H Bell 75 Sqn RAF

[Davenport7]

All,

I am trying to locate the above airman (H Bell) Believe he could have been from New Zealand, who was with 75 sqn in ww2. His bomber was Z1168 lost on 26/10/41 and became a POW. He was in POW camp with my grandfather who was also in the RAF but with 7 sqn.

Now there is a good chance he has past on but would love to get in contact with any potential family members.

During my time trawling throught the internet I managed to locate someone who had pow pictures and his pow wartime log in New Zealand! He said to me he bought it but sold it on, he said he is emailing the person he sold it to to check they still have it.

Any information will help.

Regards

Ian

[ME453]

You could try contacting Errol Martyn on the RAF Commands forum, he knows more about NZ airmen than anybody else.
Max

[wayne]

Hi Ian,

I agree with Max, Errol Martyn is the man to contact.

Just to add something, this is all I have on Sgt Bell (no first name, sorry)

BELL, Sgt H, RAF. (1159189), Air Gunner, with the squadron from September to 26 October 1941. crewed with S. J. G. Isherwood
as R/Gnr. Shot down night of 26 Oct 1941 during a raid on Hamburg. PoW #24461.
PoW camps – Dulag Luft, Stalags, VIIIB, Luft III, Luft VI/357. Safe UK NK.
Promoted to W/O while a PoW.

Cheers,
Wayne.

[Davenport7]

Hello all,

I have posted on RAF commands now so fingers crossed Errol Martyn will reply!

Regards

Ian

[wayne]

Hi Ian,

Just to add a little more about Sgt Bell, he and the crew were shot down on their 9th operation.

He was rear gunner with Sgt Isherwood and crew, and on the return from Frankfurt 29/30 September 1941 had to bale out of Wellington R1177
and the aircraft crashed at Birds Green Farm, Silbe Hedingham, 3 miles north west of Halstead, Essex at around 03:20 hours.

26/27 October 1941. Took off from Feltwell and suffered catastrophic damage from heavy A.A. fire over Hamburg and all but one of the crew successfully baled out
and were subsequently taken prisoners of war. The wireless operator, Sgt B. W. Shellnutt went down with the aircraft and was killed.
He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Wellington IC Z1168 (AA.H)
Sgt Isherwood, S. J. G. Captain. 776066
Sgt Pyman, Desmond Joseph 2nd Pilot. NZ403473
P/O Sangster, Edward Miller Nav. J5079
Sgt Shelnutt, Barney Walker WO/Air. R67559
Sgt Stanley, Harold Arthur Dagwell F/Gnr. R69657
Sgt Bell, H. R/Gnr. 1159189

As you can see, there were three Canadians in the crew. That might be another avenue to explore for information regarding Sgt Bell.
Also, having successfully baled out of an aircraft, he must be a member of the Caterpillar club ?

Good luck,
Wayne.

[preceptor]

Wayne

Thanks so much for your posting concerning the Bell crew. I have been doing some research for my wife. Sgt. Shelnutt was her uncle. We were not aware of the details of the loss of the aircraft and the disposition of the rest of the crew. Sgt. Barney Walker Shelnutt was the lost airman of the crew. He was also an American who joined Canadian service prior to the US entry into WW2. He was from Statesboro, Georgia and was probably among the first Americans lost in the war. We continue to be close to his three living sisters and on a previous trip to England was able to bring them photos of his name on the lost airmen monument at Runymede. I will forward your information to Sgt. Shelnutt's sisters. Sgt. Shelnutt was an only son with 6 sisters.

Thanks again.

ps: what is the source of the information you provided? Also are any of the crew still alive? Are there any war time pictures of the crew?

Art
Savannah, Georgia USA

[wayne]

Hello Art,

The details of the operation from the Squadron Operational Record Books are as follows;

26/27 October 1941. Attack Against Targets At Hamburg And Cherbourg.
Five Wellington aircraft from this Unit were detailed to carry out the above attacks. One of these aircraft, Z1168, captained by Sgt Isherwood, failed to return to base. A mixed bomb load was carried, consisting of 1,000 lbs, 500 lbs, 250 lbs, and containers of incendiaries. Bombs were dropped on target, but owing to intense cloud, bursts were not observed. One large fire was started which was visibile for 35 miles. An enemy aerodrome was in use to the North of the target, and a large fire was observed burning N.E. of Auster Altern. There was a heavy flak of A.A. fire over the target and from the direction of Cuxhaven and Bremerhaven. One enemy aircraft observed landing on aerodrome bombed. Approximately 150 searchlights were coned over the target area. Cloud was 10/10th over sea, but very good visibility in breaks over target. Searchlights were observed to be operating in conjunction with night fighter aircraft over the target.

The detail concerning the fate of the crew came from the book "For Your Tomorrow" by Errol Martyn.

I'll check through my files regarding photo's of the crew, but I don't have too many.

Regards,
Wayne.

[preceptor]

Thanks Wayne,

I appreciate your response. I noticed in my research that Sgt. Harold Stanley was also an American although naturalized citizen brought to the US as a child from Canada. Apparently living in Florida prior to enlistment. Anyway interesting...the members of 75 Squad were from many different countries and background.

Best Wishes

Art

[Evelyn.Stanley]

Hello,

My name is Evelyn Stanley and I am Sgt. Harold Stanley's granddaughter. I was very happy to come across your chat while doing my own internet research on my granddad's war years.

I can confirm that my grandad was born in Canada and lived in Florida as a US citizen prior to his enlistment. He returned to Florida and resumed his citizenship following 3.5 years as a POW. He lived in Florida until his death on 01 January, 2004. He is survived by his wife, one son, two daughters, and several grandchildren.

In two of his first letters home as a POW, my granddad mentions Sgt. Barney Shelnutt's death. On 08 November, 1941 he wrote "Poor Barney is gone - the rest of us are ok." A day later, in a separate letter, he wrote "Poor Barney, who did not survive our experience, is our chief regret - we shall miss him." I would be happy to share scans of his letters with you.

I would appreciate any further information or photos that you may have of my granddad's war years. I am specifically interested in his time as a POW. I do have some of the names of the camps where he imprisoned, but I have not yet been able to put them in the right sequence.

Kind regards,
Evelyn

[wayne]

Hello Evelyn, and welcome to the forum.

I will go back and check my information to make sure I haven't missed anything.
It's sad to read the feeling of loss your grandfather felt for Barney Shelnutt, it's something we sometimes overlook when researching crews.

If you could help with the first names of some of the crew, that would be a big help to me.
Do you know the first names of Sgt H. Bell and the Captain, Sgt S. J. G. Isherwood.

I'll go now and look through my files and see what I can find.
Regards,
Wayne.