Canadian Aircrew Crew Losses - WW2 Files

Bob Wilton
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Re: Canadian Aircrew Crew Losses - WW2 Files

Post by Bob Wilton »

Short Stirling & RAF Bomber Command Forum


Lancaster I LM117 LE-J. 630 Squadron. RAF East Kirkby. Operation Revigny France 18/19 July 1944

The crew of this aircraft took off at 2245 hours on the night of Tuesday 18th July 1944, to bomb
came under ant aircraft fire whit and damaged the Lancaster,causing it to be abandoned. All the
seven man crew managed to bale out safely but,when Flight Sergeant Beckhouse landed just outside
the French village of Togny-Aux-Boeufe he was captured by the German military,and according to the
Mayor had been murdered after capture by a single shot to the head. The Germans brought his body
to the Mayor,and presented him with a Mae West bearing the name of F/S Beckhouse.The Mayor made
arrangements for his body to be buried in the village church cemetery.

As for the fate of the other members ofthis crew is as follows: Three managed to evade capture,and
three were captured and became prisoners of war.

Captured German records record Lancaster LM117 as being shot down at 0130 hours on Wednesday the
19th July.

The family of Flight Sergeant Beckhouse RAAF were notified on how he was killed by the Germans.

The Crew:

F/O B.W.Brittain RAAF Evaded
Sgt R.F.Gannon RAFVR POW
F/S S.R.Ashton RAFVR POW
F/S E.Couchman RAFVR Evaded
F/S G.E.Beckhouse RAAF +
Sgt D.A.Grant RCAF Evaded
F/S E.H.Wells RAFVR POW

Flight Sergeant 424354 Gordon Edwin Beckhouse was an Australian. He was the son of Robert Cooper Beckhouse
and Isobel Elizabeth Beckhouse, of Sydney,New South Wales,Australia. He was 20 years old.

" We Will 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: Canadian 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: Canadian 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: Canadian 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.
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