Crew
F/S Allan Johnson Mayfield RNZAF. Pilot
P/O Jack Francis David Jarmy. Navigator
Sgt. Robert Douglas Sommerville. Air Bomber
F/S William Lake. Wireless Operator
Sgt. A. Warburton. Flight Engineer
Sgt. Thomas Darbyshire. Mid Upper Gunner
F/S John Sebastian Hulena RNZAF. Rear Gunner
Aircraft
Striling Mk.III EH939 ‘J’ for Johnny
Flight
Up 21.45 8th September
Down 23.45 8th September
Total Flight Time 2 hours
75 (NZ) Sqn RAF Operations Record Book (ORB)
8/9/43
Operations.
Seventeen aircraft were detailed to attack the above targets. The carried their maximum bomb load in bombs of 1,000lb., and 500lb.. One aircraft crashed whilst taking off and two returned early. The remainder successfully dropped their bombs in the target area. Not many fires were seen but numerous huge explosions were observed. Some heavy and light predicted A.A.Fire and a few searchlights were encountered but caused no trouble. A few enemy aircraft were seen, but no combats took place. The weather was good and visibility was clear except for slight ground haze. Navigation was excellent.
The aircraft that crashed during take-off was captained by F/O. I.R.MENZIES. Whilst taking off it swung of the runway and crashed into two houses on the far side adjoining the perimeter track. It caught fire almost simultaneously, and in the fire, various bombs exploded, causing the aircraft to be a total wreck. Three members of the crew, a W.A.A.F. Officer of R.A.F. Station MEPAL and an aircrew Sergeant, and 2 civilians were killed and other civilians were injured. The W.A.A.F. Officer and the aircrew sergeant lost their lives whilst trying to render assistance.
Page 587, 1943. Form 540/ 541 AIR27/ 646 75(NZ) Squadron RAF, Mepal. National Archives.
Stirling Mk.III BK809 AA-T
F/O. Ian Robert Menzies RNZAF NZ415002. Pilot. 28th August to 8th September 1943. Died Wednesday 8th September after crashing on take-off. Buried Cambridge City Cemetery, England.
P/O. Derek Albert Arthur Cordery RAFVR 136360. Nav. 28th August to 9th September 1943.
P/O. Norman Hathway Gale RAFVR 849986. AB. 28th August to 8th September 1943. Died Wednesday 8th September after crashing on take-off. Buried Bristol (Canford) Cemetery, England.
Sgt. Ralph Herbert Barker RNZAF NZ417189. WOAG. 28th August to 9th September 1943, then 18th December to 13th August 1944.
Sgt. Albert Leslie Mellor RAFVR 943914. FE. 28th August to 8th September 1943. Seriously injured Wednesday 8th September after crashing on take-off. Died Wednesday 8th September Buried Buxton Cemetery, England.
Sgt. Bullivant G RAFVR 1395379. AG. 28th August to 23rd September 1943.
Sgt. Stewart Donald Muir RNZAF NZ416967. AG. 28th August to 25th September 1943. Died 16th June 1944 with 7(PFF) Squadron.
The Flight Sergeant and W.A.A.F Officer that were killed when attempting to offer assistance were;
F/Sgt Peter Gerald Dobson MiD RNZAF NZ439022. Navigator. 16th Mar to 8th Sep 1943. Died Wednesday 8th September 1943, age 28. A 75 Sqn Stirling, (BK809), fully laden with fuel and bombs for an attack on a long-range gun battery nr Boulogne, France, swung on take-off and crashed between two houses off the end of the runway. F/Sgt Dobson was killed by exploding bombs as he went to the assistance of the aircrew crew and the occupants of the houses. Buried Cambridge City Cemetery, England.
Mention in Despatches (14 Jan 1944):
“For bravery in action and meritorious fulfilment of duty”.
Section Officer Joan Majorie Easton WAAF/RAF 2986. 24th July 1943 to 8th Sep 1943. Died Wednesday 8th September 1943, age 26, when a 75 Sqn Stirling (BK809) fully laden with bombs and fuel, swung on take-off for an attack on a long-range gun battery nr Boulogne and crashed between two houses off the end of the runway. S/O Easton was killed when the bomb load exploded as she went to the assistance of the aircraft crew and the occupants of the houses. Buried Greenwich (Charlton and Kidbrook) Cemetery. London, England.
Additionally, another member of the Squadron came to the aid of the crash victims. Unlike Peter and Joan, Terence survived the incident and was awarded the British Empire Medal for his bravery that night.
Cpl Terence Henry King BEM RAF 610334. ELECT 1, Electrical Sect. Citation BEM (24 Dec 1943) “In September 1943, an aircraft which was taking off with a load of bombs crashed into two houses on the edge of an airfield and burst into flames. Corporal King hurried to the scene and, although fully aware that high explosive bombs were likely to explode at any moment, he went to the cottages a few yards from the burning aircraft to warn the occupants of their imminent danger and render assistance. An injured man was found and while Corporal King, with the help of a civilian, was taking him to safety a bomb exploded. The bravery shown by Corporal King was instrumental in saving a life and many more lives might have been lost had it not been for his prompt action in helping to warn occupants of the nearby houses. “
Bomber Command War Diary
8 September 1943
Boulogne gun positions: 257 aircraft – 119 Wellingtons, 112 Stirlings, 16 Mosquitos, 10 Halifaxes. OTU aircraft formed part of this force and 5 B-17s also flew the first American night-bombing sorties of the war with Bomber Command. Nos 4 and No 5 Groups did not take part in the raid. The target was the site of a German long-range gun battery and the marking was mainly provided by Oboe Mosquitos, some of whom were experimenting with a new technique. But the raid was not successful; the marking and the bombing were not accurate and the battery does not appear to have been damaged. No aircraft lost.
Page 430, The Bomber Command War Diaries. 2011. Everitt Middlebrook. Midland publishing.
75(nz)squadron 