Operation: Duisburg
Date: 08/09th April 1943 (Thursday/Friday)
Unit: 460 Squadron (RAAF)
Type: Lancaster I
Serial: W4785
Code: UV-J
Base: RAF Breighton, Yorkshire
Location: Meiderich, Germany
Pilot: Sgt. John Howard Ball AUS/408949 RAAF Age 20. Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. William Corner Langley 1261372 RAFVR Age ? Killed
Nav: Sgt. Charles Edward James Frampton 658374 RAFVR Age 27. Killed
Air/Bmr: Sgt. Derek Milner Gray 1330750 RAFVR Age 21. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. David Gwynne Mordecai 1025415 RAFVR Age ? Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. George Granville Dobson 1090929 RAFVR Age 31. Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Arthur Anderson Garven AUS/403806 RAAF Age 26. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off from RAF Breighton in Yorkshire at 21:11 hrs joining some 391 aircraft to bomb Duisburg - thick cloud hampered the bombers with heavy icing ruined the Pathfinders' marking.
Only moderate damage was caused with 40 buildings destroyed , 72 seriously damaged resulting in 36 people in the city killed. Bombing struck on at least 15 other towns in the area.
Bomber Command lost some 8 aircraft during the operation with only one claim by the night fighters due to adverse weather - most, including W4785 fell victim to the fierce anti-aircraft fire.
The city was attacked again the following night with similar results.
Burial details:
The crew were initially buried at the Nordfriedhof in Düsseldorf on the 13th April - reinterred after war end at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.
Sgt. John Howard Ball. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Grave 9.C.18. Son of Cyril Howard Ball and Lily May Ball, of Canterbury, Victoria, Australia. Born 02nd November 1922 in Caulfield, Victoria, Australia.
Sgt. William Corner Langley. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Collective grave 9.C.7-8. Son of William Corner Langley and Mary Kate Langley, of Morden, Surrey, England.
Sgt. Charles Edward James Frampton. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Collective grave 9.C.7-8. Son of Charles Frederick and Edith Frampton, husband of Annie Rosetta Frampton, of Coulsdon, Surrey, England.
Sgt. Derek Milner Gray. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Collective grave 9.C.7-8. Son of Horace Ewart Gray and Elsie Gladys Gray, of Sanderstead, Surrey, England.
Sgt. David Gwynne Mordecai. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Collective grave 9.C.7-8. No further details - are you able to assist?
Sgt. George Granville Dobson. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Collective grave 9.C.7-8. Son of George and Sarah Ellen Dobson, of Halifax, Yorkshire, husband of Audrey Dobson, of King Cross, Halifax, Yorkshire, England.
Fl/Sgt. Arthur Anderson Garven. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Collective grave 9.C.7-8. Son of John Hill Garven and Emmaline Matilda Garven, husband of Dulcie Elizabeth Garven, of Coff's Harbour, New South Wales, Australia. Born 25th November 1916 at Maclean, NSW, Australia.
Researched for Reginald T. Bailey friend of Sgt. William Langley who contacted us in December 2015. Sources as quoted below.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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