27 | July | 2014 | 75(nz)squadron

The Waugh crew posing in front of ND801 JN-V ‘Get Sum Inn’ prior to their final Op to Mersburg on the 6th December 1944. Far right back row is Collin Woontan, Navigator and front row right is Thomas Waugh, Pilot. Based on the picture at the bottom of the post, I am guessing that back row second from left is the crew’s Flight Engineer Sgt. N. Southgate. The precise positions of the other members of the Waugh crew are know at this time. What is also very interesting about this photograph is the apparently extra nose art ‘Astra’ and a white star.© Robert McAdam

A massive thanks to Robert for sending these new photographs of ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’, this time related to Tom Waugh’s crew. Rob’s Father-in-Law was Colin Woonton, Navigator.

Very interestingly, after the war Colin was instrumental in getting the MoTaT Lancaster MK VII NX665/WU13 under cover, he was the CEO of Asmuss Steel at the time. Perhaps fitting as this Lancaster is now painted to replicate NE181 JN-M ‘The Captains Fancy’ – an aircraft the Waugh crew flew twice during their tour.

Fascinatingly, this crew photograph clearly shows more nose art on ND801 – the word ‘Astra’ and a white star. When I first saw this photograph, I wondered if perhaps this was an addition to ‘Get Sum Inn’, maybe by the Waugh crew themselves. However on consideration, I am not so sure – agonisingly, the original picture of ND801 that was posted a few weeks ago – I now realise – actually shows that the portion of the nose that this ‘discovered’ artwork sits on has been destroyed in the impact of the 3rd of February 1945 crash. So perhaps this new artwork was either original, or perhaps added after ‘Get Sum Inn’ – either way, its fascinating to realise that what we initially thought to be the nose art for ND801 has now with Robert’s photograph actually become more.

Robert contacted me a few days ago and based on the work I had done to present ND801’s Op history using the database, I went back and added the relevant information for the Waugh crew. What follows therefore is an example of the concatenated data held, relative to an aircraft and a crew. Already I realise there is a bit to do with the database – I have no arrival information for a crew or individuals, or an automatic way to identify a ‘2nd’ Dickie’ Op(s) initially flown by a Pilot – but I’ll sort this at a later point.

Administration
27th July, 1944
159574 P/O T. Waugh and crew arrived on posting from No.31 Base.

04/08/44 Attack Against Bec D’Ambes
Lancaster Mk.III NE181 JN-V ‘The Captains Fancy’ (30)
F/S John Lethbridge and crew
F/O Thomas Christie Waugh 2nd Pilot

And so, the Waugh crew began their Operational career at 75(NZ) Squadron RAF, Mepal.

05/08/1944 Attack Against Bassens
Lancaster Mk.III ND911 JN-V (40)

F/O Thomas Christie Waugh, RAFVR 159174 – Pilot
F/S William Hannam Woonton, RNZAF NZ429055 – Navigator
Sgt. Robert Irwin Swetland, RAFVR 1098818/ 186577 – Air Bomber
Sgt. P. Kidd, RAFVR – Wireless Operator
Sgt. N. Southgate, RAFVR – Flight Engineer
F/S James Baird Nickels, RNZAF NZ425852 – Mid Upper Gunner
F/S David Frank Sage, RNZAF NZ424824 – Rear Gunner

Take Off 14:27 – Landed 22:23
Flight Time 07:56

08/08/1944 Attack Against Lucheux
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (40)
ORB Form 541
‘There was only slight opposition from A.A. fire, but enemy fighters were active and three of our aircraft had inconclusive combats, two suffering damage but no casualties’.

In collision with a German nightfighter which damaged the STB, fin and rudder. They managed to return to base and land safely although it was touch and go – from Robert McAdam, son in law of Colin Wooton

F/O Thomas Christie Waugh – Pilot
F/S William Hannam Woonton – Navigator
Sgt. Robert Irwin Swetland – Air Bomber
Sgt. P. Kidd – Wireless Operator
Sgt. N. Southgate – Flight Engineer
F/S James Baird Nickels – Mid Upper Gunner
F/S David Frank Sage – Rear Gunner

Take Off 22:02 – Landed 01:24
Flight Time 03:22″

The starboard rudder of ND801 after colliding with a German night fighter on the 8th August 1944, Lucheux Op. © Robert McAdam

An other view of the starboard rudder of ND801. © Robert McAdam

09/08/1944 Attack Against Fort D’Anglos
Lancaster Mk.I HK563 JN-W ‘The Paper Doll’ (21)

Take Off 22:07 – Landed 00:22
Flight Time 02:15

11/08/1944 Attack Against Lens
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (41)

Take Off 14:27 – Landed 17:52
Flight Time 03:25

12/08/1944 Attack Against Russelsheim
Lancaster Mk.I HK597 JN-P ‘Bad Penny IV’ (3)

Take Off 21:46 – Landed 02:37
Flight Time 04:51

14/08/1944 Attack Against Hamel
Lancaster Mk.I HK563 JN-W ‘The Paper Doll’ (23)

Take Off 13:57 – Landed 17:40
Flight Time 03:43

16/08/1944 Attack Against Stettin
Lancaster Mk.I HK601 JN-D (5)

Take Off 21:05 – Landed 05:02
Flight Time 07:57

18/08/1944 Attack Against Bremen
Lancaster Mk.I HK601 JN-D (6)

Take Off 21:34 – Landed 03:33
Flight Time 05:59

25/08/1944 Attack Against Russelsheim
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (45)

Take Off 20:33 – Landed 05:04
Flight Time 08:31

26/08/1944 Attack Against Kiel
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (46)

Take Off 20:04 – Landed 01:29
Flight Time 05:25

05/09/1944 Attack Against Le Havre
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (49)

F/O Thomas Christie Waugh – Pilot
F/S William Hannam Woonton – Navigator
F/S Robert Irwin Swetland – Air Bomber
Sgt. P. Kidd – Wireless Operator
Sgt. N. Southgate – Flight Engineer
F/S James Baird Nickels – Mid Upper Gunner
F/S David Frank Sage – Rear Gunner

Take Off 17:36 – Landed 20:58
Flight Time 03:22

06/09/1944 Attack Against Harqueboc Le Havre
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (50)

F/O Thomas Christie Waugh – Pilot
F/S William Hannam Woonton – Navigator
F/S Robert Irwin Swetland – Air Bomber
F/S P. Kidd – Wireless Operator
Sgt. N. Southgate – Flight Engineer
F/S James Baird Nickels – Mid Upper Gunner
F/S David Frank Sage – Rear Gunner

Take Off 15:39 – Landed 19:43
Flight Time 04:04

10/09/1944 Attack Against Montivilliers
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (51)

F/L Thomas Christie Waugh – Pilot
F/S William Hannam Woonton – Navigator
F/S Robert Irwin Swetland – Air Bomber
F/S P. Kidd – Wireless Operator
Sgt. N. Southgate – Flight Engineer
F/S James Baird Nickels – Mid Upper Gunner
F/S David Frank Sage – Rear Gunner

Take Off 15:36 – Landed 19:21
Flight Time 03:45

11/09/1944 Mining in the Baltic Sea
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (52)

Take Off 19:34 – Landed 02:52
Flight Time 07:18

12/09/1944 Attack Against Frankfurt
Lancaster Mk.III ND197 JN-O (1)

Take Off 18:40 – Landed 01:47
Flight Time 07:07

17/09/1944 Attack Against Boulogne
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (54)

Take Off 10:06 – Landed 13:01
Flight Time 02:55

20/09/1944 Attack Against Calais
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (55)

Take Off 14:35 – Landed 18:14
Flight Time 03:39

27/09/1944 Attack Against Calais
Lancaster Mk.I NF980 JN-F (7)

Take Off 07:21 – Landed 10:28
Flight Time 03:07

14/10/1944 Attack Against Duisburg
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 AA-X (60)

F/L Thomas Christie Waugh – Pilot
– 2nd Pilot
W/O Richard Hilary Woodhouse – Navigator
Sgt John Hemmingway – Air Bomber
Sgt A Dibbs – Wireless Operator
Sgt. John Johnstone – Flight Engineer
Sgt. Esmond Pareta Montgomery Thomas – Mid Upper Gunner
Sgt. C. Chippendale – Rear Gunner

This entry in the ORB is quite perplexing as it clearly shows Tom Waugh Skippering a completely different crew. The crew appear to be that of what would become Alex Simpson’s crew – it would appear, certainly from information related to Woodhouse and Johnstone that they had only arrived at Mepal 2 days before. What further confuses this is that the Battle Orders for this first morning Op to Duisburg shows Tom Waugh with a completely different crew from that listed in Form 541 (what appears to be Jim McIntosh’s crew) – the final icing on this cake of confusion is that as you can see from the Duisburg Battle Orders below, Alex Simpson is listed as a 2nd Pilot – Form 541 shows him flying this Op with Terry May’s crew. Additionally (as Chris notes in a comment below and I forgot to mention), ND801 is listed as ‘AA’, representing either ‘A’ or ‘B’ Flight, as opposed to its ‘C’ Flight designator of ‘JN’ – there appears to be no other corroborating evidence to suggest that ND801 ever carried a designator other than ‘JN’.

Take Off 06:47 – Landed 11:09
Flight Time 04:22

Battle Order for 14th October 1944, showing the 31 aircraft, morning Op to Duisburg – another trip to the same target would occur that night as well. Supplied by Tom Rae

14/10/1944 Attack Against Duisburg
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (61)

F/L Thomas Christie Waugh – Pilot
P/O William Hannam Woonton – Navigator
F/S Robert Irwin Swetland – Air Bomber
F/S P. Kidd – Wireless Operator
Sgt. N. Southgate – Flight Engineer
F/S James Baird Nickels – Mid Upper Gunner
F/S David Frank Sage – Rear Gunner

Take Off 22:38 – Landed 03:30
Flight Time 04:52

19/10/1944 Attack Against Stuttgart
Lancaster Mk.I NF980 JN-F (14)

Take Off 17:35 – Landed 23:20
Flight Time 05:45

21/10/1944 Attack Against Flushing
Lancaster Mk.III NE181 JN-M ‘The Captains Fancy’ (63)

Take Off 11:17 – Landed 14:10
Flight Time 02:53

22/10/1944 Attack Against Neuss
Lancaster Mk.III NE181 JN-M ‘The Captains Fancy’ (64)

Take Off 13:27 – Landed 17:33
Flight Time 04:06

23/10/1944 Attack Against Essen
Lancaster Mk.I HK561 JN-Y (15)

F/L Thomas Christie Waugh – Pilot
F/O John Murray watts? – Navigator
F/S Robert Irwin Swetland – Air Bomber
F/S P. Kidd – Wireless Operator
Sgt. N. Southgate – Flight Engineer
F/S James Baird Nickels – Mid Upper Gunner
F/S David Frank Sage – Rear Gunner

Take Off 16:51 – Landed 21:27
Flight Time 04:36

25/10/1944 Attack Against Essen
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (62)

Take Off 13:20 – Landed 17:19
Flight Time 03:59

29/10/1944 Attack Against West Kapelle
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (64)

Take Off 10:00 – Landed 12:32
Flight Time 02:32

31/10/1944 Attack Against Bottrop
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (66)

Take Off 11:49 – Landed 16:35
Flight Time 04:46

02/11/1944 Attack Against Homberg
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (68)

Take Off 11:38 – Landed 15:46
Flight Time 04:08

04/11/1944 Attack Against Solingen
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (69)

Take Off 11:31 – Landed 16:24
Flight Time 04:53

06/12/1944 Attack Against Mersburg Leuna Oil Refinery
Lancaster Mk.III ND801 JN-X ‘Get Sum Inn’ (82)
Crew photo of Waugh crew shows an additional piece of nose art on a/c – the word ‘Astra’ and a white star.

F/L Thomas Christie Waugh – Pilot
F/S John Henry Thomas Wood – 2nd Pilot
P/O William Hannam Woonton – Navigator
Robert Irwin Swetland – Air Bomber
F/S P. Kidd – Wireless Operator
Sgt. N. Southgate – Flight Engineer
F/S James Baird Nickels – Mid Upper Gunner
F/S David Frank Sage – Rear Gunner

Take Off 17:04 – Landed 00:36
Flight Time 07:32

Based on the Op count of ND801, this photograph of Tom Waugh and Flight Engineer Sgt. N. Southgate was probably taken prior to the Mersburg Op of 6th December 1944. This would be the 81st Op for ND801 and the last for the Waugh crew. © Robert McAdam

Many thanks to Liz for passing on this wonderful picture of Ben Wood, her husbands Uncle.

Benjamin ‘Benny’ Wood was lost with all of his crew on the 23rd of June 1943 on the Mülheim Op – their aircraft, Stirling Mk.III EF408 AA-P was hit by flak.

The Wood crew on the Mulheim Op were;
F/Sgt Benjamin Brinley Wood RAFVR 656588 – Pilot. Age 24
F/Sgt. George King Samson RNZAF NZ402563 – Navigator. Age 27
F/Sgt Stuart Richard Bisset RNZAF NZ415738 – Air Bomber. Age 20
Sgt Edgar Henry Reader RAFVR 1331432 – Wireless Operator. Age 21
Sgt. Stanley Lawrence Webb RAFVR 1266998 – Flight Engineer. Age 33
Sgt. Frederick Johns Hobbs RAFVR 1609558 – Mid Upper Gunner. Age 19
Sgt. Cyril Benjamin Hemmings RAFVR 1235070 – Rear Gunner. Age 21

Liz has passed on the following biographical information on Ben:
Ben was born in 1919 in New Tredegar, Wales, the family went to Jersey in about 1928. He finished his education at St Clements School Jersey. His first job was as a bus conductor. He was then an apprentice Motor Engineer at La Motte St Garage, Jersey. As he was of military age, had he stayed in Jersey he would have been interned. He left the Island in June 1940, and joined the RAF. Trained as a Cadet Pilot at the Dart School of Aeronautics, Albany, Georgia, USA. He married Sadie on 13th April 1943 and tragically died only two months later.

See the gravestones of the Wood crew, now resting in Reichswald War Cemetery here.
See a photograph of Ben as a young man, tending vegetables in his parents garden in Jersey here.
Read about the Wood crew and their Wreless Operator Edgar Reader here.