Operation: Bremen

Date: 4th/5th September 1942 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit: 207 Squadron

Type: Lancaster I

Serial No: R5755

Coded: EM:N

Base: Syerston

Location: Zuider-Zee Holland

Pilot: Plt Off Richard Gerald Rowlands 407728 RAAF Age 25. Killed

Flt Eng: Sgt. George Fleck 532066 RAF Age 25. Missing

Nav: Plt Off. Adam Byers Hastings 120038 RAFVR Age 24. Killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Frederick John Charles Barnes 655006 RAF Age 23. Killed

WOp/Air/Gnr: Sgt John Campbell Luton 403411 RAAF Age 20. Killed

Air Gnr: Sgt. John Wilfred Atkinson 1105186 RAFVR Age 31. Killed

Air Gnr: Sgt. Cecil Vivian Pattison 778001 RAFVR Age ? Missing

Reason For Loss:

Lancaster R5755 took off at at 00:30 hrs from RAF Station Syerston on the 5th September 1942.The aircraft was carrying a bomb load consisting of 5 X 1900 Lb. General Purpose (GP) Bombs and it was detailed to bomb Bremen. There were no wireless communications received from R5755 from the time of take off. The aircraft failed to return to base.

Reports from other crews of squadron aircraft stated, that the visibility over the target was good and there was no cloud with fairly light winds. One crew reported no enemy opposition of any form.

R5755 was claimed by Hptm. Helmut Lent, his 52nd Abschuss, from Stab II./NJG2 over the IJsselmeer, east of Medemblik at 5.800 m at 02:50 hrs.(Nachtjagd Combat Archive (30 May - 31 December 1942) The Early Years Part 3 - Theo Boiten).

On the 12th September Flying Officer Rowland body was washed ashore on a beach near Staveren Holland and soon after the body of Sgt. Luton was also found.

Both crew members were laid to rest on the 24th September 1942.

Burial Details:

Plt Off Richard Gerald Rowlands. Hemelumer Oldeferd (Scharl) General Cemetery, Holland. Grave 26. (shown right) Son of Robert William and Kathleen Rowlands, of Brooklyn Park, South Australia. Born on the 15th July 1917 at Mile End, South Australia.

Mother Mrs Kathleen Rowlands was registered blind. Enlisted into the Royal Australian Air Force at No 5 recruitment Centre on the 4th January 1941. Embarked to Canada on the 16th March 1941 on route for the UK.

Sgt. George Fleck. Runnymede Memorial, Egham, Surrey. Panel 83. Son of William and Elizabeth Fleck, of Glengormley, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Plt Off. Adam Byers Hastings. Lemsterland (Lemmer) General Cemetery, Holland. Plot C. Row 9. Grave 247. Son of David and Polly Hastings of Bradford, Yorkshire, England.

Born June 1918 and named after his Uncle (born 17th August 1885 at Kelton, Kirkcudbrightshire) who was killed at Passchendaele, Belgium on the 23rd September 1917.

Sgt. Frederick John Charles Barnes. Bergen General Cemetery, Holland. Plot 1. Row A. Grave 8. Son of Frederick and Nelly Barnes, of Firth Park, Sheffield,Yorkshire, England.

Sgt John Campbell Luton. Staveren General Cemetery, Holland. Row I. Grave 31. Son of William Wheeler Luton and Priscilla Judith Luton, of Cameray, New South Wales, Australia. Further information: Born on the 26th May 1922 at North Sydney, Australia.

Father William.W. Luton was a bank manager. After leaving school at the beginning of June 1938 employed as an Insurance clerk at the Liverpool and London Globe Insurance Company. After some time working for them he changed his occupation to a driver. Joined the RAAF at No 2 Recruiting Centre at Sydney on the 6th January 1941 and listed his father as next of kin. After enlistment posted to No 2 Initial Training school at Bradfield Park,Lindfield, New South Wales. After training embarked for Canada on the 22nd February 1941, trained at the RCAF No 3 Wireless School, at Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Sgt. John Wilfred Atkinson. Bergen General Cemetery, Holland. Plot 1. Row A. Grave 7. Son of Thomas and Barbara Atkinson, of Darlington, Co. Durham, England.

Sgt. Cecil Vivian Pattison. Runnymede Memorial, Egham, Surrey. Panel 91. Born on the 18th February 1919, the youngest of 4 children, in Selukwe, Zimbabwe. Son of Edward Reginald Pattison and Maude Evelyn (née Wright) Pattison.

His father was an accountant of Selukwe (1871-1924). Cecil's mother remarried David Cleveland in 1926, and she died in Zimbabwe in 1956. There is a death record for Cecil in the South African archives, stating that he died 5 September 1942 aged 24 years, was unmarried and on active service with Royal Air Force, signed by M.E. Cleveland mother.

Researched by Bob Wilton. With thanks to the following: Peter Hastings for information on Plt Off. Hastings. Thanks to Vicki Powys for the NoK details for Sgt. Pattison (Apr 2021). German night-fighter claim and narrative update by Aircrew Remembered (Apr 2021). Other sources quoted below.