Stirling DJ977

[Skintman]

Hi All
anyone able to fill anymore detail in on this a/c or crew?

Asked on the Lancaster forum by Larry617 » Tue Jul 21, 2009 5:18 pm

Not really up my alley, but i've been asked if I can locate the casue of loss and crash site etc for Stirling DJ977

here's what I have to date...

From the Bomber Command Losses

Stirling DJ977 from 218 Sqn, RAF coded: HA-F

Crew: F/Sgt. S.A. Coggin +, Sgt. R.P.M. Parker +; Sgt. J.H. Stephenson + Sgt. P.H. Ward +; Sgt. T. McDonagh +; F/Sgt. H.A. Worthington +; F/Sgt. W.H. Goodrum +; F/Sgt. F.N. Hanish +

Take off 2316 from Marham, Lost without trace (normally means the a/c crashed into the sea). All crew have no know graves and therefore commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

From Bomber Command War Diaries

19/20 May 1942
Target: Mannheim
197 aircraft - 105 Wellingtons, 31 Striling's, 29 Halifax's. 15 Hampden's, 13 Lancaster's, 4 Manchester's. 11 aircraft lost - 4 Halifax's, 4 Stirlings, 3 Wellington's (5.58 %)

155 aircraft reported hitting Mannheim but most of the bombing photographs showed forest or open country. The Mannheim reports described the long delay before the attack developed, with aircraft at greater heights than in previous raids passing to and fro searching for the target. When the raid did begin, bombs approximately equivalent to no more than 10 aircraft loads fell in the city. A concentrated group of about 600 incendiaries in the harbour area on the Rhine burnt out 4 small industrial concerns - a blanket factory, a mineral-water factory, a chemical wholesalers and a timber merchants. Only light damage was caused elsewhere in the city. The only fatalities were 2 firemen

Dom

[M Simpson]

Good morning,
Although I have nothing to offer about the fate of DJ977,I do have some information that might be of interest.DJ977 was part of a very short serial range-DJ972 to DJ977,all MKIs,built by Short Bros (Rochester and Bedford) Ltd,and delivered between April and June 1942 as part of contract 763825/38.These six aircraft were replacements for N3645 and N3647-N3651 which were all destroyed on the production line at the factory at Rochester during a raid by KG3 on 15 August 1940.
It appears that DJ977 flew six sorties before it was lost,all with 218 Sqn.On the night in question,19/20 May 1942,it seems that the entire Stirling force was carrying an exclusively incendiary bomb load.
Hope this is of interest,
Regards,Mark.

[Bruno]

Hello,

I've contacted Steve Smith, the 218 Squadron Historian. I wait for his answer so I'll tell you if he has more infos.
Regards.

Bruno

[Skintman]

Hi All

thanks for that, will pass it on to the Lancaster/Bomber Command Forum where it was first asked

Dom

[smudgersmith218]

Hello,

I've contacted Steve Smith, the 218 Squadron Historian. I wait for his answer so I'll tell you if he has more infos.
Regards.

Bruno

Better late then never....


Almost two hundred aircraft took off for Mannheim on the evening of the 19th, 103 drawn from No.3 Group, 218 contribution was eight crews, Sergeant Johnson failed to take off. The attack was a failure, bombing was scattered with the majority of bombs exploding in a forest S.W of the target. Flight Sergeant Stanley Coggin and his eight man crew failed to return to Marham, nothing was heard from the crew DJ977 HA-F who were lost without trace over the North Sea. . Thirty-two year old Coggin was an experience pilot having cut his teeth as 2nd pilot to both Wing Commander Kirkpatrick and F/Lt Humphreys DFC. At the time of his loss he had completed eighteen operations, seven as captain.


Short Bros built DJ477 arrived on the squadron on April 22nd 1942, lasted nearly a month.

[Alan Ward]

Sgt.Peter Hallum Ward was my uncle. My father, Lt. T.L. Ward spent considerable effort trying to determine the last moments of DJ977. Peter wrote to my father on May 19 1942 and it appears that he may have posted the letter on his way to briefing on the night that he was lost. I still have the letter which describes a mine laying operation in the Baltic area and the aircraft returning on 3 engines. I would be glad to learn about others of the crew.

Alan Ward

[smudgersmith218]

Hi Alan,

Firstly welcome to the forum.

I would be very interested in learning more about this crash and the crew. I have some additional information which maybe of interest. I can be contacted on

stirling218ATyahooDOTcoDotUK remove the AT & dots !!

Regards

Steve

[Bruno]

Hello,

Here is the photo of Peter Hallum Ward that Alan sent me.
Regards.

Bruno

[DJ977]

My uncle Sgt John Henry (Harry) Stephenson RAF; was the flight engineer on DJ977. I have spent a lot of time researching Harry's time in the RAF, including a tour (cut short due to an accident) with 7 Sqn in 1941, instructing with 218 CF and then onto operations again with 218 Sqn in 1942 - all Stirlings.

I would welcome any contact with interested people - I have mailed Alan Ward direct.

Edward Stephenson.

[Alan Ward]

Thank you Edward. As you would understand the fate of Uncle Peter has been painful for the family as long as I can remember. My father made a lot of effort to find out what happened. Dad was a Dunkirk vet. and finished the war in Belgium so it was quite personal.

I have replied to the Web Master advising that I would welcome direct contact if you are willing and would share with you Uncle Peters last letter to my father dated 19th May 1942.

Best Regards

Alan