Operation: Trappes, France

Date: 2nd/3rd June 1944 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit No: 158 Squadron, 4 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Halifax III

Serial: LV792

Code: NP:E

Base: RAF Lissett, East Riding, Yorkshire

Location: RAF Hurn, Dorset

Pilot: Plt Off. Bruce Douglas ‘Doug’ Bancroft DFC, GM. 421635 RAAF Age 27. Safe (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. Leonard Cottrell 2206047 RAFVR Age? Evader (2)

Nav: Plt Off. Charles Frederick Alwyn Fripp DFC. 423092 RAAF Age 20. Safe (3)

Bomb Aimer: Plt Off. Eric Arthur Tansley DFC. 151744 RAFVR Age 23. Safe

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Leonard Stanley Dwan 1335418 RAFVR Age 21. MiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Kenneth Leslie George Le Heup 1896608 RAFVR Age 20. PoW No: 302 * (4)

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. David Robert ‘Jock’ Arundel DFM. 1567566 RAFVR Age? Safe (5)

* Stalag Luft 7, Bankau nr. Kreuzburg O.S." (O.S. standing for Oberschlesien, Upper Silesia). Today called Bąków nr. Kluczbork (Poland).

Above: Plt Off. Bruce Douglas ‘Doug’ Bancroft DFC, GM from his service file

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the night of the 2nd/3rd June 1944 158 Sqn detailed 23 aircraft to join a force of 128 aircraft to bomb the railway marshalling yards at Trappes. Most of the bombs fell in the eastern half of the target area.

Of the 23 aircraft detailed 6 failed to return:

Halifax III LK841 NP:X (1 KiA, 2 PoW, 4 Evd);
Halifax III LK875 NP:Q (5 KiA, 1 PoW, 1 Evd);
Halifax III LK877 NP:A (1 PoW, 6 Evd);
Halifax III LV921 NP:B (6 KiA, 1 PoW);
Halifax III LW635 NP:K (5 KiA, I PoW, 1 Evd).

Homebound LV792 was attacked by a Ju88 night fighter at 01:17 hrs which tore a massive hole in the centre section of the aircraft. During the confusion of the blaze that broke out, three of the crew are thought to have fallen from the aircraft. Although two survived, one evading and the other becoming a PoW, unfortunately Sgt. Dwan’s body was never found.

Plt Off. Bancroft's combat report, which was published in Air Ministry Bulletin No 14233, describes the attack and the eventful return journey for a landing at RAF Hurn near Bournemouth at 02:49 hrs:

"He set us alight in the bomb bay as well as inside the fuselage, just in front of the rear bulkhead. There was a hole in the floor from one side of the aircraft to the other, three feet wide. Halfway up, the fuselage had been riddled with machine-gun bullets. There was a great hole near the wireless position and the inter-com had been shot to pieces. One of the port petrol tanks was leaking. One compass was smashed, another 90 degrees out. In the starboard side of the cockpit there was another big hole. Both turrets were useless. All the hydraulics were gone and, as a result, the flaps dropped. The undercarriage was only held in position by the locks, and the bomb bay doors fell wide open.

I had no idea how much petrol we had left. The gauges were useless - one said 10 gallons, enough for only five minutes, but that tank kept us going all the way home. Another showed 140 gallons but that tank was empty.

My rear gunner was jammed in his turret. He hacked his way out with an axe, jumped over the hole in the floor of the aircraft, and went forward - he had heard nothing from us on the inter-com. When he saw us he went back, got parachute and two fire extinguishers and tackled the blaze. The flames were leaping high and he soon used up the extinguishers. Then he beat out the fire with his feet and hands. The navigator and the bomb aimer put out the fire in the bomb bay by squirting another extinguisher through the inspection panel.

The starboard inner engine had also caught fire. I switched it off and feathered the propeller and the fire went out. Then I restarted the engine and it went all right. The whole aircraft was full of fumes and I had to open the window, even though there was that great hole not far from my head. When we got to the French coast we flew right over a town at 3,000 feet without a single gun fired at us. We crossed the sea at 2,000 feet, expecting to have to ditch at any moment. But somehow we made it and got down safely, though I found when we landed that the tail wheel had burst. The Halifax slewed in a half circle but I managed to pull it up safely".

The aircraft assessed at ‘Cat E’ = Aircraft is a write-off.

Equipment panels from the aircraft were salvaged and are now on display in the Australian War Memorial Museum in Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Above LV792 instrument panel, painted flat black, consisting of main panel, blind flying panel attached to left face, and lower angled secondary panel attached at base. Complete with instruments except bomb steering indicator (upper left), DR compass repeater (lower left), air temperature gauge (lower left) and DF indicator (bracket present, upper right). (Courtesy of the Australian War Memorial Museum)

Above LV792 Control column yoke consisting of a side-ways figure eight (8) with side handgrips, painted flat black, with bare metal triangular levers set behind. Above the left hand is a circular shaped crew intercom button with inscribed instructions 'press to transmit'. (Courtesy of the Australian War Memorial Museum)

The four members of crew who returned safely were decorated for their bravery.

Plt Off. Bancroft, Plt Off. Fripp and Plt Off. Tansley were awarded the DFC, whilst Sgt. Arundel was awarded the DFM.

The London Gazette dated 17th July 1944 promulgated the following group Citation:

“These officers and airman were air bomber, pilot, navigator and air gunner respectively, of an aircraft detailed to attack Trappes. The target was successfully attacked and on the return flight the aircraft was attacked, by an enemy fighter, causing. extensive damage. The inter-communication system was put out of action. The navigational instruments were rendered useless whilst fires broke out in the bomb bays and fuselage; the starboard inner engine also caught light. The situation seemed most serious, but Pilot Officer Bancroft held resolutely to his course. Meanwhile Flying Officer Tansley and Pilot Officer Fripp promptly directed their efforts towards fighting the 'fires. They were quickly joined by Sergeant Arundel who had struggled his way out of his damaged turret. Together these members of the crew finally succeeded in extinguishing the flames. Afterwards they co-operated splendidly with their captain. Pilot Officer Bancroft, who flew the badly damaged aircraft to an airfield in this country. In harassing circumstances these members of aircraft- crew displayed coolness, courage and devotion to duty worthy high praise".

LV792 was claimed by Hptm. Fritz Söthe his 9th Abschuss from, 4./NJG4, north of Evreux (Fight Grid Square UC) at 2,700m at 01:19 hrs. Victory listed in OKL/RLM 4./NJG4. The claim was confirmed ‘Abschussubersicht’, but with no confirmation date. (Nachtjagd Combat Archives 1944 Part 3 – Theo Boiten).

Hptm. Söthe was KiA in a crash at Lambrecht-Neustadt on the night of the 28th/29th September 1944 after his Ju88 G-1 was engaged by 85 Squadron Mosquito “Y” flown by Flt Lt. Michael H.C. Phillips DFC 115785 and Flt Lt. Derek V. Smith DFC 116688. Hptm. Söthe was credited with 14 confirmed Abschüsse with 2 awaiting confirmation. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies - Theo Boiten)

(1) Plt Off. Bancroft was posted to 27 Operational Training Unit (OTU) as an instructor on the 20th October 1944 after completing his tour with 158 Sqn.

On the 10th January 1945 he was posted to the newly reformed 96 Sqn at RAF Leconfield, which was a Halifax unit in Transport Command.

In March 1945 the squadron was sent to India via Egypt, without its aircraft and on arrival at Cairo West received Dakotas, which were then flown to India. It trained for the delivery of paratroopers and gliders but was mainly involved in general transport duties in and around Burma and the rest of South-East Asia Command

On the 13th June 1945 Dakota IV KN468 of 96 Squadron, flying out or RAF Bilaspur, crashed 2 miles east of Dinawa railway station near Patna in India.

The citation for the award of the George Medal (GM) to Fg Off. Bancroft DFC describes the circumstances of the aircraft accident.

Fg Off. Bancroft DFC was awarded GM. London Gazette dated 2nd July 1946.

Citation reads: "The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the George Medal to the undermentioned:- Flying Officer Bruce Douglas BANCROFT, DFC (421635), Royal Australian Air Force, No. 96 Squadron. On the 13th June 1945, Flying Officer Bancroft was captain of a Dakota aircraft detailed to carry freight from Bikram to Meiktila. About 30 minutes after the aircraft was airborne, an explosion occurred in the port engine and it caught fire. The aircraft lost height and the pilot was forced to land. In doing so the aircraft hit an earth bank and burst into flames. Flying Officer Bancroft, although badly burned, succeeded, with the help of the navigator, in extricating four members of the crew from the burning wreckage. Although in great pain, Flying Officer Bancroft then immediately took steps to get help and, refusing the use of a bullock cart as being too slow, he set out on foot for a railway station five miles away, believing he could summon help by telegraph. He became unconscious on the way but revived and carried on despite the pain from his burns and the great heat of the noonday sun. Flying Officer Bancroft eventually reached the railway station only to find that there were no telegraph facilities available. He had to wait some hours for a train, which took him to a place where he was able to contact a doctor. Only when he was assured that help was on the way to his comrades, did this officer allow his injuries to be treated. Throughout, his thoughts were only for his crew, and, by his brave and unstinting efforts, Flying Officer Bancroft displayed a high standard of devotion to duty and a complete disregard of self".

Crew:

Pilot: Plt Off. Bruce Douglas ‘Doug’ Bancroft DFC, GM 421635 RAAF Age 27. Survived

Pilot: Plt Off. Alfred William Culshaw 55480 RAF Age 26. Died, 14th June 1945

Nav: Flt Lt. James Jeffery Allen DFC 411723 RAAF Age 28. Died, 15th June 1945

Wireless Op: Fg Off. William John Tolliday 410793 RAAF Age 23. Killed

Passengers:

LAC. Alan Hull 901910 RAFVR Age 24. Died, 14th June 1945

LAC. Cyril Leonard Bunn 1191654 RAFVR Age 24. Died, 14th June 1945

AC2. George Hullah 2227821 RAFVR Age 37. Killed

The 3 crew and 3 passengers who perished in this aircraft accident were all laid to rest in the Delhi War Cemetery in Graves 5.H.4 to 5.H.9.

Above left to right: Flt Lt. James Jeffery Allen DFC; Fg Off. William John Tolliday from their Service records.

The DFC was awarded to Plt Off. Allen whilst serving with 466 Sqn, RAAF. London Gazette 16th November 1943.

On the 28th September 1945 he embarked from Calcutta for Sydney, Australia. His appointment with the RAAF was terminated on the 8th February 1946 upon demobilisation.

Bruce Douglas Bancroft was born on the 29th October 1916 in Rockdale, New South Wales, Australia. He passed away on the 29th September 2000 in Modbury, South Australia.

(2) The Escape and Evasion report for Sgt. Cottrell is not currently available so his evasion in France is not known to any great detail. What is known is that he was flown to RAF Northolt from B14 airstrip, Banville, France.

(3) Plt Off. Fripp completed a tour of 34 sorties with 158 Sqn on the 1st September 1944 and was then posted as a Fg Off. to 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) on the 20th September 1944 as an instructor.

He embarked for Melbourne, Australia on the 3rd October 1945.

His appointment with the RAAF was terminated on the 3rd December 1945 upon demobilisation.

Charles Frederick Alwyn Fripp was born on the 27th July 1923 in Wyong, New South Wales, Australia. Passed away on the 29th August 2016 in Bonnells Bay, New South Wales.

(4) The ‘General Questionnaire for British/American Ex-Prisoners of War’ for Sgt. Le Heup is not currently available. However, as he was reported to have been held at Stalag Luft 7, Bankau it can be assumed that on the 19th January 1945, he was one of the 1,500 prisoners who were marched out of the camp in the bitter cold. They crossed a bridge over the river Oderon the 21st January, reached Goldberg on 5th February, and were loaded onto a train.

On the 8th February they reached Stalag 3Alocated about 52 km (32 mls) south of Berlinnear Luckenwalde, which already held 20,000 prisoners, consisting mainly of soldiers from Britain, Canada, the US and Russia.

On the 22nd April 1945 as the Russians approached Stalag 3Athe guards fled leaving the prisoners to be liberated by the Red Army. Stalag 3A was turned over to the Americans on the 6th May at which time the Senior American Officers (SAO) took over the running of the camp until all the PoWs were evacuated.

Kenneth Leslie George Le Heup was born on the 8th March 1924. He passed away in the 4th Qtr of 1998 in West Dorset.

(5) Sgt. David Robert ‘Jock’ Arundel DFM was the Mid-Upper Air Gunner aboard Halifax III LV790 NP:L which was lost on the 12th/13th June 1944. He was a successful evader.

Burial details:

Above: The Runnymede Memorial (courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC))

Sgt. Leonard Stanley Dwan. Runnymede Memorial Panel 228. Son of George Charles and Lily Sarah (née Turner) Dwan of Rotherhithe, London.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this crew (Jun 2024).

Other sources listed below:

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