Operation: Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Date: 25th/26th June 1943 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit No: 115 Squadron, 3 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster II

Serial: DS666

Code: KO:J

Base: RAF East Wretham, Norfolk

Location: North Sea, west of Den Helder, Netherlands.

Pilot: Sgt. Ronald Frederick Rashley 1336977 RAFVR Age 21. MiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Frank Lynford Beeston 1425681 RAFVR Age 21. MiA

Nav: Sgt. Clyde Maxwell Sibbald 1049563 RAFVR Age 23. MiA

Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. Gideon Davidson J20818 RCAF Age 21. MiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Alexander Corns 1131924 RAFVR Age 32. MiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Ernest Green 1581444 RAFVR Age 21. MiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Albert Worsdale 1577574

Thought to be some of the crew of DS666 (courtesy Chris Sibbald)

From Left to Right: Sgt Sibbard, Sgt. Rashley, Fg Off. Davidson, Unknown, Unknown

Left: Fg Off. Davidson (courtesy Ellin Bessner); Right: Sgt. Sibbald (courtesy Chris Sibbald)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Lancaster DS666 took off from RAF East Wretham, Norfolk on an operation to bomb Gelsenkirchen with another 217 Lancasters, 190 Halifaxes and 10 Mosquitoes. The raid was not at all as had been hoped. Equipment failure in half of the Mosquitoes and another dropping target markers 10 miles off target. The bombing as a result of this made the Germans think that the raid was actually on Bochum. However some industrial target were hit in the town.

This aircraft also dropped mines on route to the target - but no further details available on this to date.

Two possible claims have been made for shooting this aircraft down, so it can be assumed that it was a victim of a German night fighter and that the area of loss can be a little better determined. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (23 June - 22 September) 1943 Part 2 - Theo Boiten)

Hptm. Franz Buschmann, his 4th Abschuss from 12./NJG1 who claimed a Halifax over the sea 60 km. west Den Helder at 3,000 m. at 02.47 hrs;

Ofw. Heinz Vinke, 27th Abschuss from 11./NJG1 who claimed a Lancaster 70 km west Den Helder at 2,400 m. at 02.47 hrs.

(1) Sgt. Worsdale’s elder brother Aircraftman Class 2 (AC2). Thomas Edward Worsdale 962597 RAFVR Age 26, from 151 Maintenance Unit (MU) on Singapore, escape from the Japanese but was captured and imprisoned on the Island of Java. He died as a PoW on the 20th October 1942.

Above Courtesy of the Lincolnshire Echo, dated 17th April 1943

Insert Lincolnshire_Echo_1943_07_06_3.png

Above: Courtesy of the Lincolnshire Echo, dated 6th July 1943

Burial details:

Runnymede Memorial panels

Sgt. Ronald Frederick Rashley. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 162. Birth registered in the 2nd Qtr of 1922 in Lambeth, Greater London. Son of Charles William and Ethel Maud (née Hamlet) Rashley of West Ham, Greater London, England.

Sgt. Frank Lynford Beeston. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 142. Born in 1922 on the Isle of Man. Son of William and Florence of Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, England.

Sgt. Clyde Maxwell Sibbald. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 164. Born on the 1st of November 1920, the third of four children of John Patrick and Carlotta Sibbald of Wallsend-on-Tyne, Northumberland, England.

In 1934, Clyde studied engineering at the Technical Institute, Wallsend- on-Tyne, England.

Fg Off. Gideon Davidson. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 173. Born on the 7th June 1921 in Campbelltown, New Brunswick. Son of Jacob and Lottie (née Rinzler - deceased) Davidson of New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.

Sgt. Alexander Corns. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 146. Born on the 10th December 1910 in Bury, Lancashire. Alexander was the youngest of four siblings, Annie, Ethel-May & Ernest Henry. Son of Henry and Anon Corns. Husband to Beatrice Frost (née Knight) Corns whom he married in 1933. Beatrice was remarried to William H. Atkinson in 1949.

Sgt. Ernest Green. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 151. Birth registered in the 1st Qtr of 1922 in Leicester, Leicestershire. Son of Frederick and Sabina (née McCague) Green of Braunstone, Leicester, England.

Sgt. Albert Worsdale. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 170. Born on the 23rd November 1921 in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. Son of John Edward and Bertha (née Hobson) of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England.

Researched by Aircrew Remembered, researcher and specialist genealogist Linda Ibrom for Chris Sibbald and other relatives of the crew. Also for Alan Ridgers - relative of the pilot who contacted us in October 2015. Thanks to Michelle Kerswell, the great niece of Sgt. Corns for the additional Next of Kin details (Jul 2020). Thanks to Janice McKnight the great niece of William H. Atkinson for the additional Next of Kin details for Sgt. Corns (Jul 2020). Thanks to Samantha Jane Berry-Dagnall for the additional Next of Kin details for Sgt. Corns (Jul 2020). Reviewed and updated with corrections by Aircrew Remembered (Aug 2026).

Other sources listed below:

Readers are referred to Professor Ellin Bessner's book 'Double Threat: Canadian Jews, the Military and WWII', available from Amazon

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