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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16/17.06.1942 No. 7 Squadron Short Stirling Mk1 R9324 MG-X Fl/Sgt. Thomas Templeman

Operation: Essen, Germany

Date: 16/17th June 1942 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit: No. 7 Squadron

Type: Short Stirling Mk1

Serial: R9324

Code: MG-X

Base: RAF Oakington, Rutland

Location: St. Remy-du-Nord, France

Pilot: Flt.Sgt. Thomas Templeman R/61012 RCAF Age 26. Evader (1)

Flt.Eng: Sgt. Leonard Clinton Fenton 571254 RAF Age 21. Killed

Obs: Flt.Lt. Henry Hayden (Hap) Haszard 3615 RAF Age 28. PoW No. 2532. Camp: Stalag Luft 3 (Sagan and Belaria) (2)

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Kempton R. Cooper 1177659 RAF Age ? PoW No. 314. Camp: Stalag Luft 3, Luft 6 and Stalag 357 (Kopernikus, Poland)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. John S. Duckworth 1051597 RAF Age ? PoW No. 25104. Camp: Stalag 8B, Stalag 13D and Stalag 344 (Lamsdorf, Poland) (3)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. J. E. Thomas 1375845 RAF Age ? PoW No. 363. Camp: Stalag Luft 3, Luft 6 and Stalag 357 (Kopernikus, Poland)

Air/Gnr: Plt.Off. Donald (Don) White 111485 RAFVR Age 30. Killed

Air/Gnr: Flt.Sgt. Thomas (Tommy) Watkins Rayment 1258093 RAFVR Age 28. Killed (4)

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Short Stirling from No. 7 Squadron 1942 (mouse over image)

Wigram Aerodrome, Christchurch, New Zealand where Thomas Hayden (Hap) Haszard trained. (courtesy of National Archives, Christchurch City Library, New Zealand)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off from RAF Oakington at 23.37hrs. with five other 7 Squadron Short Stirling aircraft to attack Essen. Nothing further was heard from Flt.Sgt. Templeman's aircraft after takeoff. Short Stirling R9324 was claimed by Hptm. Wilhelm Herget Stab II/NJG4 - North of Limont-Fontaine at 0214 hours and crashed at St-Remy-du-Nord near Maubeuge, France. 106 aircraft took part in this raid with the loss of 8 aircraft.

(1) Flt.Sgt. Thomas Templeman evaded capture and managed to return to England on the 5th October 1942. In 1940 before enlisting in the RCAF Thomas was working as a plumber in Edmonton, Canada. Flt.Sgt. Templeman was awarded the DFM as per Supplement to the London Gazette, 4th December 1942. "This airman was captain of an aircraft which attacked an objective in the Rhineland one night in June 1942. On the return flight his aircraft was attacked by two Junker 88's and severely damaged. In most hazardous circumstances which followed, this airman displayed great fortitude and determination in keeping with the highest traditions of the Royal Air Force. Throughout Flight Sergeant Templeman has proved himself to be an outstanding captain, who has set an exceptionally high standard by his courageous example and extreme devotion to duty".

Left: Kempton Cooper visiting the graves of his friends from the crew (courtesy Richard Cooper)

(2) Flt.Lt. Henry Hayden (Hap) Haszard was selected for short service commission in the RAF on the 1st July 1937 and reported to Wigram Aerodrome for training on 1st September 1937. In January 1938 Henry was granted the temporary rank of Plt.Off. and in July 1938 had completed his flying training and sailed for the United Kingdom on the 15th July arriving in Southampton on the 22nd August 1938. The London Gazette - 6th September 1938 Acting Plt.Off. H. H. Haszard was granted a short service commission as Plt.Off. with effect from 23rd August 1938. In 1939 Henry was serving with No. 207 Squadron based at RAF Cottesmore. The London Gazette - 2nd April 1940 Plt.Off. Haszard was promoted to the rank of Fg.Off. as of 23rd March 1940 and London Gazette - 16th May 1941

Fg.Off. Haszard was promoted to the rank of Flt.Lt. as of 23rd March 1941. The Auckland Star dated 14th June 1945 - Previously Prisoner of War now safe Flt.Lt. Haszard. Supplement to the London Gazette - 11th June 1957 Flt.Lt. H. H. Haszard retained his rank as Flight Lieutenant, 8th April 1957. Henry Hayden Haszard married Ruth Compigne Guilford in Cottesmore parish church in 1940.

(3) Sgt. John S. Duckworth evaded capture in France from 17th June 1942 - 4th July 1942. He attempted escape from a working party while at Sosnowitz PoW Camp, Germany. John S. Duckworth may have served with No. 142 (City of Worcester) Squadron in 1941.

Graves of the crew who were sadly killed (courtesy Richard Cooper )

Avesnes-Sur-Helpe Communal Cemetery, Nord, France.

Burial details:

Sgt. Leonard Clinton Fenton. Avesnes-Sur-Helpe Communal Cemetery, Nord, France. Row AA. Grave 10. Son of Lieut-Col. Lionel Schofield Fenton and Katharine Clara Fenton of Winchester

Plt.Off. Donald (Don) White. Avesnes-Sur-Helpe Communal Cemetery, Nord, France. Row AA. Grave 9. Son of Robert and Jean White. Husband of Ivy White of Nuttall, Nottinghamshire

Flt.Sgt. Thomas (Tommy) Watkins Rayment. Avesnes-Sur-Helpe Communal Cemetery, Nord, France. Row AA. Grave 11. Son of Herbert John Rayment J. P. and Louise Rayment of Beecroft, New South Wales, Australia. (4) Tommy Rayment had worked at Kew Garden from 1938 - 1940 in the Tropical and Decorative departments and enlisted in the RAF in July 1940.

Researched by Kate Tame from Aircrew Remembered dedicated to all the relatives and friends of the crew. With special thanks to Richard Cooper (son of Sgt. Cooper) Commonwealth War Graves Commission, W. R. Chorley - Bomber Command Losses 1942, Air Force Association Canada, Imperial War Museum, Oliver Clutton-Brock - Footprints on the Sands of Time, The Kew Guild - Kew Gardens, London, UK National Archives, Christchurch City Library New Zealand, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - The Bomber Command War Diaries 1939 - 1945, Auckland Library, New Zealand - Digitised Paperspast, La Voix Du Nord newspaper. Thanks to John Jones for the information re: German night fighter claim.

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