Mission: Chemnitz

Date: 5/6 March 1945 (Monday/Tuesday)

Unit: RCAF No. 424 (Tiger) Squadron

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: NG458

Code: QB-H

Base: Shipton- on- Swale, Yorkshire

Location: Chemnitz target area. Possibly near Altmittweida 9 miles north of Chemnitz.

Pilot: F/L Donald Alexander Ross, J/8165 RCAF Age 29 Killed

Flt/Eng: Sgt. Albert Kemp Rayner, 1595648 RAFVR Age 19 Killed

Nav: F/O Howard McElroy Weaver, J/40482 RCAF Age 23 Killed

Air/Bmr: F/O Alfred Valentine Cash, J/38805 RCAF Age 31 Killed

W/Op: F/O Francis Edward Seaby, J/36516 RCAF Age 29 Killed

Air/Gnr: P/O John Melford Atchison, J/95411 RCAF Age 23 Killed

Air/Gnr: F/Sgt. Casimir Joseph Antonek, R/211375 RCAF POW

REASON FOR LOSS
Operation Thunderclap was the last major raid on the city of Chemnitz during WW2. In total 760 aircraft were involved including 14 Lancasters from 424 Squadron. Although the mission was considered a success it came with the loss of 22 aircraft and many of the crew members during the raid itself. In addition, mainly due to the poor weather conditions causing severe icing, another 9 aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from their bases in the UK.
In Chemnitz much of the city centre and southern suburbs were severly damaged by fire including the destruction of the Siegmar factory producing tank engines and other military components. Sadly too, 2105 civilians, many of them children, lost their lives that night. To commemorate the destruction of the city and in remembrance of those that were killed, Chemnitz Peace Day is held each 5 March.

F/L Ross and crew took off from their base at Skipton-on Swale at 16:42 hours on the afternoon of 5 March 1945. After rendezvouing with other bombers in the force in the air over Reading, the stream set an easterly course toward the target. Due to the imposition of strict radio silence nothing further was heard from NG458.

It was not until after the cessation of hostilities upon the release of prisoners of war, it was discovered that the tail gunner, Sgt.Casimir Antonek, was the lone survivor. In his repatriation interview he stated that his aircraft had been involved in a mid-air collision and he had been thrown clear. Parachuting to safety he was captured on 6 March in an unknown location north of Chemnitz.

Additionally , an army POW Gdsm. Norman Wood, reported that he had been involved with the burial of two British airman, F/O Charles Rouse and Sgt. Ronald Twin, who had been killed following a mid-air collision in the Chemnitz area. These two crew were the pilot and flight engineer from a No. 576 Squadron Lancaster, PD403.

Neither aircraft had reached the target area and had not released their bomb load which would have detonated in mid-air or almost certainly exploded upon hitting the ground destroying most if not all human remains making recovery and identification impossible.
While the actual aircraft involved will never be known for sure, given the evidence available it is quite likely that the two Lancasters were NG458 and PD403.

See Page of Remembrance: No.576 Squadron Lancaster PD403 F/O C.J. Rouse

The MRES follow up after F/Sgt. Antonek's repatriation report. Paragraph 3 of the letter would appear to be unreliable as to when and the circumstances of F/O Cash's identification card were found. By 20 March, Cash had already perished and Bomber Command records show that there was no raid on Chemnitz on that date and no reports of the loss of a fighter escort.

Letter to F/O Cash's wife from RCAF with details of F/S Antonek's repatriation report and MRES search for remains

Letters to F/O Cash's wife and P/O Atchison's mother from the RCAF MRES Unit explaining that only F/O Seaby and P/O Atchison could be found to have marked graves. All other crew members who were lost marked unknown.

Left: F/S Antonek's Repatriation Questionnaire. Right: No.424 Sqn. Wing Commander's original Circumstantial Loss Report

THE CREW

Pilot F/L D. A. Ross

Donald was working as a salesman when he enlisted on 22 June 1940. The eldest son of Bruce and Elsie Ross in a family of a brother and three younger sisters. He was an avid sportsman and played ice hockey, baseball, softball and golf extensively as well as being a hunter and fisherman in his spare time.
After a series of postings to various Manning Depots he was found to be suitable for aircrew training and posted to No.2 Initial Training School at Regina, SK., in May of 1941. Selected for training as a pilot, Donald was promoted to the rank of Leading Aircraftsman (LAC) and posted to No. 8 Elementary Flying School, Vancouver, BC., on 8 June 1941.Upon completion of his course there he was posted to No.3 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) at Calgary, Ab., where he received his Pilots Flying Badge on 17 October 1941 and commissioned with the rank of Pilot Officer.
His leadership and flying skills led him to be selected for training as a flight instructor and was next posted to No.1 Flying Instructor School (FIS), Trenton, ON. Upon graduating Donald was posted to No.4 SFTS at Saskatoon, SK., on 7 January, 1942. He stayed there until May of 1943 when he was posted to No.2 FIS at Pearce, AB.
It was during his time at Saskatoon he married Catherine (Kay) Robertson on 12 July, 1942. Two years later in 1944, their daughter, Beverly was born.
Volunteering for operations, Donald was posted overseas arriving in the UK on 24 February, 1944.
His first posting was to No.20 Pilots Advanced Flying Unit (P)AFU, Kidlington, Oxfordshire for training on the twin engined Anson before graduating to No. 24 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at RAF Honeybourne for training on the much larger Vickers Wellington aircraft. Donalds final step before joining 424 Squadron on 13 November 1944, was for training on heavy bombers at No.1659 Conversion Unit, Topcliffe.

F/L Ross' first taste of operations against the enemy was on 16 November,1944 when he flew as the second pilot with S/L Fentiman and crew on a bombing raid to Jülich, Germany. He had participated in a total of 16 operations when he was lost.

Flight Engineer Sgt. A.K. Rayner
No further details

Navigator F/O H. McE. Weaver

After graduating from Meaford High School in 1941 he worked at the family chopping mill until he enlisted in Toronto on 28 August 1942. The only son of Howard and Marion Weaver, he had an older and a younger sister.
After three months at the Recruiting Centre in Toronto he was first posted to No.1 Manning Depot (MD), Toronto and then No.8 MD at Souris, MB.

After stops at No.5 B& GS Dafoe, MB., and Initial Training School, Winnipeg he was selected for training as a navigator and posted to No.5 Air Observers School also in Winnipeg. Howard graduated with his Navigators badge and a commission on 14 January 1944.
Posted overseas he arrived in the UK on 7 April and sent to No.10 Observers Advanced Flying Unit [(O)AFU] at Dumfries, Scotland. From there he was posted to No.24 OTU and then 1659 Conversion Unit, Topcliffe joining 424 Squadron on 13 November 1944. 14 Ops completed.

Air Bomber F/O A. V. Cash

Born in Gateshead in the NE of England, Alfred emigrated to the United States at the age of fourteen with his Mother in 1927 after the death of his Father. They settled in New Haven, Connecticut where his Mother married Clarence Throm in 1930.
He completed his high school education in New Haven after which he attended night school before becoming a supervisor at a small arms company up until his enlistment in the RCAF. Alfred married Doris Farrell in 1933 and a daughter Patricia was born two years later. By 1942 he had separated from Doris and submitted his application to the RCAF that June.
After serving his time at No.1 MD Toronto and writing his Pre-Aircrew Education Exam, Alfred was posted to No.5 ITS Belleville, ON. Selected for training as an Air Bomber he was posted to No.2 B&GS Mossbank, SK.,and then to No.5 Air Observers School Winnipeg, MB., where he graduated with his badge and as a commissioned officer on 26 November 1943.
Posted overseas he arrived at No.3 PRC Bournemouth on 8 April 1944. In May Alfred was posted to No.7 (O) AFU Bishops Court, Northern Ireland for a months course before attending No.24 OTU. There, teaming up with Ross and Weaver, they were recognized as “a very bright and keen crew, should do very well” by their commanding officer upon completion of the course on 6 September 1944. 14 Ops completed.

Wireless Operator/Air Gunner F/O F. E. Seaby

Francis was the youngest son of John and Agnes Seaby who had emigrated to Canada fr5om England in 1903. After completing his schooling in Indian Head, SK., he took a position there as an apprentice tailor and after becoming a Master Tailor he moved to Moose Jaw, SK., in 1939.
Enlisting in March 1941, he took his initial training at No.2 ITS Brandon where he was selected for training as a wireless operator- air gunner and posted to No.2 Wireless School Calgary, AB., on 20 July 1941. Following this he was next posted to No.2 B&GS Mossbank SK., gaining his Air Gunner badge on 2 February 1942. Francis' next posting was to No.4 Coast Artillary Co-operation (CAC) Detachment Sydney, NS until its disbanding in November 1943 While he was there he was appointed a commission on 5 August.
Posted to the UK he arrived at No.3 PRC on 22 December 1943 and on 29 February 1944 enrolled at No.3 (O)AFU Halfpenny Green, Bobbington until 16 May when he was posted to No.24 OTU. Posted to 1659 HCU 4 October and 424 Sqadron 13 November. 14 Ops completed.

Air Gunner P/O J. M. Atchison

John was the eldest of three sons of Melford and Dorothy Atchison. He was born and raised on the family farm near Waskada, MB. Upon leaving school in 1938 he continued to work on the family farm until 1941 when he applied to join the RCAF as a ground crew mechanic.
Taken on strength in August of 1941, he served primarily as a security guard at various RCAF stations in Canada. While he was at No.3 MD in Edmonton in September 1943, he was selected for aircrew training. To bring his eduacation up to the required RCAF standard he was sent to McGill University to take the Air Gunners Pre-Aircrew Education Course. Upon his completion of the course he was posted to No.13 SFTS, St Hubert, QC and then to No.10 B&GS Mount Pleasant PEI., on 31 December 1943.
John graduated with his Air Gunners badge on 24 March 1944 and spent one month at No.3 AGTS, Three Rivers before being posted to ‘Y’ Depot at Halifax to await embarkation to the UK.
After arriving at No.3 PRC on 3 June, John was posted to No. 24 OTU later that month. He did well on his course there being appointed squad leader during his initial training and set a good example to the rest of the trainees. After completing it on 6 September 1944, John joined 424 Squadron on 13 November 1944. 14 Ops completed.

Flight Sgt. Casimir Joseph Antonek

The only survivor of the crash, Casimir the tail gunner was thrown clear when the two aircraft collided and was able to parachute to safety where he was captured by the German military.
After being interrogated, Casimir was initially imprisoned at Stalag XIII-D Nuremburg. As the Soviet army advanced the POW's at Nuremburg were marched to Stalag VII-A during April 1945 and it was from here that Casimir was released on 5 May 1945.

Casimir, born in Rzeozow, Poland in 1923, he was the son of Thomas and Julia Casimir who had both emigrated to the United States from Poland in the early 1900’s. After the war Casimir married Doris Richardson where they raised four sons and a daughter. He worked as a book keeper in Passaic, New Jersey and passed away at the age of 71 in 1994. 14 Ops completed.

Burial Details:

F/L Donald Alexander Ross, Runnymede Memorial Surrey, UK., Panel 278. Son of Bruce Dow Ross and Elsie Mary (nee Virgo) Ross, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; husband of Catherine Mary (nee Robertson) and father of Beverley Dawn Ross, of Toronto, Ontario. Brother of Gordon, Margaret, Shirley and Dorothy.

Sgt. Albert Kemp Rayner, Runnymede Memorial Surrey, UK., Panel 276. Son of Albert Edward and Eleanor Rayner, of Blackpool, Lancashire.

F/O Howard McElroy Weaver, Runnymede Memorial Surrey, UK., Panel 280. Son of Howard S. and Marion I. Shields Weaver, of Churchill, Ontario, Canada.

F/O Alfred Valentine Cash, Runnymede Memorial Surrey, UK., Panel 278. Son of Alfred Valentine Cash and Charlessina Green. Husband of Doris Francis Farrell. Father of Patricia Ann Cash.

F/O Francis Edward Seaby, Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery Germany, Coll. Grave 13. A. 5-7. Son of John and Agnes Seaby, of Indian Head, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Seaby Lake in Saskatchewan is named after F/O Seaby

P/O John Melford Atchison, Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery Germany, Coll. Grave 13. A. 5-7. Son of Melford Burton and Dorothy Elizabeth (nee Courier) Atchison of Waskada, Manitoba, Canada.
Atchison Lake in Manitoba is named after P/O Atchison

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