Archive Report: Allied Forces

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19/20.06.1942 No. 57 Squadron Wellington Z1611 DX-R Sgt. Ashworth

Operation: Emden

Date: 19/20th June 1942  (FridaySaturday)

Unit: No. 57 Squadron

Type: Wellington III

Serial: Z1611

Code: DX-R

Base: RAF Feltwell, Norfolk

Location: Rhaan, 5 km. North Nijverdal, Netherlands

Pilot: Sgt. Donald William Ashworth 1381000 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

Obs: Sgt. William Edward Collis 930440 RAFVR Age 24. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Barton Chadwick 1185878 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Harry Arthur Payne 1375600 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Charles John Morgan 654324 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 23.45 hrs. from RAF Feltwell, Norfolk as part of a 194 aircraft raid made up of 112 Wellingtons, 37 Halifaxes, 25 Stirlings, 11 Hampdens and 9 Lancasters. Emden is a coastal port but the raid concentrated on the town. 

During the debrief 131 Crews claimed to have hit Emden but photographs showed that the main force hit Osnabrück - 80 miles from the target. Emden only recorded 5 High Explosive bombs and 2 - 300 incendiaries with no damage or casualties.

9 aircraft were lost on this raid with a total loss of some 49 crew killed and 5 being made PoW.

                   

This Wellington was attacked and shot down by Oblt. Wolfrat Bauer (1) of 7./NJG1 at 02.45 hrs all crew were killed. The Wellington came down in a meadow opposite No 8 Mekkelinkweg, Rhaan - one of the farm buildings roofs caught fire, but it is thought no one on the ground were killed.

(1) This was the 2nd abschüsse for 24 year old Oblt. Wolfrat Bauer who was killed on the 4th January 1943 after being hot down by flak. At that time he had become an 'Ace' with 6 abschüsse. 

He is buried at the German cemetery, Ysselsteyn, Netherlands. (shown left)

                    

Burial details:

Sgt. Donald William Ashworth. Hellendoorn General Cemetery. Joint Grave 4. Son of Mr and Mrs. W. Ashworth, of Oxhey, Watford, Hertfordshire, England.

Sgt. William Edward Collis. Hellendoorn General Cemetery. Grave 2. Son of James William Collis, and of Rosetta Florence Collis, of Ilford, Essex,England.

Sgt. Barton Chadwick. Hellendoorn General Cemetery. Grave 3. Son of John Porter Chadwick and Elizabeth Chadwick, of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, England.

Sgt. Harry Arthur Payne. Hellendoorn General Cemetery. Grave 1. Son of Harry and Dorothy Alice Payne, of Clapham, London, England.

Sgt. Charles John Morgan. Hellendoorn General Cemetery. Joint Grave 4. Son of George and Ann Morgan, of Coventry, England.

With thanks to Margaret Bradford from Canada for bringing this loss to our attention (relative of the piot). Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to 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', Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Tom Kracker - 'Kracker Luftwaffe Archives'. Aircrew Remembered own Archives.

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