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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14/15.03.1945 No 49 Squadron Lancaster I RF153 EA-K Fl/Lt. McPhee

Operation: Lutzkendorf

Date: 14/15th March 1945 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit: No. 49 Squadron

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: RF153

Code: EA-K

Base: RAF Fulbeck, Nottinghamshire

Location: Near Bedra South of Braunsbedra (Lutzkendorf)

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Joseph Noel McPhee J/29733 RCAF Age 23. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Philip Frederick Ivett 1624266 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Nav: F/O. Graeme Alastair Robinson J/39006 RCAF Age 20. Killed

Air/Bmr: F/O. Raymond Franklin Thompson J/27160 RCAF Age ? Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Thomas George William Dew 1892018 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Edward Gordon Coke Richards R/252612 RCAF Age 28. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. G.L. Corrigan R/218547 RCAF Evaded capture

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 16:47 hrs from RAF Fulbeck in Nottinghamshire, to bomb the synthetic oil plant at Wintershall (1). 244 Lancasters with 11 Mosquitoes from 5 Group taking part in what has been described as a “moderately successful operation, although some 18 Lancasters were lost.

The bomber stream approached the target from the south west with the Luftwaffe night fighters hunting the stream - 7 Lancasters and Fortress were shot down. During the homeward bound trip they attacked again, shooting down a further 6 aircraft with Lancaster RF153 (understood to be this crews 17th operation) being claimed as a ‘possible’ by Hptm. Martin Becker (2) of Stab IV./NJG6 or Lt. Helmut Bunje (3) of 4./NJG6 between 21:59 - 22:15 hrs. (Others being claimed by the fierce anti-aircraft batteries)

Showing actual crash area of Lancasters RF153 and PB411 - Courtesy of the research from Jörg Helbig - he has compiled a book: “Zum nächtlichen Luftkriegsgeschehen über Mitteldeutschland" ("About the nightly air war over Central Germany") He discovered the crash location from eye witness reports and also the personnel files of the RCAF crew at the Archives in Ottawa, Canada. Various parts of RF153 have recently been discovered during pipeline laying in the area. (with many thanks to Stephan R. Schilling who sent this information - December 2016)

For further information on loss of Lancaster PB411 UM-Y2 05th April 1945.

(1) 2016: Wintershall Holding GmbH is Germany's largest crude oil and natural gas producer. The company is based in Kassel, Germany. Wintershall is a wholly owned subsidiary of BASF, based in Ludwigshafen. The name Wintershall is derived from the surname of the enterprise co-founder Carl Julius Winter and the Old High German word for salt (hall) together. The company made a profit of 2.4 billion euros in 2011. In 2012, the company had 2164 employees worldwide. The Chairman of the board of Executive Directors is Mario Mehren.

(2) Hptm. Martin Becker of Stab IV./NJG6, a Luftwaffe nightfighter ‘ace’ survived the war with 58 victories.

(3) Lt. Helmut Bunje of 4./NJG6, a Luftwaffe nightfighter ‘ace’ survived the war with 11 victories. Passed away on the 08th July 2000.

Burial details:

Fl/Lt. Joseph Noel McPhee. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. Grave 6.Z.15. Son of Wallace Piercy McPhee and Marjorie Annabelle McPhee, of Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada.

Sgt. Philip Frederick Ivett. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. Grave 6.Z.16. Son of George and Florence Ivett, of Worsborough Bridge, Yorkshire, England.

F/O. Graeme Alastair Robinson. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. Collective grave 6.Z.18-27. Son of Henry Robinson, and of Elizabeth J. Robinson (née Allen), of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

F/O. Raymond Franklin Thompson. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. Grave 6.Z.17. Thought to be from Belleville, Ontario, Canada - no further details, are you able to assist?

Fl/Sgt. Thomas George William Dew. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. Collective grave 6.Z.18-27. Son of George William and Florence May Dew, of Prickwillow, Cambridgeshire, England.

Fl/Sgt. Edward Gordon Coke Richards. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. Collective grave 6.Z.18-27. Thought to be from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. No further details - are you able to assist?

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Stephan R. Schilling, Jörg Helbig for detailed crash location, Uwe Jenrich for grave photos, further sources as quoted below.

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