an aircraft was crashed, town council of Veldhoven. Immediately I went to the spot. I went to the site were the aircraft came down and it concerned a British aircraft which was crashed in flames behind the farm owned by Family van Hees, Bijsterveld B04, at Veldhoven. In fact this area belonging to the town council of Vessem and the aircraft is just lying on the border with Veldhoven. It was a four engined aircraft “Halifax” W1117. The fuselage was heavy shot so I thought that it was shot down in an air battle. From the crew I saw that 5 was totally burned and one crew member was killed by using his parachute on a very low altitude. The stable which was lying beside the wreckage was also burned out with the loss of two cows. At the town council of Veldhoven in a cornfield we found a burned wing and a part of the tail. They are lying at about 100m distance of the aircraft. Two engines were found in a beetroot field. The wreckage is guarded by the German Wehrmacht.”
Halifax L9584 was seriously damaged whilst in a hangar at Linton-On-Ouse as a result of the following incident on 15th January 1942:
Halifax R9367 lost an engine immediately after take off and was forced to land. Since the “Q” site was unusable, he was instructed to jettison his bombs just outside the aerodrome perimeter. One 1,000lb bomb dropped short of the perimeter and exploded; a large piece of shrapnel penetrated hangar “D” door (which was 500 yards away) and seriously damaged Halifax L9584 which was in the hangar.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 1180
The accident card shows that the aircraft was in hangar; bomb jettisoned by friendly aircraft
AM Form 78
The movement card shows that the aircraft was repaired on site and returned to the squadron on 10th February 1942
Halifax L9511 was one of five No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack the railway station at Wilhelmshaven on the night of the 10th / 11th January 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
George Henry Steinhauer (Pilot)
Joseph Thomas Pack (2nd Pilot)
Lewis Edward Goodrum (Observer)
Douglas Granville Joseph Campbell (WOP / AG)
Eric Talbot Meade (WOP / AG)
Maurice Cohen [aka Cowan] (Air Gunner)
[-] Mitchell (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Sgt Steinhauer succeeded in reaching the mainland but shortly after doing so his rear gunner’s oxygen mask froze up and the rear gunner contracted frost bite and passed out, their height being 19,000 feet and the temperature -35°. The Flight Engineer was despatched to render first aid, but owing to having omitted to take his portable oxygen supply with him, failed to reach the rear turret and was only brought back to life after the captain had executed a rapid dive to 12,000ft. Sgt Steinhauer with an unserviceable hydraulic system accidentally hit a mobile floodlight (at Mildenhall) on landing, damaging starboard flap and lower half of rudder”.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 1180
AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) shows “On landing, hit R/T control trailer – landing to left of flight path to avoid obstruction on right – no blame on pilot”
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows that the aircraft was classified as FA/AC; it was repaired on site and returned to the squadron on 12th February 1942
Notes:
It has not been possible to establish whether “Mitchell” is the correct name for the Flight Engineer as it may have been recorded incorrectly in the Record Book. It is not JM Mitchell, who was flying with another crew at this time; further research required
Halifax DT488 was one of eight No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Turin on the night of the 18th / 19th November 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Basil Vernon Robinson (Pilot)
Nathaniel Halliday (Navigator)
Joseph Gilbert Middlemass (Air Bomber)
Francis Edward Solway (Wireless Operator)
Edwin Francis Butler (Air Gunner)
Thomas Musselbrook Bruce (Air Gunner)
William Potter (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “When the Alps were reached on the return flight, one of four flares which hung up caused a fire in the bomb bay. As the fire appeared to be spreading the crew were ordered to bale out and did so quite successfully at approximately 22.30 hours, position 45 degrees, 27 minutes / 7 degrees, 10 minutes. Before the Captain had time to leave the aircraft the fire abated and finally was extinguished, so he brought the aircraft back alone, landing at Colerne, damage to the aircraft being found to be only slight”.
Squadron aircraft on take off for Turin [From the Ronald Gayner Collection (Courtesy of Dick Gayner)]
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 18th / 19th November 1942 the squadron informed Bomber Command, the Air Ministry and the RAF Records Office that some of the 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 18th / 19th November 1942”.
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.
For the remainder of the war, the Air Ministry Casualty Branch utilised information obtained from radio intercepts and from the German Authorities and prisoners of war (which was supplied via the International Red Cross) to establish whether lost crew had been killed, wounded, imprisoned or were “missing”; the squadron and the relevant families were kept informed.
No. 35 Squadron’s Operations Record Book shows the following information was received relating to the crew:
20/11/1942: Information received that the Italian Wireless had revealed that five RAF aircrew, including one officer, had been captured as a result of the raid on Turin on 18th November 1942. These prisoners were almost certainly members of the crew of BF Robinson’s crew as no other casualty occurring on the raid
22/12/1942: Information received from Air Ministry that JG Middlemass, NM Halliday and EF Butler, missing on 18th / 19th November 1942, are prisoners of war in Italy.
31/12/1942: Information received from Air Ministry that FE Solway, TN Bruce and W Potter, missing on 18th / 19th November 1942, are prisoners of war in Italy
29/06/1944: Information received from Air Ministry that EF Butler, missing and taken prisoner on 18th / 19th November 1942, has been repatriated
14/07/1944: Information received from Air Ministry that NM Halliday, missing on 18th / 19th November 1942, has returned to the UK
Crew members who were captured / imprisoned
EF Butler and NM Halliday were captured, interrogated and imprisoned until 1944 when they were repatriated.
Their POW Liberation Questionnaires, which were completed as part of the repatriation process, show the following details:
EF Butler (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Held in Italy: Camp PG59, Servigliano Nov-42 to Sep-43 (Escaped)
Evasion Route:
Repatriated: Jul-44
NM Halliday (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Held in Italy: Camp PG59, Servigliano Nov-42 to Sep-43 (Escaped)
Evasion Route:
Repatriated: Jul-44
JG Middlemass, FE Solway, TM Bruce and W Potter were captured, interrogated and imprisoned for the remainder of the war.
JG Middlemass (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Held in Italy: Camp PG78, Sulmona
Imprisoned: No information available
Repatriated:
FE Solway (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Held in Italy: Camp PG57, Grupignano
Imprisoned: Stalag IV-B, Muhlberg
Repatriated:
TM Bruce
Captured: Turin (18/11/1942) (Injured Right Knee)
Held in Italy: Camp PG70, Monteurano Dec-42 to Sep-43
Imprisoned: Stalag IV-B, Muhlberg Sep-43 to May-45
Repatriated: May-45
W Potter (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Held in Italy: Camp PG52, Pian de Coreglia
Imprisoned: Stalag IV-B, Muhlberg
Repatriated:
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AM Form 1180
The AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) shows “Aircraft caught fire in the air due to ignition of a flare which caught in the rear of the bomb bay. Crew abandoned aircraft but flames died down and fire extinguished itself. Pilot returned to England but was forced to land at Colerne airfield”
AM Form 78
The AM Form 78 (Movement Card) shows that it was classified as FB/E on 19th November 1942, but the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows that it was operational on 20th November 1942 and was not struck off charge until May 1943 when it failed to return from operations
London Gazette (05/01/1943)
BV Robinson was awarded the Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross as a result of his actions. The citation reads:
One night in November during an operational sortie against Turin, this officer displayed great gallantry and determination when a dangerous fire broke out in his aircraft. Owing to the intensity of the flames and smoke which filled the cockpit, Wing Commander Robinson saw no hope of bringing the fire under control and therefore ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft. While preparing to follow them himself, the fire abated. Undeterred by the difficulty of the flight which involved crossing the Alps and flying many hundreds of miles over enemy occupied territory, Wing Commander Robinson continued alone, completed the return journey, and landed his large 4 engine aircraft successfully in this country despite very adverse weather., accomplishing a most praiseworthy and skilful feat of airmanship.
Halifax W7701 was one of ten No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Essen on the night of the 8th / 9th June 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Joseph Thomas Pack (Pilot)
Roy Blackwell Chadwick (Observer)
William Edgar Pilborough (WOP / AG)
John Andrew Catley (WOP / AG)
John McKinstry (Air Gunner)
William John Hopkins (Air Gunner)
John Ralph Storey (Flight Engineer)
W7701 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “took off from Linton for Essen; nothing was heard of this aircraft after it left base”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 9th June 1942 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 8th / 9th June 1942”.
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. 172 (Flight 12/11/1942) reported RB Chadwick, WE Pilborough, WJ Hopkins, J McKinstry and JR Storey as “missing, believed killed in action”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 233 (Flight 20/05/1943) reported RB Chadwick, WE Pilborough, WJ Hopkins, J McKinstry and JR Storey “previously reported missing, believed killed in action” as “now presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be returned to the next of kin, along with any monies due
Crew members who survived the crash and evaded capture
JT Pack baled out and evaded capture as follows:
Evasion Route: Germany / Holland / Belgium / France / Spain (Comet Line 33)
Repatriated: Londonderry 25/08/1942
Crew members who survived the crash and were captured / imprisoned
JA Catley baled out and 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:
JA Catley
Captured: 7 miles from Brussels (Slightly Injured) (09/06/1942)
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Sagan Jun-42 to Jun-43
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft VI, Heydekrug Jun-43 to Jun-44
Imprisoned: Stalag 357, Thorn / Fallingbostel Jun-44 to Apr-45
Repatriated: May-45
Post War search for 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 show that the remains of Chadwick, Pilborough, Hopkins, McKinstry and Storey were located at Brusthem Airfield (St Trond).
They were exhumed, identified and concentrated (reinterred) on 31st January 1947 at HEVERLEE WAR CEMETERY as follows:
PILBOROUGH, WILLIAM EDGAR, Flight Sergeant, ‘R/56441,’ Coll. grave 7. E. 1-5.
CHADWICK, ROY BLACKWELL, Flight Lieutenant, ‘77909’, Coll. grave 7. E. 1-5.
McKINSTRY, JOHN, Sergeant, ‘1040701’, Coll. grave 7. E. 1-5.
HOPKINS, WILLIAM JOHN, Sergeant, ‘636602’, Coll. grave 7. E. 1-5.
STOREY, JOHN RALPH, Sergeant, ‘571845’, Coll. grave 7. E. 1-5.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/14992 Flight Lieutenant R B Chadwick, Sergeant W E Pilborough (RCAF), Sergeant J R Storey, Sergeant W J Hopkins, Sergeant J A McKinstry: killed; Sergeant J A Catley: prisoner of war; Sergeant J T Pack: evaded capture; Halifax W7701, 35 Squadron, enemy action, aircraft shot down and crashed near Genck, Belgium during an operational flight over Essen, Germany, 9 June 1942. With photographs.
WR Chorley (Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War)
Believed shot down and crashed at 01.50 Meeuwen-Gruitrode (Belgium) (Note: Bierwart has also been quoted as the crash location)
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
No nightfighter or flak claims relating to this loss
Bomber Command Loss Card
JT Pack: Aircraft on fire and diving steeply with all crew aboard except Catley who left at 500 feet
Evasion Report Number (National Archives)
WO208/3310/817 JT Pack
Extract from JT Pack story on ww2peopleswar
“We had got ourselves boxed in with searchlights and Ack Ack . Diving, climbing and, turning steeply would not free us. I could smell cordite and hear the sound of exploding shells. It was all very unpleasant. We eventually cleared the Ruhr at 21,000 ft. No-one saw the fighter which shot us down. Within seconds it seemed there was a large burning hole where my instrument panel had been. The plane was on fire and four of the crew were killed.
A little later I was swinging across the skies on my parachute, like a huge pendulum. 20 to 30 minutes later I hit the ground. I expected to be immediately arrested, but there was complete silence. I discovered later that I had landed to the west of Aachen”
Citation for Mention in Despatches (JT Pack)
JT Pack received a Mention in Despatches for his efforts. The citation reads:
The above airman was captain of the crew of an aircraft which raided Essen on 8th June 1942. They were attacked by night fighters and compelled to bale out. Sergeant Pack came down in the region of Kirchoven, near Heinsberg, in Germany. Evading capture on landing, he succeeded in making his way to the Belgian frontier which he safely crossed. After a period of hiding he continued on his way, finally crossing France into Spain, when he was repatriated on 20th August, 1942. This airman displayed great coolness and resource in effecting his escape.
Halifax W7699 was one of ten No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Essen on the night of the 8th / 9th June 1942.
Its six-man crew comprised:
Angus Carr MacKenzie (Pilot)
John Edward Bottomley (Observer)
Albert Charles Schofield (WOP / AG)
Harold Reginald George Elliott (WOP / AG)
Gordon John Sharman (Air Gunner)
Edward Edwin Charles Evans (Flight Engineer)
W7699 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Linton for Essen; No news of this aircraft was received after it left base”.
Halifax W7699 [Source: IWM (HU 108384)]
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 9th June 1942 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 8th / 9th June 1942”.
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 Communique No. 169 (Flight 29/10/1942) reported AC MacKenzie, JE Bottomley, HRG Elliott, AC Schofield, GJ Sharman and EEC Evans “missing”
Air Ministry Communique No. 227 (Flight 06/05/1943) reported AC MacKenzie “previously reported missing” now “presumed killed in action”
Air Ministry Communique No. 245 (Flight 24/06/1943) reported JE Bottomley, HRG Elliott, AC Schofield, GJ Sharman and EEC Evans “previously reported missing” now “presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be returned to the next of kin, along with any monies due.
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows that the following information was received relating to the crew:
01/09/1942: Notification from the International Red Cross that the body of Sgt Elliott had been washed ashore on 14th July and that the bodies of Sgt. Evans and Sharman had been recovered on 6th and 12th August.
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.
The MRES Report shows:
The body of GJ Sharman was recovered from the beach at De Mok on 12th August 1942; he was buried the following day in Row 4 of the Communal Cemetery at Den Burg
The body of HRG Elliott was washed ashore at Scheveningen on 14th July 1942; he was buried on 16th July 1942 in Grave 27, Row 2 of the Military Cemetery in Westduin
The body of EEC Evans was washed ashore at Brouwershafen on 6th August 1942; he was buried in Grave 0 26 in the Military Cemetery at Haamstede
The bodies of AC MacKenzie, JE Bottomley and AC Schofield had not been recovered at the time of the report was issued (November 1945); as such they were presumed to be “missing at sea”
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 shows that the remains of HRG Elliott, GJ Sharman and EEC Evans were concentrated (reinterred) as follows:
ELLIOTT, HAROLD REGINALD GEORGE, Sergeant, ‘925929’, THE HAGUE (WESTDUIN) GENERAL CEMETERY Allied Plot, Row 2. Grave 27.
SHARMAN, GORDON JOHN, Flight Sergeant, ‘639164’, TEXEL (DEN BURG) CEMETERY Plot K. Row 5. Grave 103.
EVANS, EDWARD EDWIN CHARLES, Sergeant, ‘653677,’ BERGEN-OP-ZOOM WAR CEMETERY 4. D. 5.
CWGC records also show that the remains of AC MacKenzie, JE Bottomley and AC Schofield were not located and, as such, their names are recorded on the Runnymede Memorial as follows:
MACKENZIE, ANGUS CARR, Pilot Officer, ‘NZ.404491,’ Panel 116.
BOTTOMLEY, JOHN EDWARD, Sergeant, ‘1181181’, Panel 78.
SCHOFIELD, ALBERT CHARLES, Sergeant, ‘A.406153,’ Panel 113.
[Courtesy of Clive Lewis]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/14998 Flight Sergeant G J Sharman, Sergeant E E C Evans, Sergeant H R G D Elliott: killed; Pilot Officer A C McKenzie, Sergeant J E Bottomley, Sergeant A C Schofield: missing believed killed; Halifax W7699, 35 Squadron, aircraft failed to return from an operational flight over Essen, Germany, 9 June 1942.
Note: A digital copy is now held in the No. 35 Squadron Research Archive at Marham Aviation Heritage Centre
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
Nightfighter: Ofw. Paul Gildner, 5./NJG2, Sea SW Hoek van Holland (Biber), 02.18
Memorial to HRG Elliott (St. John the Evangelist Church, Bury, West Sussex)
Halifax W1049 was one of ten No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Essen on the night of the 8th / 9th June 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
Norman Wallis MacKenzie (Pilot)
Herbert Henry Sandford (Observer)
Jonathan Raymond Field (Air Bomber)
Leslie Smith (WOP / AG)
Leslie Ledger (Air Gunner)
[-] Richmond (WOP / AG)
John Griffin Davis (Flight Engineer)
The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Linton for Essen; this aircraft was hit over the target and landed in sea but all the crew were picked up and reached Yarmouth at 13.05 safe.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
No. 279 Squadron Operations Record Book
Three aircraft on search. Message intercepted from Hudson R giving sighting report of dinghy. Proceeded to position given. Located dinghy and circled with three aircraft of second formation. Second three aircraft on same search. Observer of Hudson R (P/O Boxall) sighted yellow dinghy with six or seven occupants. Lindholme opened successfully but occupants of dinghy made no attempt to secure it properly because of choppy sea. Six aircraft circled dinghy three of which returned to base. Two rescue launches arrived and picked up survivors and took them to Yarmouth. Photographs taken.
Citation for award of DFM to L Smith (Wireless Operator)
This wireless operator has participated in many attacks on enemy and enemy occupied territory. One night his aircraft was badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire and forced into the sea 50 miles off the English coast. It was due to the excellent wireless assistance given by this airman that the crew were rescued after only eight hours in the dinghy.
Halifax W1021 was one of ten No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Essen on the night of the 8th / 9th June 1942.
Its seven-man crew comprised:
James Keatley Watson (Pilot)
Thomas Arthur Drower (2nd Pilot)
Selwyn Guy Cooper (Observer)
Richard Yates (WOP / AG)
Douglas Wrampling (Air Gunner)
Han Gwyn Pike (Air Gunner)
Edward Corcoran (Flight Engineer)
W1021 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Linton for Essen; nothing was heard of this aircraft after leaving base”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 9th June 1942 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 8th / 9th June 1942”.
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.
For the remainder of the war, the Air Ministry Casualty Branch utilised information obtained from radio intercepts and from the German Authorities and prisoners of war (which was supplied via the International Red Cross) to establish whether lost crew had been killed, wounded, imprisoned or were “missing”; the squadron and the relevant families were kept informed.
No. 35 Squadron’s Operations Record Book shows the following information was received relating to the crew:
22/07/1942: Information received that the crew of W1021, missing on the night of 8th / 9th June 1942 are all prisoners of war with the exception of Drower and Pike of whom nothing has been heard
Crew members who survived the crash and were captured / imprisoned
All crew members survived the crash and were captured, interrogated and imprisoned for the remainder of the war.
Their POW Liberation Questionnaires, which were completed as part of the repatriation process in 1945, show the following details:
JK Watson (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Not Known
Repatriated:
TA Drower (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Stalag Luft I, Stalag Luft VI, Stalag Luft IV
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Sagan Jun-42 to Jan-45
Imprisoned: Marlag and Milag Nord, Tarmstedt Feb-45 to Apr-45
Repatriated: May-45
R Yates (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III (Centre Compound) – Transferred out late 1943, Stalag Luft VI, Stalag 357
Repatriated:
HG Pike (POW Liberation Questionnaire yet to be obtained, so information is unconfirmed)
Captured:
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III (Centre Compound) – Transferred out late 1943, Stalag Luft VI, Stalag 357
Repatriated:
D Wrampling
Evaded: 6th to 19th June 1942
Captured Dijon (19th June 1942)
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Sagan Jul-42 to Jun-43
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft VI, Heydekrug Jun-43 to Jun-44
Imprisoned: Stalag 357, Thorn Jun-44 to Jul-44
Imprisoned: Stalag 357, Fallingbostel Jul-44 to Apr-45
Repatriated: May-45
E Corcoran
Captured: 8 miles north of Brussels
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft III, Sagan Jun-42 to Oct-42
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft I, Barth Oct-42 to Oct-43
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft VI, Heydekrug Oct-43 to Jul-44
Imprisoned: Stalag Luft IV, Gross Tychow Jul-44 to Feb-45
Imprisoned: Stalag XI-B,Fallingbostel Feb-45 to Apr-45
Repatriated: May-45
Selwyn (Guy) Cooper in Stalag Luft III (2nd from left) [Courtesy of Guy Cooper]
Extract from Cooper’s Personalkarte [Courtesy of Guy Cooper]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
P4 Casualty Branch File
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/15439 Sergeant M G Pike, Sergeant T A Drower, Sergeant R A Yates, Flight Sergeant D Wrampling, Sergeant E Corcoran, Sergeant S G Cooper (RNZAF): prisoners of war; Halifax W1021, 35 Squadron, aircraft failed to return from an operational flight over Essen, Germany, 9 June 1942. With x 4 artefacts (Leather strip with name ‘Wrampling’) Sergeants Chevrons, Flight Sergeant Brass crown badge, Air Gunners Brevet).
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
Nightfighter Claim: Oblt Echart-Wilhelm von Bonin, 6./NJG1, Diegem 4 km NE Brussels (6B), 4600 m, 02.38
Bomber Command Loss Card
Shot down near Brussels; all unhurt.
Attacked by nightfighter from astern and above and shot down 15m east of Ophoven on Dutch / German frontier on return journey
D Wrampling Evasion
D Wrampling’s POW Liberation Questionnaire (along with some post-war research) shows that he evaded capture for 10 days, travelling by road from Limburg (Belgium) to Brussels, by train to Bruges and then by train through France (via Cambrai, Saint-Quentin, Reims and Chaumont), before being captured by French Police at Dijon on 19th June. Douglas was assisted by a number of locals, including Ed. Draps, Louise Vissers, Jean Paul Huyghebaert, Romain Joeghmans and Camille / Helene Neels. Sadly, three of them (Louise, Jean Paul and Romain) were betrayed, arrested and imprisoned. Jean Paul and Romain were subsequently executed by firing squad on 23rd September 1942.
Halifax R9439 was one of eleven No. 35 Squadron aircraft detailed to attack Emden on the night of the 6th / 7th June 1942.
Its six-man crew comprised:
Sidney Edward Davies (Pilot)
Talbot Jones Taylor (Observer)
Arthur Squires (WOP / AG)
Robert Leonard Bradshaw (WOP / AG)
Roderick James Chisholm (Air Gunner)
Howell Thomas (Flight Engineer)
The route was Base, Schiermonnikoog, Target, Rottumeroog, Base
R9439 failed to return and the squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “Took off from Linton at time stated for Emden; nothing heard since leaving base”
Wartime activities relating to the loss
On 7th June 1942 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 6th / 7th June 1942”.
Copy of telegram sent to the family of RL Bradshaw
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. 171 (Flight 05/11/1942) reported that Davies, Taylor, Bradshaw, Squires, Chisholm and Thomas were “Missing”
Air Ministry Casualty Communique No. 245 (Flight 24/06/1943) reported that Taylor, Bradshaw and Chisholm “who were previously reported missing” were now “presumed killed in action”
Note: Presumption of death enabled a death certificate to be issued; personal belongings could then be sent to the next of kin, along with any monies due
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 show that the remains of the crew members were not located (or could not be formally identified) and, as such, their names are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial as follows:
The following Casualty File is available at the National Archives:
AIR 81/14913 Sergeant S E Davies, Pilot Officer T J Taylor (RCAF), Flight Sergeant R L Bradshaw (RCAF), Sergeant A Squires, Flight Sergeant R J Chisholm (RCAF), Sergeant H Thomas: missing believed killed; Halifax R9439, 35 Squadron, aircraft failed to return from an operational flight over Emden, Germany, 6 June 1942.
Bomber Command Loss Card
[Source: RAF Museum]
Theo Boiten (Nachtjagd Combat Archive)
Hit by M.Flak Abt. 236 Battery Petkum and crashed NW of Greetsiel at 01.30 hours OR Hit by 2./Luftsperr-Abt. 206(o) and crashed in North Sea NW of Borkum at 02.05 hours (Note: Same claim applies to No. 49 Squadron Manchester L7287)
Notes:
RL Bradshaw’s service file is digitised in the Canadian Archives; there are no details regarding the loss
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No. 35 Squadron 