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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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149 Squadron crest
21/22.02.1941 No. 149 Squadron Wellington IC R1045 OJ-M F/O. Henderson

Operation: Wilhelmshaven

Date: 21/22nd February 1941 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit: No: 149 Squadron

Type: Wellington IC

Serial: R1045

Code: OJ-M

Base: RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk

Location: No further details - lost without trace

Pilot 1: F/O. Ian Stuart Henderson 33406 RAF Age 23. Missing - believed Killed

Pilot 2: Sgt. William Pryce Jinks 745105 RAFVR Age 20. Missing - believed Killed

Obs: Sgt. William Holland Macleod 904361 RAFVR Age 23. Missing - believed Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Fred May 754677 RAFVR Age 25. Missing - believed Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. James Patrick Redmond 975988 RAFVR Age ? Missing - believed Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. James Stewart 945565 RAFVR Age 27. Missing - believed Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off from RAF Mildenhall at 18:25 hrs to attack the "U" Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven. The aircraft was lost without trace and no night fighter claims have been established for any of the losses on this raid.

It is now understood that R1045 may have been one of the aircraft coned by searchlights between 22:05 and 22:11 hrs. and shot down by Stabsbaterie 1.-3 and 5./M Flak Battery 226 based on Norderney with the Wellington coming down in the North Sea off Heligoland at 22:11hrs. A total of 54 Wellingtons took part with 19 actually bombing the target area. No details were available of damage to the town (shown below)

Mid-upper gunner of Wellington R1045 Sgt. James Stewart (courtesy Jo Graham)

This was one of two aircraft lost on this raid - the other a Wellington IC T2503 from 75 squadron flown by P/O. Arthur Falconer was also lost without trace, together with all six crew.

Another Wellington IC T2547 crashed on landing, colliding with a fence near the airfield perimeter - all crew survived.

Burial details:

None, classed as missing.

F/O. Ian Stuart Henderson. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 30. Son of Randall Walter and Annie Maude Henderson, of Herne Bay, Kent, England.

Sgt. William Pryce Jinks. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 46. Son of Frederick Henry and Elizabeth Jinks, of Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Sgt. William Holland Macleod. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 47. Son of William and Christina Macleod, of Brora, Sutherlandshire, Scotland.

Sgt. Fred May. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 48. Son of Fred and Sarah Jane May, of Oldham, Lancashire, England.

Sgt. James Patrick Redmond. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 51. Of 12B Silvester Street, Liverpool 5, England.

Sgt. James Stewart. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 52. Son of James Cameron Stewart and Janet Christian (née Hardie) Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland.

Researched for Jo Graham and for other relatives / friends of the crew. Medal collection courtesy Michel Beckers - January 2019. With thanks to the following sources:

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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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