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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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207 squadron badge
207 Squadron Lancaster I R5628 EM-Q Fl/Sgt Einarson

Operation: Gardening

Date: 09/10th September 1942 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit: No. 207 Squadron

Type: Lancaster I 

Serial: R5628

Code: EM-Q

Base: RAF Bottesford, Lincolnshire.

Location: North Sea 10 K.M. South West Thyboron, Denmark

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Harold Bjorn Einarson R/87296 RCAF Age 19. Missing (1)

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Francis Raymond Carter 1166938 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Obs: Sgt. Alistair Mackenzie Cockie 656606 RAFVR Age 24. Killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. George Herbert Arthur Birch 1388177 RAFVR Age 21. Missing

W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. Donald Wingrove Ross J/9288 RCAF Age 19. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Arthur Frederick Charles Kensett 1358378 RAFVR Age 27. Missing

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Norman Frederick Smethurst 656871 RAF Age 20. Missing

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Bottesford, Lincolnshire on a 'Gardening' Operation in the 'Silverthorn' area. 34 aircraft were sent on various mining operations this night.

Above left: Sgt. Alistair Mackenzie Cockie (courtesy Pete Jeaner via Michel Beckers) Right: Fl/Sgt. Harold Bjorn Einarson

They were attacked in the early hours of the morning by night fighters, with R5628 being shot down by Uffz. Fritz Hobusch (2) of 7./NJG2 at 04.09 hrs. During the attack the Lancaster returned fire and hit the Do217 J-1 Nr. 1286 with the aircraft crashing over Landtingvej. The German crew of four managed to bale out.

 

207 Squadron mechanics working on Lancasters

(1) Fl/Sgt. Einarson's parents tragically also lost his twin brother, Fl/Lt Johann Walter Einarson DFM. DFC. was killed on the 25th February 1944.
(2) Uffz. Fritz Hobusch went on to claim a total of 5 abschüsse before he went missing on the 15th July, 1943 in the Mediterranean sea.

  

Burial details:

Fl/Sgt. Harold Bjorn Einarson. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 103. Son of Haraldur Bjorn and Elin (nee Jackson) Einarson of Wynyard, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Sgt. Francis Raymond Carter. Lemvig Cemetery, Denmark. Grave 723. Son of Stephen and Louisa Leeding Carter, of Petworth, Sussex, England.

Sgt. Alistair Mackenzie Cockie. Lemvig Cemetery, Denmark. Grave 730. Son of Alexander and Matilda Cockie, of Aberdeen, husband of Elizabeth Cockie, of Aberdeen, Scotland.

Sgt. George Herbert Arthur Birch. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 78. Son of George Albert Birch, and of Evelyn Maud Birch, of Ashford, Middlesex, England.

P/O. Donald Wingrove Ross. Lemvig Cemetery, Denmark. Grave 731. Son of David McIvor Ross and Viola Grace Ross (nee Wingrove), of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Sgt. Arthur Frederick Charles Kensett. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 87. Son of Arthur David and Elizabeth Emily Kensett, of Brighton, Sussex, husband of Elsie Gladys Kensett, of Brighton, England.

Sgt. Norman Frederick Smethurst. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 93. Son of Frederick Ernest and Minnie Smethurst, of Benton, Northumberland, England.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses’. ‘Parade Archive’. Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vol's. 1 and  2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Tom Kracker - 'Kracker Luftwaffe Archives'. Aircrew Remembered own Archives.

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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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