Operation: Berlin

Date: 29/30th March 1943 (Monday/Tuesday)

Unit: No. 49 Squadron

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: ED469

Code: EA-A

Base: RAF Fiskerton, Lincolnshire

Location: Eilvese, north of Neustadt Am Rübenberge, Germany

Pilot: F/O. George Floyd Mabee J/12562 RCAF Age 26. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. James Arthur Cross 1092054 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Nav: Sgt. Walter Carr 658715 RAFVR Age 29. Killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Reginald William Brown 658431 RAF Age 22. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Alexander Stewart Mclaren 970305 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. ‘Jack’ John Gillian Jewell 1334688 RAFVR Age 31. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. G.A. Jones 1411530 RAFVR PoW - no further details

REASON FOR LOSS:

ED469 left RAF Fiskerton at 21:45 hrs after being delayed due to weather conditions. 329 Lancasters, Halifaxes and Stirlings sent to bomb the German capital once again. Bombing taking place between 00:46 and 01:31 hrs. Aircraft were severely hampered by heavy icing with electrical storms over the North Sea forcing some 120 aircraft to return early.

The remaining force that pressed on despite horrific flying conditions were engaged by a large force of the Luftwaffe night fighters, operating in calmer conditions over the continent.

Accuracy regarding the damage caused by the allied bombers is disputed, but it is claimed from German reports that 148 people were killed on the ground and the same number of buildings totally destroyed. The allied attack cost the allies dear with 21 aircraft lost.

Lancaster ED469 was shot down by Oblt. Johannes Hans Krause (1) of Stab I./NJG3 at 03:26 hrs with combat taking place at 5,300 mrs. The aircraft crashed in the village of Eilvese. The rear gunner was understood to have been seriously hurt and hospitalised it it thought at Reserve Lazarett I in Hanover. Possible that he was repatriated before the end of the war.

49 Squadron Lancasters at RAF Fiskerton 1943

49 lost another crew on this operation:

Lancaster III ED435 EA-K - Flown by Fl/Sgt. D.W. Fyffe 1343309 RAFVR taken PoW with 3 other crew members, 3 others sadly lost their lives, also lost to a night fighter (Hptm. Herbert Lütje of 3./NJG1).

(1) Hptm. Johannes Hans Krause survived the war with 28 confirmed abschüsse. We have further details on him in the Kracker Luftwaffe Archive. He waa born 13th January 1920 - died on the 30th December 2006.

Burial details:

F/O. George Floyd Mabee. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 12.F.13. Son of Floyd A. R. and Sarah Mabee, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, husband of Mary E. Mabee, of Toronto, Canada.

Sgt. James Arthur Cross. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 12.F.12. Son of Thomas Henry and Elizabeth Cross, husband of Barbara Cross, of Woolton, Lancashire, England.

Sgt. Walter Carr. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 12.F.9. Son of John and Ellinor Carr, of Liverpool, husband of Doris Carr, of Bowring Park, Liverpool, England.

Sgt. Reginald William Brown. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 12.D.19. Son of William Victor and Amelia Mabel Brown, of Ilford, Essex, England.

Sgt. Alexander Stewart Mclaren. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 12.F.14. Son of John and Elizabeth B. McLaren, of Knightswood, Glasgow, Scotland.

Sgt. John Gillian Jewell. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 12.F.8. Son of Mr. and Mrs. E. Jewell, of Brighton, Sussex, husband of J. B. Jewell, of Brighton, England.

Page dedicated to Ron Jewell, brother of Jack Jewell via his friend, Josh Stewart who contacted us for information in August 2015. For further details our thanks to the sources shown below.