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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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102 Squadron crest
12/13.03.1943 102 Squadron Halifax II JB836 DY-T Fg.Off. Anthony D.A. Barnes

Operation: Essen

Date: 12/13th March 1943 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit: 102 Squadron

Type: Halifax II

Serial: JB836

Code: DY:T

Base: RAF Pocklington, Yorkshire

Location: North Sea, 20 km SW of Den Helder, Netherlands

Pilot: Fg.Off. Anthony Drew Ashby Barnes 109004 RAFVR Age 27. Missing

Flt.Eng: Sgt. James Stephen Lowdell 1290929 RAFVR Age 23. Missing

Nav: Sgt. Arthur Leonard Thurlow 1286488 RAFVR Age 31. Missing

Air Bmr: Sgt. Gerald Cecil Felsenstein 1396129 RAFVR Age 21. Missing

WOp/Air Gnr: Fg.Off. Edwin Harold Beeton 126624 RAFVR Age 32. Missing

Air Gnr: Sgt. Victor Norman Elkins 1330229 RAFVR Age 20. Missing

Air Gnr: Sgt. William Patrick Quinlivan 1267977 RAFVR Age 24. Missing

REASON FOR LOSS:

Take off at 1923 hours from Pocklington. Lost without a trace. All of the crew are commemorated on the Runnymede memorial.

Lt. Oskar Köstler (1), Kommandoführer of a detachment based at Bergen/Holland airfield and his Bordfunker (Radio/Radar operator) Uffz. Damann, who operated in Himmelbett box Hering (based at Den Helder), claimed JB836 as his 4th abshuss and 3rd of that night. His Bf110 intercepted JB836 at 2227 hours (local) 20 km SW of Den Helier at 2500 m. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1943 Part 1- Theo Boiten).

Sgt. Quinlivan, on the right Sgt. Quinlivan with his mother and his Aunt Lydia Edith Parker - nee Corne (courtesy Chris Sitton and Terrence Quinlivan)

Commando training at Driffield, Sgt. Quinlivan - 3rd row, 2nd from the left (courtesy Max Weil)

Lt. Oskar Köstler (Courtesy Erich Kloss, via Rob de Visser)

(1) Lt. Köstler’s other two claims on this night were: 115 Sqn Wellington BJ756 at 2135 hours (local) and 425 Sqn Wellington BK340 at 2158 hours (Local) (Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1943 Part 1- Theo Boiten).

Lt. Köstler was later killed on the 9/10th April 1943 at Elburg in a tremendous explosion of 101 Sqn Lancaster ED618 SR-X flown by Flt.Sgt John David Steele RCAF killed with all 6 other crew members. (Coll. Heinz Huhn, via Wim Govaerts)

Burial details:

Fg.Off. Anthony Drew Ashby Barnes. Runnymede Memorial Panel 123. Further details: Son of Frank Stanley and Margaret Ada Barnes of Surbiton, Surrey and husband of Violet M Barnes of Surbiton, Surrey.

Sgt. James Stephen Lowdell. Runnymede Memorial Panel 157. Born in 1921. Son of James and Lillian (née Wiggins) Lowdell. One of 7 children, his brother serving as a dispatch rider, another, William, served as a radar operator in the Royal Navy.

Sgt. Arthur Leonard Thurlow. Runnymede Memorial Panel 167. Born 14 December 1911 at West Ham, Essex the son of Leonard Arthur Thurlow (a Civil Servant) and Ida May Thurlow nee Osborne. At the time of enlistment Arthur Leonard Thurlow was a Bank Clerk. (Details courtesy Dave Champion)

Sgt. Gerald Cecil Felsenstein. Runnymede Memorial Panel 149. Further details: Son of Arthur and Ada Mathilda”Tilly” (nee Latter) Felsenstein of Golders Green, Middlesex. His twin brother Flt.Sgt. Basil Saul (navigator/air bomber) also lost his life on 15th January 1945 whilst serving with 82 Squadron age 22 and is buried in Gauhati war Cemetery, India. The family originated from Fuerth in Germany.

Fg.Off. Edwin Harold Beeton. Runnymede Memorial Panel 123. Born 17 October 1910 the son of housepainter James Frederick Beeton and Fanny Elizabeth Beeton nee Spencer. He married Olive Soan Riches at Pancras in the September 1935 quarter, the union leading to a son Ian, born at Witney in the December 1940 quarter. (Details courtesy Dave Champion)

Sgt. Victor Norman Elkins. Runnymede Memorial Panel 148. Further details: Son of Frank Henry and Dulcie May (née Colbear) of Chelmsford, Essex and brother to George born in 1920, sister Phyllis born 1922 and David born in 1927.

Sgt. William Patrick Quinlivan. Runnymede Memorial Panel 162. Further details: Son of Patrick Michael and Victoria Mary Anne Quinlivan of Clerkenwell.

William was unmarried and known as William Patrick “Young Pat” Quinlivan, so named because his father and grandfather were both named Patrick and it was considered unlucky to name the third generation after their immediate forebears. He was a keen cyclist following several specialist cycling activities including sprint and cycle polo. He spent much of his disposable income on hand made cycles from the celebrated manaufacturer, Hobbs of the Barbican. Following an accident where a car door was opened in front of his bike, this pastime was largely curtailed. He worked as a chauffeur to a city gentleman.

His brother Flt.Sgt. John Henry Quinlivan RAFVR lost his life on 21/22nd of December 1944 whilst serving with 630 Squadron. Flying in Lancaster I NG258 piloted by Fg.Off. Arnold Stockill - crashed in fog, 6 of the crew were killed with the tail gunner surviving. His younger brother Terrence also served in the RAF.

Researched by Aircrew Remembered, researcher and specialist genealogist Linda Ibrom for relatives of this crew. With thanks for info on Sgt. Quinlivan to Chris Sitton and Terrence Quinlivan, also to John Lowdell for further information on Sgt. James Lowdell. Many thanks also to Max Weil of the Felsenstein website. Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vol's. 1 and 2', Lt. Oskar Köstler photo courtesy Erich Kloss, via Rob de Visser.

RS 06.11.2019 - Editorial updates

RW 05.10.2020 NoK details added for Sgt. Thurlow and F/O. Beeton courtesy Dave Champion.

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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