Short Stirling & RAF Bomber Command Forum

Has anyone any information regarding the crew of the above plane. all but one was killed on 27/01/1943. they were in a replacement plane as P Peter was in for repair.
Survivor Bill Jackson went to live in Canada. is he still alive or where are his daughters now.

Sue,

I am the association historian for No.218 (Gold Coast) Squadron of which Short Stirling Mk.I N3721 HA-C S P & J operated.

How can I help you?

Regards

Steve

My uncle was one of the crew who died He was George Leslie Banks. His time in the RAF was always a mystery as my Grand Parents never accepted his death and would never talk about it.What year did he join. Apparently he was recommended for an award for service above and beyond but he died before we new the outcome. I have been out to his grave in Hanover once and am hoping to go again in the spring.

I forgot to mention something that might interest you there was a survivor of their crash who was captured his name is William(Bill) Jackson and he has written two books.
Three Stripes and Four Brownings about Him and the crew . Also one about his time as a Pow that is called the Lone Survivor. I am still trying to get a copy of that.
I also believe there is a commemorative plate showing Stirling Bomber P Peter N3721 which again I am trying to trace.

Hi Sue, found this image of Short Stirling HA - ? ( can't make out letter on image )
Sorry I couldn't be more specific.
John

Sue, there are copies of Bill Jackson's "Three Stripes and Four Brownings" on the Abe Books website http://www.abebooks.co.uk
The blurb reads:
JACKSON, Bill. Three Stripes and Four Brownings : A True Story of WWII by aLone Survivor. [Foreword by Squadron Leader Laurence E. Skan]. [N.pl.]: Turner-Warwick Publications, Inc., (1990). Pp. i-xiv,1-303,(1). Illustrated.8vo, blue cloth with black lettering to front and spine. "As a young gunner, 'Jacko' Jackson was a part of 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron stationed at RAFDownham Market, Norfolk, England during World War II. In a fascinating andaction-packed true account of his experiences, [this book] takes the readeralong with the crew of a mighty four-engined Stirling bomber on such operations as a low-level mission over Denmark, on a hair-raising daylight raidover Germany, hedge-hopping over England, literally flying home on a wing and a prayer, and finally on a fateful one-way trip behind enemy lines." - from the dust jacket. Jackson moved to Canada in 1952, serving twelve yearswith the RCAF, first in Clinton, Ontario, then in Greenwood, Nova Scotia, before settling in Alberta. Cocked, bookplate to ffep, else good in lightlynicked dust jacket. 30.00. Bookseller Inventory # 98971

It was published in 1990 by Turner Warwick publishers of North Battleford, Saskatchewan. I don't know if the company is still operating, but if I was in your position I'd write a letter to the publishers and ask them to pass on an enclosed letter to Bill Jackson. That's his I initially contacted Harry Holmes so I know it works with some companies. Worth a punt!
Max

Thank you for the Information supplied and for the photo very helpful

I have just been in contact Elinor email elinor1' AT' telus.net and she is trying to find information about the following person: Sgt R J Barnes no 873303.
he was killed 16th April 1943 in a Stirling Bomber with all but one of the crew who was taken POW.
He was in the RCAF but flying with a New Zealand in Sqd 75.
If anyone help contact Elinor. You can also find her on Bomber Command facebook.

Footnote - I have edited the email address on this post to ward off spammers.

Replace 'AT ' ........ with @
Cheers,
John
Moderator

Hi Sue,

To help your friend Elinor I have the following information.
BARNES, Sgt, Raymond James, RCAF. (R.87330), Navigator, 11 February to 16
April 1943. Crewed with K. F. Debenham. Died Friday 16 April 1943, age 26, during a raid on
Ludwigshafen, Germany. Buried Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.

His first op was;
26/27 February 43. Operations. Mining Off The Frisian Islands.
Stirling I BK604..AA.S........Up 18:30.....Down 22:20
F/S Debenham, K.............Captain.
F/S Barnes, R..................Nav.
Sgt Wainwright, D.............F/Eng.
Sgt Pearson, R. L..............W/Op.
Sgt Watts, D. M. T............ A/B.
Sgt Marlow, J. L............... M/U/Gnr.
Sgt Davis, J. J..................R/Gnr.

27 February 43. Mining Off The Frisian Islands.
3/4 March 43. Mining Off The Frisian Islands.
9/10 March 43. Mining In The Gironde Estuary.
11 March 43. Attacks Against Targets At Stuttgart.
12 March 43. Attacks Against Targets At Essen.
22/23 March 43. Attack Against Targets At St. Nazaire
27/28 March 43. Attacks Against Targets At Berlin.
29/30 March 43. Attack Against Targets At Berlin.
4/5 April 43. Attack Against Targets At Kiel.
14/15 April 43. Attack Against Targets At Stuttgart.

16/17 April 43. Operations. Attack Against Targets At Ludwigshaven.
Stirling Mk.I W7469...AA.T......Up 22:17......Missing.
F/S Debenham, K..................Captain.......NZ412211
F/S Barnes, R......................Nav...........R87330
Sgt Wainwright, D.................F/Eng........1193816....Prisoner Of war.
Sgt Pearson, R. L..................W/Op........1477414
Sgt Watts, D. M. T................ A/B..........1312572
Sgt Marlow, J. L....................M/U/Gnr....1353768
Sgt Davis, J. J......................R/Gnr........629241
Took off from Newmarket at 22:17 hours. Brought down over Germany close to midnight, crashing to the north
of the village of Katzenbach, 23 km NNW of Kaiserslautern. The flight engineer was the only survivor, becoming
a Prisioner of War. The rest of the crew were buried in Katzenbach, but later reinterred at Rheinberg War Cemetery.
It is possible the crew were shot down by Hptm. Heinrich Wohlers of Stab IV./NJG4 at 01:15 near Kranich, west of Katzenbach.

Hope this will help.
Cheers,
Wayne.

This is N3721 HA-P in flight.