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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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75
75 Squadron Wellington III BJ625 Fl/Sgt. Thomas Smith Barclay

Operation: Mainz

Date: 11/12th august 1942 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit: No. 75 Squadron (RNZAF) 3 Group (motto: Ake ake kia kaha - 'For ever and ever be strong')

Type: Wellington III

Serial: BJ625

Code: AA-T

Base: RAF Feltwell, Norfolk

Location: Near Neuss, Germany

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Thomas Smith Barclay NZ/411358 RNZAF Age 22. Killed

Obs: Sgt. William Gordon Lloyd Inglis NZ/411758 RNZAF Age 27. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Robert John Warring NZ/411110 RNZAF Age 21. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Ronald George Renauf Hodges R/92164 RCAF Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. John William Filder Atkin NZ/411057 RNZAF Age 20. PoW No: 25659 Camp: Stalag Lamsdorf (1)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off between 22:00 - 22:55 hrs one of nine detailed from the squadron to bomb Mainz, a total force of 154 aircraft taking part. Bombing was made between 01:55 and 03:15 hrs (CET). 14 aircraft failed to return with 3 from 75 squadron, the others:

Wellington III X3646 Flown by 25 year old, P/O. George Edward Francis Bradley NZ/401954 RNZAF - 4 crew lost with 1 PoW.
Wellington IIIBJ767 Flown by 29 year old, Fl/Lt. Laurence St George Dobbin NZ/401375 RNZAF - 2 LOST, 3 made PoW.

BJ625 was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed into the side of a hill near Neuss in the early hours of Wednesday morning. All but one of the crew were killed.

(1) John William Filder Atkin died on the 16th July 2005, age 83. Husband of Agnes Margaret (died 23rd October 1973, age 53) both buried at Maunu Cemetery, Northland, New Zealand. Father of Murray.

Burial details:

Initially buried in the North Military Cemetery at Dusseldorf.

Fl/Sgt. Thomas Smith Barclay. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Grave 9.H.4. Born on the 29th October 1919 in County Durham, England. Son of Thomas Young Barclay (died 29th June 1961 - later married Olive Mary (née Wash - died 03rd September 1985, age 91), and of Janet Barclay (nee Smith - died 27th February 1931), formerly of Pelaw, County Durham, England and later of Northcote, Auckland, New Zealand. 348 flying hours logged and thought to be on his 6th operational sortie.

Sgt. William Gordon Lloyd Inglis. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Grave 9.H.2. Born on the 20th January 1915 in Dannevirke. Son of William and Agnes Inglis (née Ridler) foster-son of Mrs. R. Retter, of Ruaroa, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. 150 flying hours logged and thought to be on his 7th operational sortie.

Sgt. Robert John Warring. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Grave 9.H.3. Born on the 07th December 1920 in Auckland. Son of William Robert (died 22nd June 1963, age 80) and Ada May Warring (died 28th March 1966, age 77), of Mount Albert, Auckland City, New Zealand. 164 flying hours logged and thought to be on his 5th operational sortie.

Fl/Sgt. Ronald George Renauf Hodges. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Grave 9.H.1. Of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. No further details - are you able to advise?

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, National Archive. We recommend that you take the time to view the excellent 75 Squadron website.

Other sources as quoted below:

KTY 21-02-2023

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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