Many thanks to Kevin for passing on Alf’s logbook. As somewhat of a unique feature to his book, there appears to be no titling on the top of the pages regarding his time with 75(NZ) Squadron – I think, so far the only logbook presented on the blog not to have this. Because of this, I decided to show the last page with the central depository stamp on it – again, something I haven’t seen in a logbook to date.
Read Alf’s logbook here
The Rowberry crew; Geoff Rowberry 2nd from right, Ernie Schober 3rd from left.
Also within the picture, Graham Hadfield, Brian Simmett, Sid Bishop, Arthur Horner & Ray Davies.
image courtesy of Kevin King.
The third post in this triptych, the final players in this story being the Rowberry crew.
Geoffrey Rowberry and his crew arrived from 1651 Conversion Unit on January 3rd 1944. A little like the Mayfield crew arriving with the Roberts crew from 1651, Geoff and the boys arrived along with Harold Bruhn and his crew, who were to be lost just 6 weeks later on the 24th February on a Gardening Op to Kiel Bay.
6.1.44. Gardening – Mining in the Gironde Estuary
Stirling Mk.III EF137
Geoffrey Rowberry 2nd Pilot with Frank Turner’s crew.
14.1.44. War Ops – Attack Against a Special Target.
Stirling Mk.III EF252
Geoffrey Rowberry 2nd Pilot with Des Horgan’s crew
21.1.44. War Ops – Attack Against a Special Target.
Stirling Mk.III AK378
F/S Geoffrey Rowberry – Pilot.
F/S Graham Stanley Hadfield – Navigator.
Sgt. Brian Simmett – Air Bomber.
Sgt. Sidney Thomas Bishop – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Arthur William Horner – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Raymond David Davies – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Ernest Schober – Rear Gunner.
25.1.44. War Ops – Attack Against a Special Target.
Stirling Mk.III EF137
Same crew
27.1.44. Gardening – Mining in the Heligoland Area.
Stirling Mk.III LJ462
Same crew
30.1.44. Gardening – Mining in the Gironde Estuary.
Stirling Mk.III EF513
Same crew
24.2.44. Gardening – Mining in Kiel Bay.
Stirling Mk.III BK695
Same crew
25.2.44. Gardening – Mining in Baltic Sea.
Stirling Mk.III BK695
Same crew
3.3.44. Gardening – Mining off Cherbourg
Stirling Mk.III BK695
Ernie Schober replaced by W/O C. Skripsey
4/5.3.44. Special Operations – Operation TRAINER 174, (Aborted owing to heavy cloud in target area).
C. Skripsey R/Gnr again.
7/8.3.44. Special Operations – Operation WHEELWRIGHT 71
C. Skripsey R/Gnr again.
10/11.3.44. Special Operations – Operation MONGREL.
Ray Davies moves to R/Gnr position and Sgt. William Campbell arrives as MU/Gnr.
13.3.44. Gardening – Mining off St. Nazaire.
Stirling Mk.III LJ462. MISSING.
F/S Geoffrey Warren Rowberry RNZAF NZ414567. Pilot.
Commemorated on Panel 263 Runnymede Memorial.
F/S Graham Stanley Hadfield RNZAF NZ426239. Navigator.
Commemorated on Panel 264 Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt. Brian Simmett RAFVR 1392577. Air Bomber.
Commemorated on Panel 237 Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt. Sidney Thomas Bishop RAFVR 1322249. Wireless Operator.
Commemorated on Panel 225, Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt. Arthur William Horner RAFVR 1641609. Flight Engineer.
Commemorated on Panel 231 Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt. Raymond David Davies RAFVR 1317623. Mid Upper Gunner.
Commemorated on Panel 228 Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt. Alfred Newnham RAFVR 1172993. Rear Gunner.
Commemorated on Panel 235 Runnymede Memorial.
Alf Newnham, Rear Gunner with the Burke crew and Rowberry crew. Lost 13th March 1944 whilst on the St.Nazaire Op.
© Kevin King
After the last post about the Burke crew and Margaret’s planned trip to Belgium at the end of this month, it seemed apprporiate to disentangle the individuals in the story – partly to not complicate the post on Margaret’s visit, but also to remember the individuals in the story.
Perhaps by way of fate, Alf Newnham was the Uncle of the Friends of 75(NZ) Squadron Association Chairman, Kevin King.
Kevin has generously passed on this information about Alf.
Alf arrived with the rest of the Burke crew on the 9th November 1943 from 1651 Conversion Unit. The crew had completed 13 Ops, when 2 days after returning from a special Operations Op with W/C Roy Max as Pilot, Alf was sitting on his bed when Alfred Venn, Rear Gunner with Jim Climie’s crew came in and informed him the Rowberry crew were down and a Rear Gunner. F/S Venn, ironically, had volunteered himself, only to then discover his crew had been put on Battle Orders. Saying there was now a ‘trip’ going spare, Alf should get himself down to the Flight Office, fatefully, he did…………
Kevin has spent many hours trying to ascertain the exact circumstances and location of Alfred’s and the rest of the Rowberry crew’s loss. In 1984, he received a letter from John Hannah, Navigator with Des Horgan’s crew, who were also on the St. Nazaire Op.
A letter from John Hannah, Navigator with the Horgan crew, detailing the events of the night of 13th March 1944 and the loss of the Rowberry crew. When Kevin met Des Horgan, 12 years later, he confirmed the story.
© Kevin King
75(nz)squadron 