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.

---

We seek additional information and photographs. Please contact us via the AddInfo button, or send us email from the Helpdesk.

---

25/26.08.1944 No. 207 Squadron Lancaster I PD216 EM-J Fl/Lt. Harding

Operation: Darmstadt

Date: 25/26th August 1944 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit: No. 207 Squadron

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: PD216

Code: EM-J

Base: RAF Spilsby, Lincolnshire

Location: Near Groß-Gerau, Germany

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Maurice Frederick Cleave Harding 89808 RAFVR Age 27. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Leslie Percy Gower 1894705 RAFVR Age 30. Killed

Nav: P/O. Stephen Simm J/89268 RCAF Age 30. Killed

Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Thomas John Jones 1578097 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. Maurice Savage 56045 RAF Age 26. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Hugh Graham Hamilton 1568684 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr: P/O. Edward Kisilowsky J/91061 RCAF Age 19. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

This night's operations had been the largest number of sorties flown by the RAF of the war:

412 Lancasters to bomb Russelsheim - 190 Lancasters, 6 Mosquitoes to Darmstadt - 284 Halifaxes, 32 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitoes to Brest - 2 Mosquitoes reconnaissance - 182 training aircraft sent on a diversionary sweep over the North Sea - 36 Mosquitoes to Berlin - 22 other aircraft to 5 other targets - 68 Mosquito patrols - 6 Halifaxes on Gardening operations - 6 aircraft on resistance operations.

Also, the same day Paris was liberated.

Taking off from RAF Spilsby in Lincolnshire at 20:48 hrs - part of a force of 190 Lancasters and 6 Mosquitoes from 5 Group. This was the first serious operation on this town. 95 buildings were reported to have been hit - with some 8 people killed on the ground.

The operation was classed as a failure due to the marker aircraft not finding the target and the Master Bomber having to return to base. The two deputy bombers were shot down with 33 of the aircraft bombing other targets. Of the 190 aircraft that took part in this operation, 7 Lancasters were lost. Much damage was caused to Darmstadt but the bombs had been scattered over a wide area

PD216 was delivered to 207 Squadron in June 1944 with the Merlin 24 engines. When lost this aircraft had a total of 128 hours. Reported to have been shot down by Hptm. Ernst Wallner (1) of 6./NJG6 at 01:38 hrs. His 3rd Claim of the war.

(1) Hptm. Ernst Wallner killed on the 4/5th December 1944 by Lancaster return fire at Ludwigsburg, near Winzerhausen during a Heilbronn raid.

Note: Many reports in National Newspapers in 2007 were made covering the planned recovery of this aircraft previously discovered in 2003. They stated that the farmer who owned the land, declined permission for a full excavation as he wanted to be sure that the land would be returned to its previous state or that he should be paid to cover this. It was reported at the time that the remains of some of the crew were still within the wreckage.

Normally when such excavations are carried out by professional bodies (under licence) returning the land to its previous state would be part of the operation and is part of the requirement for a licence to be granted. Sadly, there have been many ‘amateur groups’ who have made unauthorised “digs” and one can perhaps sympathise with the land owner, as previously many people had previously dug around on his land trespassing looking for souvenirs.

It was reported that the remains of some of the crew were still within the wreckage. We are unable to conclude if such an excavation was indeed made - but for sure someone will contact us if they have further details. But we can confirm that all the crew are now buried at the Durnbach War Cemetery.

Burial details:

Fl/Lt. Maurice Frederick Cleave Harding. Durnbach War Cemetery. Collective grave 2.E.3-7. Son of Ernest Oswald Harding, and of Helena Josephine Harding (née Cleave) and husband of Audrey Harding (née Milner), and father to April of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.

Sgt. Leslie Percy Gower. Durnbach War Cemetery. Collective grave 2.E.3-7. Son of Percy and Constance Gower; husband of Violet Jessie Gower, of North Wembley, Middlesex, England.

P/O. Stephen Simm. Durnbach War Cemetery. Collective grave 2.E.3-7. Son of James and Margaret Simm; husband of Kathleen Simm, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Fl/Sgt. Thomas John Jones. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 2.E.1. Son of Thomas Michael and Hettie Jones, of Penmaenmawr, Carnarvonshire, Wales.

P/O. Maurice Savage. Durnbach War Cemetery. Collective grave 2.E.3-7. Husband of Betty Savage - no further details - are you able to contribute?

Sgt. Hugh Graham Hamilton. Durnbach War Cemetery. Collective grave 2.E.3-7. Son of James and Helen Wilson Hamilton, of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland.

P/O. Edward Kisilowsky. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 2.E.2. Of Toronto, Canada - next of kin details not available - are you able to contribute?

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the Kirk family in New Zealand, who supplied photographs and information. Fl/Sgt Aubrey Charles Kirk was good friends with P/O. Edward Kisilowsky.

Monitor Additions/Changes?Click to be informed of changes to this page. Create account for first monitor only, thereafter very fast. Click to close without creating monitor