Ralph Valentine ‘Val” Clingham Johnson, Air Bomber – Parkin crew. EVADER

Ralph Valentine ‘Val” Clingham Johnson, Air Bomber with the Parkin crew. Sole survivor and evader after an op to Munchen-Gladbach on the 30th August 1943. The photograph was taken while he was staying with the Georgeton family in Sillery, 13 – 15th October 1943.

Many thanks to Tony, Jenny, Fred, and Michael for contributing to this incredible tale of survival and evasion behind enemy lines.

Tony first contacted me about his Father, Ralph Valentine “Val’ Clingham Johnson, Air Bomber with Victor Parkin’s crew – the sole survivor of the crew after their aircraft was (most likely) attacked  by a German night fighter over Belgium. The story and details of Val’s evasion and the bravery of those individuals that assisted him and other airmen like him has been provided by Fred Greyer and Michael LeBlanc.

The Parkin crew arrived at Mepal on the 5th August 1943 from 1651 Conversion Unit.

A little out of the normal, it seems that Vic Parkin completed 3 2nd Pilot Ops with other crews before taking his crew on Operations.

24/07/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Hamburg
Stirling Mk.III EH905 -R (2)
F/S George Vincent Helm,   – Pilot.
Sgt. Victor Trevor Parkin, RNZAF NZ421090 – 2nd Pilot.

Take Off 21:57 – Landed 04:12
Flight Time 06:15

10/08/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Nurenburg
Stirling Mk.III EF465 -H (1)
F/S Walter Donald Whitehead, RNZAF NZ416565 – Pilot.
F/S Victor Trevor Parkin, RNZAF NZ421090 – 2nd Pilot.

Take Off 22:00 – Landed 06:20
Flight Time 08:20

12/08/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Turin
Stirling Mk.III EF465 -H (2)
F/S Walter Donald Whitehead, RNZAF NZ416565 – Pilot.
F/S Victor Trevor Parkin, RNZAF NZ421090 – 2nd Pilot.Died Tuesday 31st August

Take Off 21:20 – Landed 05:30
Flight Time 08:10

With these 3 ops under his belt, Victor Parkin and his crew began their Operational tour on the 9th of August 1943.

09/08/1943 – Mining in the Frisian Islands
Three aircraft were detailed to carry out the above operation with mines of 1,500lbs., which were all successfully dropped in the allotted area and the parachutes were seen to open. No A.A. fire, searchlights or enemy aircraft were encountered. Visibility was good, being clear with a bright moon. Navigation was excellent.

Stirling Mk.III EF461 ??-?

F/S Victor Trevor Parkin, RNZAF NZ421090 – Pilot.
F/S Terrence Watters, RNZAF NZ417299 – Navigator.
Sgt. Ralph Valentine Clingan Johnson, RAFVR 1545885 – Air Bomber.
Sgt. William Hadley Horrigan, RAFVR 1176649 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Trevor Silcock, RAFVR 1582836 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Anthony Francis Saunders, RAFVR 1394719 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Richard Frederick Grove, RAFVR 1581242 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:05 – Landed 01:20
Flight Time 03:15

15/08/1943 – Mining in the Gironde Estuary
Five aircraft were detailed to carry out the above operation with mines of 1,500lbs.. One aircraft failed to take-off owing to inter-communication failure and one failed to return. The remaining aircraft successfully dropped their mines in the allotted area, and parachutes were seen to open. Some heavy A.A. fire was encountered and one aircraft was slightly hit in the fuselage. The weather was good with clear visibility. Navigation was very good. One aircraft, whilst returning across FRANCE at 200 feet, shot up four trains, the engine of one was seen to explode and the other three appeared hit. The missing aircraft was Stirling Mk.III EE891 captained by F/Sgt. WHITTA, N.B.

Stirling Mk.III EF465 ??-H
From RAF Mepal Station Log AIR28/532 – aircraft returning low over France shot up 4 trains – one of which was seen to explode.
F/S Victor Trevor Parkin, RNZAF NZ421090 – Pilot.
F/S Terrence Watters, RNZAF NZ417299 – Navigator.
Sgt. Ralph Valentine Clingan Johnson, RAFVR 1545885 – Air Bomber.
Sgt. William Hadley Horrigan, RAFVR 1176649 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Trevor Silcock, RAFVR 1582836 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Richard Frederick Grove, RAFVR 1581242 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Anthony Francis Saunders, RAFVR 1394719 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 20:45 – Landed 02:20
Flight Time 05:35

22/08/1943 – Mining in the Frisian Islands
Three aircraft were detailed to carry out the above operation with mines of 1,500lbs.. Two of the aircraft returned early owing to failure of navigational aids and brought their mines back. The other aircraft successfully dropped its mines in the allotted area and the parachutes were seen to open. No A.A. fire, searchlights or enemy aircraft were encountered. The weather was good except for Sea haze. Navigation was good.

Stirling Mk.III BF518 AA-E

F/S Victor Trevor Parkin, RNZAF NZ421090 – Pilot.
F/S Terrence Watters, RNZAF NZ417299 – Navigator.
Sgt. Ralph Valentine Clingan Johnson, RAFVR 1545885 – Air Bomber.
Sgt. William Hadley Horrigan, RAFVR 1176649 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Trevor Silcock, RAFVR 1582836 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Richard Frederick Grove, RAFVR 1581242 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Anthony Francis Saunders, RAFVR 1394719 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 20:25 – Landed 04:35
Flight Time 08:10

23/08/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Berlin

What appears to be an image ripped out of a newspaper,, the ‘x’ on the bottom edge of the picture identifies Val Johnson, so we might assume that the other airmen in the photograph are also members of the Parkin crew.

Twenty three aircraft were detailed to attack the above targets with bombs of 1,000lb., 500lb., and incendiaries of 30lb and 4lb.. Five aircraft returned early owing to failure and three aircraft failed to return. The remainder of the aircraft successfully dropped their bombs in the target area and all of the crews agreed that it had been well and truly hit. The fires were all concentrated and huge columns of smoke together with heavy explosions could be seen. A moderate heavy A.A. barrage co-operating with searchlights were encountered, but only one aircraft received damage. A great number of enemy aircraft were seen and several combats took place. The aircraft captained by F/Sgt. WILKINSON sighted a JU88 passing above, the Mid-upper and Rear Gunners fired and strikes were seen on the enemy aircraft which was then lost sight of and is claimed to have been damaged. The aircraft captained by F/Sgt. WHITEHEAD whilst over BERLIN sighted an enemy aircraft on the starboard quarter, 300yds away. The Rear Gunner fired a five second burst and the enemy aircraft was seen in flames diving to earth, and was claimed as probably destroyed. The same aircraft encountered another unidentified aircraft 300yds away on the starboard quarter. The Rear Gunner fired another five seconds burst and the enemy aircraft exploded and disintegrated. It was claimed to be destroyed. The aircraft captained by F/O. A. Alexander, whilst over the target sighted a ME110 approaching from the starboard quarter above and firing at his aircraft. The Mid-upper and Rear Gunners replied with long bursts and the enemy aircraft was seen to be in flames. A fire was later seen on the ground and the enemy aircraft was claimed as probably destroyed. Scattered cloud was met on the outward route, but it was clear over the target. The missing aircraft were Stirlings Mk.III BF465 captained by P/O A. RANKIN, BF564 captained by P/O A. Sedunary and EE938 captained by W/O T. Fear.

The aircraft captained by F/Sgt. WHITE, O.H. whilst approaching the target area was coned by searchlights and repeatedly hit by heavy A.A. fire, sustaining considerable damage to port mainplane. He continued towards the target though still coned by searchlights and was then attacked by a JU88 sustaining hits in the rear of the fuselage which shattered the rear turret and killed Rear Gunner Sgt. Poole, J.. The aircraft was forced into an uncontrollable dive and the captain warned his crew ‘Prepare to abandon the aircraft’. Unfortunately, in the middle of this order the inter-communication failed, and the Navigator, Air Bomber and Wireless Operator abandoned the aircraft, due to the fact that they were unable to contact their Captain. F/Sgt. WHITE jettisoned his bomb load whilst in the dive directly over the target area, managed to regain control of the aircraft when height had been lost down to 6,000ft. The captain and two remaining members of the crew after taking stock of the damage decided to attempt the long and hazardous return journey to base. This they did successfully and made a perfect crash landing at base without lights, flaps or under carriage, as the electrical leads were shot away.

Stirling Mk.III BF518 AA-E

F/S Victor Trevor Parkin, RNZAF NZ421090 – Pilot.
F/S Terrence Watters, RNZAF NZ417299 – Navigator.
Sgt. Ralph Valentine Clingan Johnson, RAFVR 1545885 – Air Bomber.
Sgt. William Hadley Horrigan, RAFVR 1176649 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Trevor Silcock, RAFVR 1582836 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Richard Frederick Grove, RAFVR 1581242 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Anthony Francis Saunders, RAFVR 1394719 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 20:25 – Landed 04:25
Flight Time 08:00

27/08/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Nuremberg
Nineteen aircraft were detailed to attack the above targets with indiary bombs of 30lbs. and 4lbs. One aircraft failed to return, but the remainder successfully dropped their bombs in the target area. Good concentrated fires and heavy explosions were seen. A moderate barrage consisting of light and heavy A.A. fire co-operating with searchlights were encountered, and two aircraft received slight damage. Some enemy aircraft were seen, one short combat took place, but no damage was sustained by our aircraft. The weather was cloudy on the outward journey but clear over the target and visibility was good. Navigation was very good. The missing aircraft was Stirling Mk.III EE955 captained by F/Sgt. Higham.

Stirling Mk.III BF518 AA-E

F/S Victor Trevor Parkin, RNZAF NZ421090 – Pilot.
F/S Terrence Watters, RNZAF NZ417299 – Navigator.
Sgt. Ralph Valentine Clingan Johnson, RAFVR 1545885 – Air Bomber.
Sgt. William Hadley Horrigan, RAFVR 1176649 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Trevor Silcock, RAFVR 1582836 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Richard Frederick Grove, RAFVR 1581242 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Anthony Francis Saunders, RAFVR 1394719 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 21:40 – Landed 05:00
Flight Time 07:20

30/08/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Munchen-Gladbach
18 Aircraft were detailed to attack the above targets with incendiary bombs of 30lbs. and 4lbs. All aircraft with the exception of one which failed to return, successfully dropped their bombs in the target area. Very large fires which were well concentrated and spreading, were seen. All crews were of the opinion that this was a good attack. Moderate heavy A.A. fire and a few searchlights were encountered, which were ineffective. A great number of enemy aircraft were seen and some short combats took place. The aircraft captained by F/Sgt. Batger, H. sighted an enemy aircraft 600 yards away, ahead and the front gunner fired a long and short burst, the enemy aircraft then disappeared and was claimed as possibly destroyed. . The aircraft captained by F/S McGregor,K. sighted an Me110 astern, the rear gunner fired a long burst. The enemy aircraft replied and dived away with smoke pouring from its engines. It is claimed as a possible destroyed. There was 8/10ths cloud at the target approaches although it was clear in the target area. Navigation was very good. The missing aircraft was  Stirling MK.III EH938 captained by Sgt. Parkin, T.

Stirling Mk.III EH938 AA-F

F/S Victor Trevor Parkin, RNZAF NZ421090 – Pilot.
F/S Terrence Watters, RNZAF NZ417299 – Navigator.
Sgt. Ralph Valentine Clingan Johnson, RAFVR 1545885 – Air Bomber.
Sgt. William Hadley Horrigan, RAFVR 1176649 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Trevor Silcock, RAFVR 1582836 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Richard Frederick Grove, RAFVR 1581242 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Anthony Francis Saunders, RAFVR 1394719 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off – – Landed –
Flight Time Missing

Based on Val Johnson’s debrief with MI.9, it would appear that that EH938 possibly fell prey to a German night fighter, within a nachtjagd ‘box’. Val was the only survivor of the crew, the rest of the crew being killed when the aircraft crashed at Lommel (Limburg), in Belgium. The airmen were all buried in St-Truiden before being moved to Heverlee War Cemetery.

F/S Victor Trevor Parkin, RNZAF NZ421090 – Pilot. Died age 21.
F/S Terrence Watters, RNZAF NZ417299 – Navigator. Died age 21.
Sgt. William Hadley Horrigan, RAFVR 1176649 – Wireless Operator. Died age 29.
Sgt. Trevor Silcock, RAFVR 1582836 – Flight Engineer. Died age 20.
Sgt. Richard Frederick Grove, RAFVR 1581242 – Mid Upper Gunner. Died age 22.
Sgt. Anthony Francis Saunders, RAFVR 1394719 – Rear Gunner. Died age 20.

The Possum Escape Line
Probably unknown to Val, upon landing, he was about to get assistance from a network of individuals and safe houses that were collectively known as the ‘Possum Escape Line‘

During the night of the 15th July 1943, two MI9 agents were parachuted into southeast Belgium (Province of Luxembourg) near Suxy. Dominique Edgard Potier was a Belgian airforce officer, who had arrived in England in March 1942. Accompanying him was Conrad Lafleur, his French-Canadian radio operator. At this time, many allied aircrew, on bombing raids to Germany, were being shot down over the Belgian Ardennes. Potier’s mission, known as Mission Martin in Belgium and the Possum Line in France, was to organise the recovery of these airmen and shelter, feed and provide them with false identity documents, before moving them to safe houses in and around Reims in Northern France. Unlike the Ardennes, this area was suitable for evacuation by air, using Lysander aircraft.

Of the six planned air operations, three were successful – 11 airmen and one SOE agent were repatriated. (From http://www.possumline.net/)

What follows is a transcription of this interview document with detail added where available.

1st September 1943 
Baled out & landed west of Weert, Netherlands (just North of Maastricht) at approx. 3:00am
Walked west for approx. 4 hours.
“I was a member of the crew of a Stirling bomber which left Mepal, North of Cambridge, on 31 Aug at midnight to bomb Munchen-Gladbach. We reached our target and bombed our objective at 0210 hrs. On the homeward journey, there was a violent explosion in the aircraft. I remember reaching for ny parachute, but do not know how I got out. The next thing I remember was that I was in the air and in a cloud. I had severe wounds in one arm, one leg, and my face.

I came down at 0300 hrs (1 Sep) in a field , which I believe was somewhere West of Weert

I buried my parachute in a hedge and ran along the rain road in a westerly direction. When it became light, I hid in a hedge in which I remained all day. At dusk I worked with my compass and. walked West for about 4 hours. My leg started to give me trouble and I lay low again in a bush in a field”.

2nd September   
At 07:00 headed west again, reaching a wood. Stayed there all day and that night.
“I woke at about 0700 hrs (2 Sep) and headed West again, reaching a wood. Here I saw two Belgian woodmen, so lay low again, and stayed there all day and that night.”

3rd September   
Stayed at a cottage in Exel (North of Hasselt, Belgium), where identity was confirmed by an English woman. Taken by two gendarmes to M. Sols-Lensken, 66, Markt Str, Exel.Visited by a doctor for a bad septic arm and knee.

“On 3 Sep I left the wood and at about 1100 hrs approached a cottage at Exel (N.W.Europe, 25 km, North of Hasselt). I made my identity known and was beckoned in by a lad. I found a large family inside; the father told me, by signs, that he would fetch someone who could talk English. At about 1300 hrs a girl turned up on a bicycle, and, from this point, I was helped on my journey. The girl who came, to Exel, on 3 Sep on a bicycle was the daughter of an Englishwoman (name not remembered) whose father is:

Mr Alfred Woodis
174, Houghton Grange Road,
Bradford.

She told me to remain where I was, and went home to inform her mother. At about 1600 hrs, the mother came and asked me several questions to identify me and said she would see a man in an organisation. I went to bed and stayed till about 2300 hrs, when two men woke me, and after stripping me of my badges and flying boots, took me by bicycle to another house quite near:

M. Sols-Lenskens,
66, Markt Str,
Exel
(husband, wife, and child of six)”.

6th September  
Taken by train to Neerpelt. Stayed in a small cottage with Mme. Spelters, an old lady of 66 with six sons.
“The men, who were gendarmes in plain clothes, left me here. I was visited by a doctor and nursed by the people for a bad septic arm and knee. I was given plain clothes and, on about 6 Sep, a man came and took me by train to Neerpelt to a small cottage.

Mme. Spelters,
Neerpelt
(old lady of 66, six sons)”.

10th September
Taken by train to Antwerp. Stayed for a few hours at the house of M. Daelmans, 15, rue d’Orange. Went by train to Brussels, with M. Daelmans, and from there to Virton, in the Ardennes, Province of Luxembourg. Stayed with the local organist, M. Georges Hennaut.
“I stayed here till about 10 Sep, when another man came for me and took me by train to Antwerp. In Antwerp I stayed for a few hours at the house of:

M. Daelmans,
15, rue d’Orange,

moving by train to Brussels, under Daelmans” guidance, and from there to Virton, I stayed here with the local organist:

M. Georges Hennaut,
Virton”.

11th September
Left by train for Florenville (28 km. N.W. of Virton). Stayed with priest.
“I left by train for Florenville (28 km. North West of Virton), where I stayed with. a priest till 13 Sep. I was then taken to Martue (2 km. from Florenville), staying there with a family:

M.P. Lemaire
Martue”.

13th/ 14th September  
Driven, by Louis Gerard, to Martue (2 km. from Florenville), and stayed with Paul Lemaire.
“Until 30 Sep.A doctor who treated me here for my arm, got me away by car”.

30th September/ 1st October          
Driven by Dr. Albert Pierre to Sedan. Then escorted, by another man, to Paris. Met by Edgard Potier and taken to Suzanne Bastin. Here there were seven other airmen, 4 Americans and 3 British.
“On 30 Sep to Sedan, from where another man. escorted me to Paris. In Paris I was met by a Captain MARTIN and taken to:

Mme. Bastin
? rue de la Barre,
Montmatre.

Here there were seven other airmen, 4 Americans and 3 British, two from 218 squadron and one from 7 squadron”.

6th October
Taken by Potier to Quierzy (25km NE of Compiègne), with three Americans (probably John Desrochers, Ellis Klein and Fred Murray (USAAF)). Stayed in a farm for three days, waiting for pickup.
Note: there was no scheduled pickup on this date. The next one was scheduled for 16/17 October 1943, which failed.
“Captain Martin called for me on 6 Oct took three Americans and myself to Quierzy (10 km. East of Noyon) where we stayed in a farm for three days, waiting to be taken off by air”.

9th October   
No aircraft turned up; went back to Paris and from there to Reims. Taken by Raymonde Beuré with Fred Murray to Sillery (approx. 10 kms South East of Reims).
“No aircraft turned up, so we went back to Paris, from there to Reims, from where a girl took one American and me by car to Sillery, where we stayed,  in a hut.”

13th/ 15th October 
Germans started searching woods for draft dodgers, so moved to the home of the Georgeton’s in Sillery.
“In a wood till 13 Oct, and then with:

M.Georgeton,
Sillery”.

A remarkable series of pictures of Val and USAF airman Fred Murray, whom Val had met some X days before.

I find this images to be quite astonishing. I would have imagined that an evading airman would be constantly on the move, suspicious of everyone. The pictures above of Val and Fred Murray an American airman have a casual, almost relaxed air to them. In some respects, I am amazed that the photographs even exist – I would have imagined that the last thing a family, helping allied airmen escape would want is a camera full of pictures of allied airmen, let a lone a collection of photographs of them!

Potier parachuted back into France on the 20th December 1943. It had been his intention to move Possum to Amiens, as the organisation was becoming too “well known” in Reims. However, on the 28th December, as Conrad Lafleur was transmitting messages to London, he was surprised by the Germans. He escaped, but it was the start of a sequence of events that eventually lead to the arrest of Potier. Initially he was taken to Fresnes prison in Paris and then returned to Reims, where after being subjected to considerable torture, he committed suicide on the 11th January 1944. As more arrests followed, the organisation around Reims effectively collapsed. Paris, Amiens and the remoter parts of the network continued operating for a few more months, but were eventually traced and broken up. Georges d’Oultremont and Conrad Lafleur escaped down the Comète Line.

Of the 70 helpers arrested in the French sector of Possum, some 60 were deported, of which less than half returned. There are no complete records, but it is estimated some 60-70 airmen had passed through or were being sheltered by Possum at the time of its demise.

Whilst the Georgeton family played a small part in Val’s evasion, there were members of the Possum line and fully aware of the risks they exposed themselves to if caught. The photographs below show and remember a family who were prepared to act against the Nazis and help the allied airmen who every night flew overhead, themselves gambling that they would never be caught……..

Three of the Georgeton family were arrested by the Gestapo in May of 1944.

Gaston Georgeton died  on 5/11/1944 in Dachau concentration camp.

“(Far right) Dad with his air defence comrades (keeping watch for enemy? aircraft xxx??? and notification of air defence command). He was 44.”

“Photo taken at Sillery (House of Pommery) after the departure of the Anglo-American airmen picked up near us in October 1943 Dad = 48 years old Mum = 47”

“5/03/1944 Dad & Mum 3 months before they were arrested by the Gestapo. Last photo of Dad (1895-1944). (Last photo of my father, DIED for FRANCE on 5/11/1944 in DACHAU).”

“26.3.44 René Georgeton, my brother, at Sillery, 2 months before the family was arrested by the Gestapo. He was 13 years old. His young age allowed him to escape deportation.”

Robert GEORGETON, my brother, born in 1923 (He wasn’t there when the Gestapo came to arrest his father, mother and brother, which saved his life … )”

17th/ 21st October 
(Gaston?) Georgeton drove them to Mailly-Champagne (18 kms South East of Reims). Stayed with Lea Chandelot.
“We had to move from here, as the Germans requisitioned half the house, and were taken by car to Mailly-Champagne(18 kim. S.E. of Reims), where the American and I stayed with:

M.Chandelot,,
Mailly-Champagne.

M.Chandelot was a particularly staunch patriot, and kept us till 9 Nov”.

9th/ 13th November
Remy Chandelot took them by horse and car to Reims. Train to Fismes with Beuré.
Stayed with Lucienne Mulette.
“On 9 Nov he took us, by horse and cart, to Reims, and from there by train to Fismes, where we stayed 4 days with:

Mme. L.Muillet, (a tailoress)
Fismes”.

15th November
Taken by Beuré in a car back to Reims, from there by train to Paris and back to Bastin’s apartment.
“From here a girl took us by car on 13 Nov back to Reims, from there by train to Paris, and back to Mme. Bastin”.

16th November
Train to Chauny and then taken by truck to a small house in the country. Met Georges d’Oultrement (MI9 agent), Charles Breuer and Stanley Chichester (USAAF).
“On 15 Nov Captain Martin took two Americans and myself to Quierzy and to a field some distance away, from which this time, the air operation was successful“.

17th November
Aircraft pickup took place at approx. 02:00 (operation MAGDALEN II). Landed at RAF Tangmere approx. 03:30; met by Major Langley.

A newspaper article, describing in massively censored manner, Val’s experiences as an evader. One must imagine, given the tense that this article was written sometime towards the end of 1943.

A simple, but a very touching note, sent to Val in August of 1945 from one of the many individuals that helped him to escape and return to the UK.

Having put this post together, I think this is as much the story of all those brave individuals that were willing to help Val Johnson, as it is about Val’s evasion.

AKE AKE KIA KAHA

Arbeitsgruppe Vermisstenforschung – Crash Site Investigation (C.S.I.) – A bit of a rant I am afraid…….

I was pleased to see that by this afternoon the post I put up yesterday evening on the “Arbeitsgruppe Vermisstenforschung – Crash Site Investigation (C.S.I.)”, the German aircraft recovery group headed by Uwe Benkel, had been seen so far, by a 100 people.

What disappoints me, however, and this is based on their GoFundMe site, nobody has actually given anything………

The vast majority of people involved in activities related to World War 2 and more specifically the Air War, do what they do, at their own cost, in their own time, basically for the love of it.

I know from my own experience with this blog, that it’s a labour of love – if I costed out the time I spend on 75nzsquadron.com, it wouldn’t exist – it would simply be, in crude financial terms, too expensive to bother – but irrespective of this, I do it and will continue to.

Uwe and his group do not have the luxury as I do, to sit in a warm studio and type – what they do is ‘dirt under the nails’ stuff, they locate, and excavate aircraft crash sites. Often these crash sites are ‘wet’ – still containing the remains of airmen. This, they have to deal with and despite the noble endeavor, must, put simply, be a disturbing and dirty experience – but they do it and hopefully for all of us, will continue to do it.

My theoretical ramblings about the relative cost in time of maintaining this blog is just that, theoretical. To locate, excavate and when necessary remove human remains is not theoretical – it is real and physical and it costs money.

I know from my own experience, that some people see all of this, simply as something to be viewed – whilst not a regular occurrence, I do sometimes get inquiries, that literally expect me to give the world – I have even received complaints, due either to my poor speed of service, or simply because I was unable to furnish the inquirer with a highly specific photograph that ‘obviously’ I must have. Responding to a request, generating an Op history – a few hours work however you look at it – is taken without acknowledgement or thanks. I appreciate some people are just strange and clearly see no issue in behaving this way and I suppose it comes with the sort of interactive community I have tried to generate with the blog.

…… but it still pisses me off…….

If each of the 100 people that viewed last nights post gave just $10 ( £6.46 in pounds sterling), they would have $1000 more than they did this time last night.

Please, get off your arse, put your hand in your pocket and give Uwe’s group a donation. If you do nothing more than this, because your interest extends no further than this, then at least let those that want to act, be able to do so.

If you read all this and it annoys you and you think I am being unfair – prove me wrong and give.

You can donate to Arbeitsgruppe Vermisstenforschung here.

 

Arbeitsgruppe Vermisstenforschung – Crash Site Investigation (C.S.I.)

I noticed Uwe had made a few posts around Facebook today regarding a request for donations for the Arbeitsgruppe Vermisstenforschung – Crash Site Investigation (C.S.I.) Group. This group in Germany has devoted itself over the past 25 years to the discovery, recovery and identification of crashed aircraft from the War.

I first became aware of Uwe’s and the groups work when I  started researching about Dad. On the night of the 22nd of September 1943, The Mayfield crew took off on an Op to Hanover, with them was F/O Kenneth Albiston, newly arrived at the Squadron, this was his first ‘2nd Dickie’ flight as a new Pilot. The night seems to have been relatively uneventful – the following night Kenneth joined Geoffrey Turner’s crew to fly to Manneheim, along with my Father’s crew and 16 other Stirling from 75(NZ) Squadron.

The night was a disaster for the Squadron – 3 aircraft were lost and they were all from ‘C’ Flight, my Fathers flight. Kenneth Albiston was one of the airmen lost. An optimistic google search turned up “The bone collectors: The search for lost heroes of WWII” an article in The Independent online – to my amazement, it detailed the work of Uwe and included the details of the recovery of Kenneth’s body – identified from an engraved cigarette case found with his remains…….

Read “The bone collectors: The search for lost heroes of WWII” here.

The group has a GoFundMe site where donations can be made to allow them to continue this invaluable and deeply personal work – it is a tribute to Uwe and those that work with him in the group that they find themselves the last link of chance for relatives to discover the remains of their loved ones.

I have given – I think you should all consider giving something as well. The GoFundMe site can be reached here.

From the site, the following information explains what they do, and why they do it………

For more than 25 years, the members of the working group, Arbeitsgruppe Vermisstenforschung, have spent their valuable time, and their own expenses looking for downed WWII aircraft and missing pilots/airmen. So far they have found more than 140 aircraft wrecks and and returned the remains of numerous pilots/airmen to their families.

This is a great and proud group of volunteers. They are not funded in any way by the German, American and British Governments. All of the funds used to find the crash sites and remains of our pilots and their crews are done voluntarily, and with the financial support of generous donors. Most of the work is done at the expense of those who are conducting these searches. So far, with a few donations, they have been able to keep searching, however there are so many requests coming in from all over the world, that they just don’t have the financial resources to spend the time need to continue looking. These are volunteers who have their own families to support, and they’ve given so much of their time and money looking for the numerous crash sites. The number of requests from families who are desperate to find their loved ones crash site are piling up, and that’s where your help comes in to play. The group is approaching their financial limitations, and without some type of funding (government or personal donations) they will not be able to continue the searches that in almost every instance, locate the missing aircraft, and in some cases, the remains of the crew.

In order to continue successful recovery operations, we are asking for your help. Every little bit counts. Please find it in your heart to help this amazing group of searchers continue their work. So many families are relying on this group, and they would like nothing more than to continue their mission to find and recover the planes and their crew. Please consider helping so that this amazing group of searchers can continue doing what the American, British and German governments have turned their backs on – finding those pilots/crews who are MIA and bringing them home.

Your donation, no matter how small or how large, is the best way to thank the many volunteers of this group, the families of the missing, and more importantly, those who are still missing. To those who have already donated, we thank you so very much!

Please donate now, before you forget, or find something less important to spend your money on…….

The GoFundMe site can be reached here.

Reconnecting in New Zealand – a trip by David McFarland

Graves of Murray, Kayler, Mulligan and Woolham after 70th anniversary ceremony April 2014

Many thanks to David, son of John McFarland for passing on the following record of his trip to New Zealand at the end of last year. David and his family went out to meet up with relatives of the airmen that his Father flew with in 75(NZ) Squadron RAF. The crew were posted to the Squadron in February 1944, flying their first op on the 11^th February, and after conversion to Lancasters took part in the first 75 operation with Lancasters, bombing mashalling yards in Paris on 9^th April.   Four of the crew are buried at Gram, Denmark – James Murray RNZAF (Pilot), Haymen Kahler RAFVR (Flight Engineer) Jack Mulligan RCAF and Peter Woolham RAFVR (Air Gunners).   Gordon Irwin RNZAF (Wireless Operator) John ‘Paddy’ McFarland RAFVR (Navigator) and Douglas Hill RNZAF (Air Bomber) became Prisoners or War.

Extract from a POW notebook kept by Gordon Irwin © Marg Collins

The pilot James, “Jim”, Murray was from Pleasant Point near Timaru on South Island.   His sister, and three brothers all joined the New Zealand forces, with four serving overseas.   Sadly two brothers died, one in Crete in 1941 and the other at El Alamein in 1942.   After Jim’s death, the fourth and youngest son, then stationed in New Zealand, was not permitted to serve overseas and was discharged from military service to pervent a further loss to the Murray family.   We had the pleasure of meeting his daughter Alice, and her husband Mike Constantine, who live in Timaru.

Memorial Library window at Timaru Boys High School (Copied by kind permission of Timaru High School Old Boys Association)

(from left) Paddy’s son and granddaughter – David and Emily and Alice Constantine at the Memorial stone at Rosewill Junior School, Pleasant Point.

Roll of Honour Board, Rosewill Junior School

Timaru War Memorial

Detail Timaru War Memorial

Roll of Honour Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Christchurch

Detail from Roll of Honour

Gordon Irwin returned to New Zealand after the war and married Amy, who had served as a WAAF, stationed in New Zealand.   He initially resumed the family farming business but later was a green-keeper at several golf courses on the North Island.   He died on 28^th December 1994 aged 77 years.   He is buried, with his wife, at Russell Services Cemetery – a beautiful tranquil spot overlooking the Bay of Islands.   We had the pleasure of meeting his daughter Kathy Wright who lives in Russell, and were the guests of Marg Collins his other daughter at her home at Helensville, north of Auckland.   There we enjoyed a splendid meal in the company of her husband and her son and daughter in law, and with Ron Irwin, her brother and his wife.   Gordon and Paddy were particularly close as Gordon’s father had lived in Ulster before emigrating to New Zealand. Gordon had enjoyed several leave trips to Ireland in the early months of 1944.

Marg Collins and Ron Irwin

David McFarland and Kathy Wright

Gordon Irwin’s medals (the New Zealand War Service medal on the right)

Russell Services Cemetery

Memorial plaque Gordon and Amy Irwin

Postscript
In the village of Glenorchy near Queenstown on South Island we saw the local War Memorial.   Beside it was a noticeboard which helped to put details of the service of the men remembered on the Memorial.   Listed was Alistair Henry Scott 75 (NZ) Squadron.   As I was reading the detail, a lady approached and introduced herself to me as his niece, Adrienne Reid.   She lives on the east coast of South Island and was visiting Glenorchy that day.   It was a remarkable chance meeting with a member of the wider 75 family!   She told me that Alistair had a cousin piloting the Lancaster.   Sadly all the crew were lost on the 4^th November 1944 on the daylight Solingem raid and are buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery in Germany.

Glenorchy War Memorial

Adrienne Reid, niece of F/Sgt Alistair Scott at Glenorchy War Memorial Noticeboard

Other posts about the Murray crew and more specifically John McFarland can be read here:

John McFarland, Navigator – Murray crew. 1944. here.

Letters from behind the wire – John McFarland, here.

John Edward Lithgow McFarland RAFVR 1503993 – Navigator. 1944. Logbook. here

Gram Churchyard, Denmark. here.

Gram Churchyard, Denmark – John Macfarland visits and remembers. Danish TV article. here

 

 

Happy Birthday to Peter Carrie – 100 today

Albeit, a little belatedly, I would personally and I am sure all of you would, like to wish Peter Carrie the warmest wishes on his birthday today, having reached the magnificent age of 100 years old.

Peter has featured in a few of posts already, firstly recounting his amazing story, starting in the Army, before joining the RAF and 75(NZ) Squadron and flying with Bernard Lukin’s crew, a Flight Engineer. We then had news of him receiving a new Flight Engineers brevet to go with his Bomber Command clasp from Air Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, Deputy Chief of Defence for Military Capability. Finally there was also a small additional post  on the Lukins crew, after by chance, we discovered the christian names of 2 more of the boys who flew with Peter.

Peters amazing story can be read here.

The story of Peter receiving his new Flight Engineers Brevet can be read here.

And the discovery of two more of the boys names from the Lukin’s crew can be read here.

Happy Birthday Peter

Ake Ake Kia Kaha

A final comment on Dresden, by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury

I just noticed a post by Dom on Facebook, noting the misquoting of Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, by (amazingly) the Daily Mail, regarding his comments and reflections on the Dresden Op.

I must confess, that personally, I am not religious in the slightest and do not therefore use the words of a religious leader to carry extra weight or validity as an observation, but I do think Justin offers a balanced and through necessity after all these years, a conciliatory opinion.

Given the willingness by the media to jump on simple facts and figures that will support a ‘good story’, I include the ridiculous contortion by the Daily Mail and then the post that Justin made on his blog as a response – I think he captures the balanced opinion of the events of that night and the hostages that both the city of Dresden, its people, Bomber Command and the crews that flew in it have become, since that night.

From the Daily Mail ………..

Archbishop ‘says sorry’ for bombing the Nazis: Justin Welby attacked for ‘bizarre apology’ for Dresden raids, but makes no reference to RAF heroes killed by Hitler

The Archbishop of Canterbury last night issued an extraordinary apology for the British bombing of Dresden during the Second World War.

In what was immediately criticised as an insult to the young men who gave their lives to defeat the Nazis, the Most Rev Justin Welby told the German people of his ‘profound feeling of regret and deep sorrow’ over the attack.

His comments at a ceremony in Dresden to mark the 70th anniversary of the bombings came amid a growing row about BBC coverage of the commemoration in which Britain was described as ‘worse than the Nazis’ over the raids that killed thousands at the end of the war.

Former defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth criticised the Archbishop, saying: ‘I do not hear Angela Merkel apologising for the Blitz.’ And historian Professor Anthony Glees said it was wrong to take a single incident in the war and say sorry for it. Archbishop Welby said the bombing of Dresden, which killed an estimated 25,000, ‘diminished all our humanity’.

But he made no reference to the 55,573 British aircrew killed in the struggle to overthrow Hitler, nor to the German bombing of London and Coventry.

Tory MP Philip Davies said: ‘These remarks do sound to me like an apology. For the Archbishop to make an apology for our defeat of Hitler is bizarre. I would have thought the last thing we should be doing is apologising. We should be praised for defeating Hitler. These words are an insult to the young men who gave their lives in the defeat of Germany.’

The Archbishop – whose great uncle Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Portal was one of the main architects of Britain’s campaign of bombing German cities – told the congregation he thought it was ‘miraculous’ that they were welcoming him given the ‘brutal and devastating’ nature of the attack.

From Justin Welby’s blog as a reply……….

Reflections on Dresden

“Dresden on the 70th anniversary of the allied bombing is a place of deep emotion and sorrow. The Frauenkirche, the great church in the central square, destroyed on the night of 13th February 1945 and rebuilt after the liberation from Communist rule, is full much of the day, and in the evening it is a place of quiet reflection as hundreds of people come to pray, listen to music and stories of reconciliation and light candles. During the day there had been a powerful ceremony with contributions from the cities of Coventry, Rotterdam and Warsaw among others.

The feeling is different but parallel to that of Coventry Cathedral where I worked for five years, in charge of the ministry of reconciliation which since World War II has stretched around the world.   There too ruins gave birth to a new church, the Cathedral; there too hope sprang from death and ashes. The two churches are linked by a twinning relationship, as are the cities.

Both places attract young people caught by the hope of peace and reconciliation. Both are very powerful reminders of what Wilfred Owen called “the pity of war”. In many wars it is the civilians who bear the brunt of the pain, and especially from 1939-1945. They are almost always innocent. In Coventry and Dresden that was especially so.

Neo Nazis had attempted to cause trouble in Dresden, as always. The people of Dresden, as always, reject the manipulation of the truth of the events of 1945 and link hands in a symbolic circle round the city centre to keep out such lies.

What a sadness then that late in the evening someone showed me a headline in the Daily Mail saying that I had apologised for the RAF bombing the Nazis. No honest reading of what I said in the church and on the BBC afterwards could come anywhere near such an idea. Contrary to the Mail’s report, on the BBC I spoke clearly of the bombing of British cities, mentioning especially Coventry and London. I also spoke of the terrible losses of the heroic crews of Bomber Command. My grandmother’s brother was killed on his first mission, in a Wellington. My exact words (to BBC Radio 5 Live, and please excuse the incoherence!) were:

“5 Live: And in the sense of Dresden, is one of the ways forward to apologise for what happened? Do you think Britain and America should apologise for what happened in Dresden?”

JW: “That’s a very complicated question, because when you listen to people who were in Bomber Command and you hear of their suffering, I lived in Coventry and you see the suffering there, in London we know of the Blitz, and in many other cities right across the United Kingdom and round the world, I think it’s more complicated than ‘should we apologise?’. I think there is a deep need for profound sorrow at the events and the causes of such dreadful times as Europe lived through. And there’s also reason for hope and encouragement that Europe has become a centre of reconciliation in the world – a great miracle.”

The contrast with the sorrow of Dresden, the deep recognition of the cruelty, tragedy and evil of war, could not have been greater.

So I want to get back to the moving and tragic recognition in Dresden that the great evil of the Nazis created a great war, and during it terrible things were done, by necessity, by the nature of war. Churchill said “jaw-jaw is better than war-war”. So let us mourn and learn, honour the heroism of those who defeated Hitler and his regime, celebrate our freedoms, and in the strength of Jesus Christ struggle for peace and reconciliation, of which he is the source.”

see the article on Justin’s blog here.

Dresden: another 75 (NZ) Squadron perspective

“Russ” Russell, Bombing Leader at 75 (NZ) Squadron, Mepal, 1944 – 45. – photo from “Dying For Democracy”, by Flt Lt G A Russell DFC.

Many thanks to Chris for providing another perspective on the events of the 13th/ 14th February 1945 Dresden Op…….

My uncle Gerry Newey flew as Wireless Operator with Johnny Wood and Doug Williamson in JN-Dog, the lead aircraft on that Dresden op’ 70 years ago.

Neither his logbook nor diary give any hint as to the significance of the raid, but they convey the satisfaction of seeing a job well done, and perhaps some degree of elation at witnessing and being part of such an awe-inspiring event.

In his diary, he wrote a typically off-hand summary of the trip:

“Did a D.I. on Dog & waited in the mess all morning. Had briefing & took off at 2150 for Dresden.
Good trip & we made a real mess of the city. Plenty of big fires. A nine hour trip.”

The crews were briefed before each op’, and there is no question – this op’ was presented as a military target, just another in a long line of targets in or nearby major cities.

The briefing that day is remembered by 75 (NZ) Squadron’s Bombing Leader, Flight Lieutenant Alan “Russ” Russell, DFC, in his book, “Dying For Democracy”.

“The participating air crews were briefed by the Squadron Commander, the Navigation Leader, the Gunnery Leader, the Wireless Leader, and the Intelligence Officer, who always made interesting remarks about each target. On this occasion he mentioned that Dresden was the central base for the whole of Germany’s very extensive variety of communication systems, especially the telephone. This included both telegraphy and radio, none of which had so far been damaged. Consequently Hitler’s leaders in all of his war fronts were being kept fully informed of what was daily required of them.

The weather man for the Squadron advised the crews about the weather we would have to confront and pass through.

Finally, as Bombing Leader, I gave the crews the details of their bomb loads. Always at briefings there would be a large area map illustrating the intended target. Dresden was a very big German city, only a few miles from the Russian border.

Six hours before our briefing, an unarmed, lively, Mosquito twin-engined reconnaissance aircraft flew over the target area and obtained many photographs which, during the briefing, were projected onto a large screen for the bomber crews to see. The wide expanse of the city included extensive railway marshalling yards, with many railway wagons already connected into long trains.

One particularly clear shot was of a very long line of flat-topped railway wagons with each wagon supporting a military tank. Many of the long lines were of closed freight wagons. We could see no railway coaches suitable for troop movement. Intelligence however, stated that there were masses of armed troops billeted both within and near the city.

The railway marshalling yards at Dresden were laid out like a huge letter’ Y ‘ and the junction of the members of the letter Y was given as our aiming point. The black and purple night target map which each bomb aimer carried to the target area, showed the railway yards very clearly. It also showed that the railway yards would make a good broad target. I always found those maps of the target area very useful. High over the target it was too dark inside the aircraft to be able to read the target map, so I always committed it to memory and that was easy as it covered solely the target area.”

Not only did Russell brief the crews before they left, he actually flew on the Dresden op’, as a fill-in Bomb Aimer for his old 218 Squadron Skipper, F/L Don Thomson, who had since been posted to 75 (NZ) Squadron.

(Note that the Form 541 lists F/S Hilray Hubert Stratford, Thomson’s usual Bomb Aimer, as flying this op’).

“On this date it transpired that Don’s Bomb Aimer was ill so I would fly with Don once again.”

Flight No 36. Dresden. Germany. 13/2/1945.
Mk I Lancaster PB820 (JN-V)
Pilot.    F/Lt Don Thomson.
Load carried. 1 x 4,000 lb HC, 3 x 750. No 15 cluster of 4 lb incendiaries, 1 x 500. No 17 cluster of 4 lb incendiaries and 1 x 350 lb Munroe container of information leaflets, all printed in German.
Total weight 7,431 lbs = 3.32 tons. (A light load.)
Distance flown.      1,902 miles.
Time airborne.     9 hours exactly.

Don Thomson and his crew, loaded up and ready to go. – photo from Dying For Democracy, by Flt Lt G A Russell DFC.

Russell recalls that the initial Pathfinder Force Target Markers found that the target was covered in 10/10ths cloud, and they had to use the “Wanganui” marking method, which combined unquenchable flares dropped on the ground with parachute flares dropped from high above. The Master Bomber would direct the bomber stream by advising which coloured sky flares were closest to the ground flares, the glow of which was hopefully visible through the cloud.

“In my case, I was really impressed, because as I sighted on a floating flare in the sky, at the moment of releasing my bombs, the dimming, yet still faintly visible unquenchable flare on the ground, lined up perfectly in my sight. Wonders never cease!

From 20,000 ft I dropped my bomb load, including the 350 lb Munroe ‘bomb’ which shattered some two or three thousand feet above ground, scattering leaflets far and wide, ‘information’ for the population below. On this occasion, they would mostly be wasted because the resulting fire storm was much more fierce, and destroyed a much greater area, than ever expected.”

Russell doesn’t expand on the logic of combining incendiaries and paper leaflets in the same bomb load!!

Gerry’s logbook says simply “H. Flak, 5/10 clouds. Bloody good results.”

Skipper Johnny Wood’s entry in the ORB Form 541 says “Glow in sky seen from 140 miles on return.”

Bomber Command’s crews were driven relentlessly, “night after night”, to attack targets that were chosen for maximum impact on the German military effort, to help shorten the war.

As Russell argues, the men did not have the luxury of political or moral perspective on individual operations, they had a job to do. They weren’t privy to the overall strategies behind the choice of targets and methods employed, but if they were to work, it was critical that each individual played his part as instructed.

Reference, “Dying For Democracy”, by Flt Lt G A Russell DFC, 1997, self-published (Russell), Wanganui, NZ.

At this time, 70 years ago, a long dark shadow is cast…….

At the exact time of the publishing of this post, 70 years ago, Pilot John Wood and his Flight Engineer Dougie Williamson were easing the  throttles forward on their Mk.I Lancaster HK601 JN-Dog.

19 more Lancasters of 75(NZ) Squadron RAF would follow John Wood’s Lancaster into the cold Cambridgeshire night, to join up with a second-wave force of another 509 aircraft from Bomber Command.

The destruction caused and the debate that has continued over their target that night has been encapsulated into a single word, which in itself, has cast a long dark shadow over the activities of RAF Bomber Command and the boys that flew in it.

 Dresden

An article in today’s Guardian, titled ‘’We thought Dresden was invincible’: 70 years after the destruction of a city” provides a fascinating eye witness account of the raid on Dresden.

Eberhard Renner, a dentist’s son who was 12 years old on the night RAF bombers arrived tells of the Second World War bombing – and the moment his father thought the unthinkable.

The boy had gone to bed, his head buzzing with his chemistry experiments, when at around 9.45pm the first air raid warning sounded. “Air raid warnings had been an almost daily occurrence since December so I thought little of it and at first I really couldn’t be bothered to get out of bed. I went downstairs anyway but there was nothing special to indicate what was about to occur.”

He and his parents noted the drone of the bombers in the distance, but they thought they were flying on to bomb Chemnitz or Leipzig. Then they saw the “Christmas trees” – magnesium flares that floated down on parachutes to light up the city.

“Even then we were so secure in the belief that Dresden was invincible, we didn’t believe it was anything more than a reconnaissance mission,” he recalled. His parents told him the enemy pilots were only taking photographs and would soon be gone.

“Only when the bombs started falling did we realise it was Dresden’s turn,” Renner, now 82, said. “First they dropped the explosive bombs to expose the roofs. Then came the incendiary bombs to do the real damage – a well-worked-out English strategy. By that time we were sitting in our cellar and I felt increasingly scared by the minute. One bomb exploded in our garden and blew the door in towards me and my mum, but luckily we weren’t hurt.”

“Dresdeners have always had an inflated feeling of their own importance and that extended to thinking that the English were too cultivated to destroy a city like Dresden, the so-called Florence on the Elbe. How incredibly naive we were.”

“And then I heard my father, who was not a courageous man at the best of times, say something that would have been unthinkable days before,” Renner, a retired engineer and architect who still lives in the city, recalled. “‘Well, it’s those criminals we’ve got to thank for this’,” he said, meaning Adolf Hitler. Like many people, it had opened his eyes. “Up until then it had been ‘be careful what you say in front of the kids’, now he was openly expressing his opinion in front of the neighbours!

No one contradicted him.

Read the full Guardian article ‘We thought Dresden was invincible’: 70 years after the destruction of a city here

Bomber Command War Diary (Martin-Middlebrook & Chris Everitt)
13 February 1945
Operation Thunderclap
The Air Ministry had, for several months, been considering a series of particularly heavy area raids on German cities with a view to causing such confusion and consternation that the hard-stretched German war machine and civil administration would break down and the war would end. The general name given to this plan was Operation Thunderclap, but it had been decided not to implement it until the military situation in Germany was critical. That moment appeared to be at hand. Russian forces had made a rapid advance across Poland in the second half of January and crossed the eastern frontier of Germany. The Germans were thus fighting hard inside their own territory on two fronts, with the situation in the East being particularly critical. It was considered that Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz – all just behind the German lines on the Eastern Front now – would be suitable targets. They were all vital communications and supply centres for the Eastern Front and were already packed with German refugees and wounded from the areas recently captured by the Russians. As well as the morale aspect of the attacks, there was the intention of preventing the Germans from moving reinforcements from the West to face the successful Russian advance. The Air Ministry issued a directive to Bomber Command , at the end of January. The Official History. describes how Winston Churchill took a direct hand in the final planning of Operation Thunderclap – although Churchill tried to distance himself from the Dresden raid afterwards. On 4 February, at the Yalta Conference, the Russians asked for attacks of this kind to take place, but their involvement in the process only came after the plans had been issued. So, Bomber Command was specifically requested by the Air Ministry, with Churchill’s encouragement to carry out heavy raids on Dresden, Chemnitz and Leipzig. The Americans were also asked to help and agreed to do so. The campaign should have begun with an American raid on Dresden on 13 February but bad weather over Europe prevented any American operations. It thus fell to Bomber Command to carry out the first raid.

Dresden: 796 Lancasters and 9 Mosquitos were dispatched in two separate raids and dropped 1,478 tons of high explosive and 1,182 tons of incendiary bombs. The first attack was carried out entirely by No 5 Group, using their own low-level marking methods. A band of cloud still remained in the area and this raid, in which 244 Lancasters dropped more than 800 tons of bombs, was only moderately successful.

The second raid, 3 hours later, was an all-Lancaster attack by aircraft of Nos 1, 3, 6 and 8 Groups, with No 8 Group providing standard Pathfinder marking. The weather was now clear and 529 Lancasters dropped more than 1,800 tons of bombs with great accuracy. Much has been written about the fearful effects of this raid. Suffice it to say here that a firestorm, similar to the one experienced in Hamburg in July 1943, was created and large areas of the city were burnt out. No one has ever been able to discover how many people died but it is accepted that the number was greater than the 40,000 who died in the Hamburg firestorm and the Dresden figure may have exceeded 50,000.

Bomber Command casualties were 6 Lancasters lost, with 2 more crashed in France and 1 in England.

311 American B-17s dropped 771 tons of bombs on Dresden the next day, with the railway yards as their aiming point. Part of the American Mustang-fighter escort was ordered to strafe traffic on the roads around Dresden to increase the chaos. The Americans bombed Dresden again on the 15th and on 2nd March but it is generally accepted that it was the RAF night raid which caused the most serious damage.

13/02/1945 – Attack Against Dresden (Form 541 75(NZ) Squadron RAF)
Twenty aircraft attacked Dresden as detailed. Very slight H/F was only opposition. The first aircraft over the target reported thin cloud which had cleared for later aircraft. Some aircraft were able to bomb visually. Crews reported the whole town was well alight and could see the glow of fires 100 miles away on return A highly successful raid.

Lancaster Mk.III LM740 AA-B

Extract from the logbook of Reg Smith, Rear Gunner with the Adamson crew

F/O Maurice James Adamson, RNZAF NZ426904 – Pilot.
F/S Arthur Edwin Noel Unwin, RNZAF NZ427347 – Navigator.
F/O Kenneth William Rathbride Mitchell, RNZAF NZ425700 – Air Bomber.
F/S John William Fisher, RNZAF NZ4211617 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt John Palmer, RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Frank Rhodes, RAFVR – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Reginald Arthur Smith, RAFVR 1606544 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:17 – Landed 07:04
Flight Time 08:47

Lancaster Mk.I NG113 AA-D
F/O Ronald Wynn Russell, RNZAF NZ37220 – Pilot.
F/O Francis Neville Selwood , RNZAF NZ4215756 – Navigator.
F/O Victor Digger Hendry , RNZAF NZ425570 – Air Bomber.
F/S F. Jillians, RAFVR – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. J. Hunt , RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
F/S William Henry Grout, RCAF R.109213 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. E. Bates , RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:17 – Landed 07:25
Flight Time 09:08

Lancaster Mk.I NF935 AA-P
F/O Valentine Richard Egglestone, RNZAF NZC429998 – Pilot.
F/S Gordon McDonald Mitchell, RNZAF NZ4211764 – Navigator.
F/S James Frederick Freestone, RNZAF NZ4213370 – Air Bomber.
Sgt. R. Akehurst, RAFVR – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. P. Hill, RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Jack Truman, RAFVR – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. P. Goldie, RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:09 – Landed 06:57
Flight Time 08:48

Lancaster Mk.I LM266 AA-F “The Seven Sinners”
F/O John O’Malley, RNZAF NZ428276 – Pilot.
F/S F. Cousar, RAFVR – Navigator.
F/S Septimus Robinson, RAFVR 1432941/ 190538 – Air Bomber.
F/S Frank Henry Gimblett, RNZAF NZ427520 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt W. Ireland, RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. W. Ramsay, RAFVR – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. B. Stacey, RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:11 – Landed 06:49
Flight Time 08:38

Lancaster Mk.I HK576 AA-G
F/O John Rees Layton, RNZAF NZ425914 – Pilot.
Sgt. Lloyd Edward Anger, RCAF R.200903 – Navigator.
W/O Clive Woodward Estcourt, RNZAF NZ391045 – Air Bomber.
F/S Ta Tio Tuaine Nicholas, RNZAF NZ425658 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt F. Samuel , RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
F/S David Onslow Light, RNZAF NZ4212848 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Leslie Dixon Moore , RNZAF NZ421327 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:19 – Landed 06:21
Flight Time 08:02

Lancaster Mk.I HK573 AA-H
F/L George Stanley Davies, RNZAF NZ427262 – Pilot.
F/S Claude Cuthbert Greenough , RNZAF NZ429069 – Navigator.
F/S Henry Edward Chalmers, RAFVR 1565986 – Air Bomber.
F/S T.M. White , RAFVR – Wireless Operator.
Sgt I.R.H. Evans, RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. J.J. Maher, RAFVR 1434090 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S R. Muir, RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:13 – Landed 07:22
Flight Time 09:09

Lancaster Mk.I RA510 AA-J
F/O Robert Jaspar Pearson, RNZAF NZ39575 – Pilot.
W/O Alick Segnit, RAAF AUS.28834 – Navigator.
F/S B. Farmer, RAFVR – Air Bomber.
F/S William Arthur Johnston, RAAF AUS.432239 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt S. Miller, RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. A. Smithson, RAFVR – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. E. Hadigate, RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:20 – Landed 06:37
Flight Time 08:17

Lancaster Mk.III PB421 AA-K

Extract from the logbook of Stan Heald, Air Bomber with the Ware crew

W/O Esmond Edgar Delwyn Ware, RNZAF NZ42486 – Pilot.
F/O Colin Campbell Emslie, RNZAF NZ431170 – Navigator.
F/S Stanley John Heald, RNZAF NZ415319 – Air Bomber.
F/S Wilfred Darling Cairns, RNZAF NZ427794 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. David Carter, RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
F/S G.B. White, RCAF R.209852 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Richard H. Wright, RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:16 – Landed 07:23
Flight Time 09:07

Lancaster Mk.I HK597 JN-N

Extract from the logbook of Jimmy Wood, Air Bomber with the Banks crew

W/C Cyril Henry ‘Mac’ Baigent, RNZAF NZ411973/ 70038 – Pilot.
F/L Russell Ashley Banks RNZAF NZ416437 2nd Pilot.
F/O Maurice Wiggins , RAFVR – Navigator.
F/O James ‘Jimmy’ Earnest Wood , RAFVR 1801019/154906 – Air Bomber.
F/L Alexander Reid Hirst, RNZAF NZ41588 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. H. “jock’ Fraser, RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
W/O John Edward Britnell, RAFVR 1579917 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt Norman ‘Paddy’ Allen, RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:11 – Landed 07:15
Flight Time 09:04

Lancaster Mk.III NG448 JN-P
F/L Ernest Joseph Abraham, RNZAF NZ428061 – Pilot.
F/S Louis Eldon Bernhardt Klitscher RNZAF NZ415262 2nd Pilot.
F/O Donald John Glengarry, RNZAF NZ422059 – Navigator.
F/O David George William Hubert Jones, RAFVR 186301 – Air Bomber.
F/S Stanley Graham Watson, RAFVR 1124508/ 195948 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Samuel Joseph Hughes, RAFVR 2218612 – Flight Engineer.
F/S Ronald William Makin, RNZAF NZ4212812 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. R. Evans, RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 21:53 – Landed 06:40
Flight Time 08:47

Lancaster Mk.I LM276 AA-S
F/L Sidney Lewis ‘Buzz’ Spillman, RNZAF NZ413138 – Pilot.
Sgt. N. Holbrook, RAFVR – Navigator.
F/S Thomas Ernest Corlett, RNZAF NZ425692 – Air Bomber.
Sgt. G. Abrahams, RAFVR – Wireless Operator.
Sgt H. Thorne, RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
F/S Vernon Alfred Clouston, RNZAF NZ428285 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S William Patrick Burke, RNZAF NZ4210017 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:14 – Landed 07:11
Flight Time 08:57

Lancaster Mk.I NG449 AA-T
F/L Jack Plummer, RNZAF NZ42451 – Pilot.
F/S Arthur Leonard Humphries, RNZAF NZ428244 – Navigator.
W/O Edgar John Holloway, RNZAF NZ429923 – Air Bomber.
W/O Robert William ‘Bobby’ West, RAFVR 1077746 /195545 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Maurice Fell, RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
F/O Russell James Scott, RNZAF NZ428984 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Alexander Malcolm McDonald, RNZAF NZ426070 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:10 – Landed 07:06
Flight Time 08:56

Lancaster Mk.III PB132 AA-X
F/L Douglas Ross Sadgrove, RNZAF NZ425292 – Pilot.
F/S Robert Trevor Dixon, RNZAF NZ4212652 – Navigator.
Sgt. D. Stimpson, RAFVR – Air Bomber.
F/S Frederick Fleming, RNZAF NZ425241 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Bernard John Mahoney, RAFVR 1628335/ 190539 – Flight Engineer.
F/S Robert Samuel Bawden, RNZAF NZ4212629 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. D. Dalimore, RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 21:52 – Landed 07:07
Flight Time 09:15

Lancaster Mk.I ME450 AA-W

Extract from the logbook of Robert ‘Jock’ Sommerville, Air Bomber with the Zinzan crew

F/O Vernon John ‘Taffy’ Zinzan, RNZAF NZ425314 – Pilot.
W/O James Sydney George Coote, RAFVR 517881/ 56715 – Navigator.
F/O Robert Douglas ‘Jock’ Sommerville, RAFVR 1562617/ 161049 – Air Bomber.
Sgt. Miles ‘Joe’ Parr, RAFVR – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Ackroyd, RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. H. Hutchinson, RAFVR – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Frank Watts, RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:13 – Landed 06:32
Flight Time 08:19

Lancaster Mk.I HK561 AA-Y

Extract from the logbook of Gordon Ford, Wireless Operator with the Watson crew (the clipped reference to ‘1 A/C lost’ refers to the Chemnitz Op, the following night

F/O Matthew Watson, RAFVR 1495959/ 176130 – Pilot.
F/S Kenneth Raffill Wood, RNZAF NZ4212783 – Navigator.
F/S Richard Godfrey Dawson, RNZAF NZ421686 – Air Bomber.
F/S Gordon Ford, RAFVR 1523080 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. R. Pare, RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. W. Mentiply, RAFVR – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. A. Bolland, RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:15 – Landed 07:13
Flight Time 08:58

Lancaster Mk.I HK601 JN-D

Extract from the logbook of Gerald Newey, Wireless Operator with the Wood crew

F/O John Henry Thomas Wood, RNZAF NZ426235 – Pilot.
F/S John Austin White Pauling, RNZAF NZ422976 – Navigator.
F/S Noel Ridley Hooper, RAFVR 1336483/ 196925 – Air Bomber.
F/S Gerald Newey, RNZAF NZ425285 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt Douglas Williamson, RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
F/S Albert John Tipping Cash, RCAF R.147817 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Ralph Charles Sparrow, RCAF R.263518 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 21:52* – Landed 06:44
Flight Time 08:52
*While listed as 21:52, Gerry Newey’s logbook lists the crew’s take-off time as 21:50

Lancaster Mk.I NG322 JN-F
F/O Wi Rangiuaia, RNZAF NZ427319 – Pilot.
Sgt. A. Matthew, RAFVR – Navigator.
Sgt. D. Morrison, RAFVR – Air Bomber.
F/S John Edward Barry Mossman, RNZAF NZ42112587 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt L. Player, RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. T. Mynott, RAFVR – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. T. Morgan, RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:07 – Landed 07:20
Flight Time 09:13

Lancaster Mk.I PB820 JN-V
F/L Donald Winter Thomson, RNZAF NZ41613 – Pilot.
F/S Herbert Ronald Holliday, RAAF AUS.434602 – Navigator.
F/L Grant Alan ‘Russ’ Russell, RNZAF NZ411729 – Air Bomber*.
F/S D. Brazier, RAFVR – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. C. Payne, RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
F/S Jack Heaton, RAFVR 982650/ 196880 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S J. Messer, RAFVR – Rear Gunner.
*Hilray Hubert Stratford, the crew’s regular A/B is listed in the Form 541, however, the position of A/B was in fact taken by the Squadron Bombing leader Grant Alan Russell, Hilary Stratford being ill for this Op – from A.G. Russell’s book ‘Dying for Democracy’

Take Off 22:08 – Landed 07:08
Flight Time 09:00

Lancaster Mk.I HK593 JN-X
F/O Ronald Christie Flamank, RNZAF NZ427270 – Pilot.
F/S A. Westbury, RAFVR – Navigator.
F/S E. Carver, RAFVR – Air Bomber.
F/S Douglas Haig Rapson, RNZAF NZ428323 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. V. Saunders, RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. K. Moore, RAFVR – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. D. Hills, RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:08 – Landed 06:34
Flight Time 08:26

Lancaster Mk.I HK554 JN-Z
F/O Herbert Wilfred Hooper, RNZAF NZ40111 – Pilot.
Sgt. Royston Edgar Lane, RAFVR 195332 – Navigator.
Sgt. E. Holt, RAFVR – Air Bomber.
W/O A. Gordon, RAFVR – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. J. Petrie, RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. R. Sturrock, RAFVR – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. J. Spiby, RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 21:54 – Landed 06:59
Flight Time 09:05

 

Lest we forget………

Request for Information………..(twice)

An extract from the Mepal Station Log for 25th Aprill 1944, recording the dispatch of vehicles and personnel to assist after the crash of 76 Squadron Halifax LK789 – all of the crew, apart from the Rear Gunner were killed. Supplied by Mike Harrison

I have been contacted by Mike, concerning the crash of a 76 Squadron Halifax on the 25th April 1944, in which his Uncle, Sgt. N.M. Harrison was killed. Initially, this contact might seem strangely unrelated to 75(NZ) Squadron, however Mike’s contact was because of the information above.

“I understand from Mepal station records that a fire tender, ambulance and RAF guard were sent to the scene 25th April 44.”

I dutifully opened the Form 540 for 1944 and could find nothing relating to the incident and was, to be honest a little perplexed by the information Mike seemed so sure he had. A few emails later and of course it dawned on me that what I didn’t have and what Mike was talking about was in fact not the Form 540 for 75(NZ) Squadron, but in fact the Form 540 station Log for RAF Mepal.

Last year I was very lucky to be given a full set of the handwritten Feltwell Flying Control Log Book – at the time, I queried, given the existence of those records, whether similar records existed for Newmarket and Mepal, the donor of the Feltwell log said he was unsure, but did give me the AIR reference numbers for the Newmarket and Mepal – I was tantalised, but it was coming up to Christmas and my annual trip down to London does not occur till the summer……

I must confess, when Mike sent me the 2 pages he had, I was a little aghast – it felt as if I had inadvertently opened a door in my house and discovered a completely new room I was completely ignorant of.

But I momentarily digress………

Mike is obviously keen to find out anything more he can about the crash of Halifax LK789. The detailing of the ambulance, crash tender and aircraft crash guard identifies Mepal and its personnel as being involved in events of that day, the question is if anybody out there might know anything else, however small a detail about that day.

The following is reproduced from the excellent aircrewremembered website, the full details of the crew loss can be seen here.

‘Later as the mainforce recrossed the English coast, enemy intruder aircraft were patrolling over Eastern England. Halifax LK789 was attacked by a Me410 flown by Leutnant Wolfgang Wenning of II./KG51 at a height of 1,000 mtrs, 20km NE of Cambridge. During the attack, another 76 Squadron Halifax; LK785 T-Topsy piloted by Lieutenant Carl Larsen R.N.A.F was flying on the right hand side of the bomber. The following eye witness account is by Sgt H.W Kirtland the wireless operator on board T-Topsy.

“We were within an hour from base and safety and had no idea intruders were operating. As usual, when routed ‘up England’ from the south coast, the risk of collision was our main concern; hence the Nav lights were on. From my position on the port side of the aircraft and immediately below the pilot, I had a small window which gave restricted view forward and downward on the port side. Alerted by the Skipper’s shout, I looked out and saw the Halifax curving down on fire until it hit the ground. Almost certainly it had been attacked by a night fighter with an upward firing 20mm cannon. He would have stalked the Halifax from below – our blind spot aimed to strike between the bomber’s fuselage and inner engines. We didn’t see any parachutes, which we always looked for if the gunners reported a bomber in flames. I well remember how angry Larsen was over this we all were- it could easily been us. To be told by the Squadron Intelligence officer that there was no intruder activity that night was too much”

Halifax LK789 crashed opposite Colony farm near Welney, Norfolk at 04.20 hrs. The only survivor was the rear gunner, F/S John Anderson. He was rescued by the Welney fire brigade after being trapped in his turret and taken to R.A.F. Hospital Ely, with a fractured femur and lacerations of the scalp. ‘

So, if anybody knows anything about that day and more specifically details relating to the involvement of personnel from Mepal, Mike would be very interested to hear from you.

Off the back of all of this, if anybody has all, portions, or even pages from either the Newmarket or Mepal Station logs, I would be very interested in hearing from you!

Obviously I have sent an application for an estimate to the National Archives in Kew (of course they haven’t been digitised yet……) and I keenly await the need to sell a kidney………..

Alternatively, if anybody is planning to go to Kew in the near future and has a spare day or so to kill while they are there, I’d be happy to enter into discussions regarding perhaps meeting some of your expenses…….

probably cheaper than a kidney…….

Clarence William ‘Taffy’ Evans – updated post

I’m pleased to say John has just sent me a photograph of Taffy Williams , taken with his younger brother on the front lawn of the Vicarage in Long Compton, Warwickshire where the family were billeted. The photograph was taken in May, 1944, just three weeks or so before Taffy was killed in a flying accident.

view the updated post from the weekend here.

A mystery we should try to solve – Please share this…..

I was contacted by Rob last Thursday night when he sent this photograph. It was passed to him by a friend who is an antiques restorer – he found it in a small wooden box that he bought at an auction. Apart from the letter and the details that are contained within it, nothing else is known about John, the rear Gunner in the photograph, the date of his injury or the crew he flew with, or what Squadron they were with.

The blog has taught me that if you put something out there – sometimes you get something back – so if you read this post, whether it be via a Facebook page, Twitter or whatever, please share this post and maybe we might achieve the seemingly impossible and find out more details or perhaps even, return this to a family member.

Lets all cross our fingers………