British Aircrew Crew Losses - WW2 Files

Bob Wilton
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Posts: 404
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2010 10:39 pm

Re: British Aircrew Crew Losses - WW2 Files

Post by Bob Wilton »

Short Stirling & RAF Bomber Command Forum

Lancaster III PB471 AR-F2. 576 Squadron. Operation Dortmund 20/21 February,1945

After briefing the crew of this Lancaster took off at 2137 hours from RAF Binbrook.

Lancaster III PB471 AR-F2 had just bombed the target at Dortmund and twenty minutes later it was on its return trip home
when suddenly the rear gunner shouted over the R/T "Corkscrew",but it was too late because an unidentified fighter had
attacked from underneath and hit the Lancaster with an accurate burst of cannon fire.The fighter came in to attack again
but this time the two gunners were ready for it and opened fire but failed to hit the fighter. The second attack hit the
starboard petrol tank and set it ablaze and smoke was now pouring into the fuselage.The pilot had a struggle to keep his
aircraft straight,then an explosion ripped through the aircraft and PB471 turned over on her back and the portside wing
broke away and PB471 went into an immediate spin and started to spiral down to earth. The Flight Engineer was last seen
crawling on his hands and knees along the fuselage, and the pilot believed that he was trying to get his parachute. The Pilot
Flight Lieutenant Jenkins had been saved by the bullet proof shield behind his seat. Now his aircraft was spiralling down to
earth and he sat waiting for the final crash. Then the aircraft started to vibrate and break up as he waited for the end.Then he
noticed a large hole appear in the cockpit fuselage and he thought that he would make a desperate attempt to save himself
from a certain death.He kicked at the hole and made it large enough to get out of. Through the hole he could see a church spire
in a village far below.Then he went out through the hole and pulled his parachute rip chord and to his amazement it opened
and he was drifting down to earth. The chute drifted and carried him about two miles and he came down in the graveyard of the
church he had seen,and landed amongst the tombstones' and quickly hid his parachute. He believed he was in Belgium, and as
it was still dark sought shelter in the church. When he tried to open the door it was locked.He had disturbed an old woman in a
nearby cottage and she had opened her bedroom window,so he shouted up to her "Anglais" at which she shut the window with
such a force that all the glass broke. He thentook off down a narrow road and came across an electric sub station and posted on
the doors were posters in German,and he then realised he was in Germany. He continued down the road and came across some
British Army trucks with large white crosses painted on them. So to get attention he blasted on the horn of one of them,and from
a side street two soldiers came up to him and he was safe from being captured.
As for the rest of his crew,they were all killed when the aircraft had crashed one mile east of Zeelem at 0200 hours 21st February,
1945.

The crew:

F/L A.E.Jenkins RAAF Safe
P/O F.S.Stone RAFVR +
F/O S.C.Swift RAAF +
F/O H.T.Campbell RAAF +
F/O B.M.Clegg RAAF +
F/S B. Braddock RAAF +
SGT A. Graham RAFVR +

"We Shall Remember Them"
Dicam ex animo. Sed nostri evocatis, ut debemus eis libertatem.
Bob Wilton
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Posts: 404
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2010 10:39 pm

Re: British Aircrew Crew Losses - WW2 Files

Post by Bob Wilton »

Short Stirling & RAF Bomber Command Forum

Lancaster I DV369 EM-D.RAF 207 Squadron. Operation Braunchweig 14/15 January,1944

This Lancaster took off from its base at RAF Spilsbury Lincolnshire at 1632 hours,on the afternoon of Friday 14th
January,1944. Over Germany this aircraft was seen approaching the village of Lamspringe.And it was local belief
that it had been attacked by night fighters.As it flew low over the village it had exploded over some trees,and had
crashed in a wood two kilometres east of the village. During dalight hours on the Saturday morning a Liftwaffe
salvage unit arrived from Hildesheim to search through the wreckage,and they only found the body of one crew member,
which was that of The pilot Pilot Officer D.C.Balfour RAAF.According to a Herr Harborth who was employed at the local
Burgermeisters office,nocrew members of the aircraft had baled out in the vicinity of the village.Herr Lange the local
grave digger was responsible for the burial of Pilot Officer Balfour who was buried in the village cemetery.

Sergeant J.F.Potter 1213197 RAF the mid upper gunner gave the following statement as a prisoner of war,Stalag Luft 4 B.
POW No:270073.

"I was the last person to leave the aircraft by the front exit and then P/O Balfour was preparing to leave the aircraft.Seeing
myself coming along he returned to his seat.I last saw him at his controls.He appeared to be alright then but, I could not be
positive.Later was told by German interrogating officer that Balfour was found dead by crashed aircraft.Other crew here
cannot offer any more information"

The crew:-
P/O D.C.Balfour RAAF +
SGT E.Colwill RAFVR POW
SGT E.E.L.Richardson RAFVR POW
SGT H.Taylor RAFVR POW
SGT E.V.Yeo RAFVR POW
F/S L.C.Smart RCAF POW
SGT J.F.Potter RAFVR POW
SGT J.H.Fraser RCAF POW

"We Shall Remember Him"
Dicam ex animo. Sed nostri evocatis, ut debemus eis libertatem.
Bob Wilton
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Posts: 404
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2010 10:39 pm

Re: British Aircrew Crew Losses - WW2 Files

Post by Bob Wilton »

Short Stirling & RAF Bomber Command Forum

Halifax III MZ370 Z5-L 462 Squadron Operation BS, 8/9th March 1945 Dortmund

The crew of this aircraft took off from their Foulsham base at 1801 hours on Thursday 8th March. After leaving the target area
the aircraft had a direct hit by flak which hit the starboard outer engine causing it to be feathered but,an attempt to feather
the starboard inner proved unsuccessful. The aircraft then started to lose height and dropped from 15,00 to11,000 feet.
The aileron was unserviceable, and the pilot gave then gave his crew the order to bale out and held his aircraft steady to give his
crew a better chance of baling out. When he was sure that they had got out,he himself got out through the cockpit,and in doing
so he was knocked unconscious, and only regained consciousness just before he landed. He, and some other members of his crew
were captured and taken to Blankenstein Police Station, where they all remained for five days locked up in a cell,they were,
Flight-Sergeant Ledwith,Flight Sergeant Hutton,and Flight Sergeant Teede. Flight Lieutenant James had suffered a head when he
had baled out. All the above were then transferred to a Luftwaffe Station near Dortmund, whey they remained for a further three
days.Then they were transferred to Dulag Luft at Wetlar,arriving there on Wednesday 21st of March.Then another move took place,
and this time they were taken to Nuremberg but,due to his head injury Flight Lieutenant James was considered not fit to travel
and remained behind at the Dulag Luft

The crew: All Prisoners of War

F/L. F.H.James RAAF
SGT. S.G.Rother
W/O. T.H.McFarlane RAAF
F/S. N.E.Teede RAAF
W/O. J.D. Fraser RAAF
F/S. R.W.C.Hutton RAAF
F/S. T.P.Ledwith RAAF
W/O. H.W.Calman RAAF
Dicam ex animo. Sed nostri evocatis, ut debemus eis libertatem.
Bob Wilton
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Posts: 404
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2010 10:39 pm

Re: British Aircrew Crew Losses - WW2 Files

Post by Bob Wilton »

Short Stirling & RAF Bomber Command Forum

*Lancaster HK548 KO-. RAF 115 Squadron, RAF Witchford,Operation Massy Palaiseau,France 07/08 June 1944

The crew of this aircraft took of a 0023 hours on the morning of Thursday 8th June to bomb a target at Massy Palaiseau.
whilst over France and on the run in to the target the crew came under attack by two night fighters.The fighters shot
up the port inner engine which caused a fire, which was quickly extinguished.The starboard inner engine had also been
hit during the attack,and the fire spread across the starboard wing and could not be extinguished. The order was given
to abandon aircraft.Flight Sergeant Nurse bailed out at about 6000 feet,and after landing safely was unable to contact
any other member of his crew,except his pilot, Pilot Officer Law, who informed him that Sergeant Parkinson, Flight-
Sergeant Washbourne and Sergeant Russel had all baled out.

Later on the ground Sgt Parkinson had met up with F/S Washbourne about ten minutes after landing,and both airmen had
spent the night together in a house at Chatenay,which was about six miles from Paris.Flight Sergeant Washbourne was
suffering from a sprained ankle and was unable to move immediately. However,he left the next day with a young
18 year old Frenchman who was to be his guide and was under the instructions of the French Resistance. Sgt Parkinson was
later advised that F/S Washbourne and his young French guide had been picked up and arrested by a German soldier in
Paris,and that F/S Parkinson hads been wearing civilian clothes when captured. It appears F/S Parkinson had been shot at
some time after being arrested. The British War office made an official enquiry to the German Government as to ascertaining
the circumstances regarding Flight Sergeant Washbournes death whilst in custody but, the Germans did not reply.

There are no prisoner of war details for the six members of this crew who survived,so it can be only assumed that they made
it safely to the allied lines.

The Crew:

P/O E.A.Law RAAF Safe
Sgt A.Russell RAFVR (F/E) Safe
Sgt. J.W.Parkinson RAFVR ( Nav) Safe
F/S J.R.Nurse (WOP) RAFVR Safe
F/S G.Washbourne RAAF ( B/A) +
Sgt H.Murphy RAFVR ( MUG) Safe
Sgt P.Murphy RAFVR ( A /G) Safe

'We Will Rember Him'
Dicam ex animo. Sed nostri evocatis, ut debemus eis libertatem.
Bob Wilton
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Posts: 404
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2010 10:39 pm

Re: British Aircrew Crew Losses - WW2 Files

Post by Bob Wilton »

SHORT STIRLING AND RAF BOMBER COMMAND FORUM

Halifax III MZ948 ZA-E RAF 10 Squadron
Operation Chemnitz 05/06 March 1945

The crew of this aircraft took off from RAF Melbourne at 1708 hours in the early evening of
5th March,1945. Their aircraft was hit by enemy action,and only three members of the crew
managed to bale out, the other five members of this crew perished in the crash. The Halifax
came down near the German town of Harreshausen which is situated about 1.5 miles from
Babenhausen.Map reference L50/ M8855.

The three crew members who managed to bale out were Flight Lieutenant Moss, and Flight
Sergeants Fowler and Hodgson,all of whom were captured very soon after landing,and spent
A short time as prisoners of war until they were liberated by the allies.

After the wars end a RAF MREU went to the village of Babenhausen and interviewed the
Burgermeister who stated that Halifax MZ948 had crashed near the town at approximately
1245 hours in the early morning of 6th March 1945.He confirmed that three members of the
crew had baled out, and that five crew members bodies had been recovered from the crash
site.

The crew:

F/L F.D. Moss POW
SGT H.W.Tasker +
F/S R.E. Davenport +
WO2 L.W. Webster RCAF +
F/S R.C. Fowler POW
SGT L.L. Hall RAAF +
F/S F. Fearnley +
F/S S. Hodgson POW

We Shall Remember Them
Dicam ex animo. Sed nostri evocatis, ut debemus eis libertatem.
Bob Wilton
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Posts: 404
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2010 10:39 pm

Re: British Aircrew Crew Losses - WW2 Files

Post by Bob Wilton »

Short Stirling & RAF Bomber Command Forum


Lancaster I R5493 KM-M RAF 44 Squadron
Operation Gardening 24/25th March 1942

The crew of this Lancaster took off from RAF Conningsby at 1950 hours from
RAF Waddington. A Frenchman, Pierre Penhoet,who was attached to the
Royal Navy M.T.B. Flotilla,observed R5493 being hit by flax,and then explode
in mid air,and crashing into the sea in the vicinity of the north east coast of
the Isle de Groix.

A young French boy in a canoe found the wallet beloning to Sergeant Clifford,
which he found in a part uniform pocket.In the wallet he found snapshots,and
a RAF Form 1250.

Pierre Penhoet who was on leave in Brittany at the time was given the wallet
and its contents,which he handed over to his Royal Royal Navy Officer when
he returned to duty.Who then forwarded them to Air Ministry.

The remains of Sergeant Clifford were buried on the Island,and some kind
villagers placed flowers on his grave,and for their humanity were given six
months imprisonment by the Germans.

As for the opther seven members of this crew,their bodies were never found.
found.

After the war the grave of Sergeant Clifford could not be located and he and
his fellow crew members are all remembered with honour on The Air Forces
Memorial Runnymede.


The crew:

Flight Sergeant L. Warren-Smith RAFVR +
Sergeant R.A.Marston RAFVR +
Sergeant A.F.Murdock RAFVR +
Sergeant C.E.W. Clfford RAAF +
Sergeant J.Boyd RAFVR +
Sergeant E.B.Cluff RAFVR +
Sergeant W.H.Flower RAFVR +
Flight Sergeant J.McN. Davidson RAFVR +


We Shall Remember Them
Dicam ex animo. Sed nostri evocatis, ut debemus eis libertatem.
Bob Wilton
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Posts: 404
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2010 10:39 pm

Re: British Aircrew Crew Losses - WW2 Files

Post by Bob Wilton »

SHORT STIRLING AND RAF BOMBER COMMAND FORUM


Wellington IV Z1254 UV-L RAAF 460 Squadron RAF Breighton
Operation Stuttgart Germany 16/17th May 1942

On the night of Wednesday 6th May 1942, the crew of Wellington Z1254 took off at 2131 hours from RAF Breighton on a bombing operation to the German city of Stuttgart.

On arriving over the target area the aircraft was caught in a beam of a searchlight ,and soon afterwards was hit by anti aircraft fire. The front gunner reported that flames were quickly spreading forward on the port side. In no time the aircraft was engulfed in flames, and the order was given to abandon. The second pilot made his way forward to assist the front gunner in getting out. At this time Warrant Officer Lake was donning his parachute preparing to bale out. Because of the flames, his only option was to bale out of the turret. He left the burning aircraft at approximately 11,000 feet,and as he did so the Wellington flew on straight and level and then exploded,and gave the rest of his crew chance to bale out.He landed safely in a small field near a village at approximately 0130 hours. For a short while he managed to evade capture but,at first light he was captured by local police. He then was held captive at Stalag Luft 6 at Heydekrug. Prisoner of war number 66.

The Crew:

S/L C.L.Gilbert RAAF +
Sgt R.H.Murphy RAAF +
Sgt J.R.Shearer RAAF +
Sgt C.N.Dixon RAFVR +
Sgt K.A.Fogg RCAF +
Sgt J.G.Lake RAAF POW

We Shall Remember Them
Dicam ex animo. Sed nostri evocatis, ut debemus eis libertatem.
Locked