Operation: Stuttgart
Date: 07/08th October 1943 (Thursday/Friday)
Unit: No. 426 Squadron (RCAF)
Type: Lancaster II
Serial: DS689
Code: OW-S
Base: RAF Linton-On-Ouse, Yorkshire
Location: Rachecourt-sur-Blaise, France
Pilot: P/O. Malcolm Barnes Summers J/18532 RCAF Age 20. Killed (1)
Pilot 2: Fl/Sgt. Francis John Neal R/123716 RCAF Age 21. Killed (2)
Fl/Eng: Sgt. C.J. Bettesworth 1604632 RAFVR Evaded capture.
Nav: F/O. J.J. Beaton J/22490 RCAF Evaded capture
Air/Bmr: P/O. James Wilde J/18537 RCAF Age ? Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. Glyndwr Davies 158798 RAFVR Age 27. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. George Edward Aldous 1527318 RAFVR Age 22. Killed
Air/Gnr: P/O. Peter Edward Newland 53012 RAF Age 22. Killed.
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 20.32 hrs. RAF Linton-On-Ouse, Yorkshire joining 323 Lancasters on a deep penetration into Germany to bomb Stuttgart. This operation being the first to start using the ABC (3) jamming system and to good effect, with only a small number of aircraft lost on this raid.
426 Squadron Lancaster DS689 OW-S (courtesy Derek Durnbrell)
The city was cloud covered and during the latter part of the operation severe fog set in. Reports from Stuttgart state that many bombs fell over a scattered area with 344 mainly dwellings houses were destroyed a further 4,586 were damaged. 104 people were killed including 36 who were drowned when a water main burst and flooded the under ground shelter they were in.(1) Pilot, P/O. Summers, was part of a 427 Squadron Wellington crew who, after returning from an operation to St. Nazaire on March 3rd 1943, whilst over Southern Ireland forced to abandon their Wellington X3563 ZL-T. All bailed out and for a short period interned.
(3) Airborne Cigar - The only signs of special equipment were two 7 - foot aerials on top of the Lancaster fuselage, another below the bomb-aimer’s window and a shorter receiver at the top-rear of the fuselage. Because of the weight of the radio equipment and extra crew member the aircraft had a reduced bomb load of 1000 lbs.
(4) This was the last claim for Oblt. Ferdinland Christiner. On the 5/6th July 1944 he was shot down and killed North West of Beauvais, France.
Burial details:
P/O. Malcolm Barnes Summers. Rachecourt-sur-Blaise, France Cemetery. Grave 4. Son of Waldo D. Summers and Ethel B. Summers, of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Fl/Sgt. Francis John Neal. Rachecourt-sur-Blaise, France Cemetery. Grave 2. Son of William Merton Neal and Frances Jean Scott Neal, of St. Vital, Manitoba, Canada.
P/O. James Wilde. Rachecourt-sur-Blaise, France Cemetery. Grave 1. From Montreal, Quebec, Canada. No further information available as yet. Batchelor Arts degree - promoted posthumously to P/O. R/66444.
P/O. Glyndwr Davies. Rachecourt-sur-Blaise, France Cemetery. Grave 3. Husband of Vera Mary Davies, of Bridgend Glamorgan, Wales.
Sgt. George Edward Aldous. Rachecourt-sur-Blaise, France Cemetery. Grave 6. Son of William and Ann Aldous, of Salford, Lancashire, England.
P/O. Peter Edward Newland. Rachecourt-sur-Blaise, France Cemetery. Grave 5. Son of George Douglas and Annie Elizabeth Newland, husband of Joyce Newland, of Loddon Norfolk, England. Joyce was born on 14th May 1920 - died on the 29th December 2001 - they married just 6 weeks prior to his loss.
Researched and dedicated to relatives of the crew with thank to the following for additional information: Angela Olah - great niece of P/O. Newline. Derek Durnbrell for tremendous aircraft photo, Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vol. 4', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vol's. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Les Allison and Harry Hayward - 'They Shall Grow Not Old', Tom Kracker - 'Kracker Luftwaffe Archives'. Gerald F. Holm and Anthony P. Buchner 'A Place of Honour', The Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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