Operation: Hasselt

Date: 12/13th May 1944 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit: No. 466 Squadron (RAAF) 4 Group (motto 'Brave and true')

Type: Halifax III (Equipped with H)

Serial: LV919

Code: HD-O

Base: RAF Leconsfield, Yorkshire

Location: North West of Turnhout - see map

Pilot: F/O. Leonard Victor Barnett Aus/418332 RAAF Age 21. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Alexander Mitchell Berry 1861471 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

Nav: F/O. Geoffrey Philip Pinn Aus/424212 RAAF Age 22. Killed

Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Harold John Smith Aus/410515 RAAF Age 29. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. William Kevin Gertzel Aus/427460 RAAF Age 20. Kiled

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. William Andrew Gillard Aus/429849 RAAF Age 25. Killed

Air/Gnr: F/O. Lavington Edmund John Chinnery Aus/ 429924 RAAF Age 32. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Werather: Fine with smoke haze and only a few scattered patches of low cloud. Target area was cloudless with poor vertical visibility. No ground detail visible. RAF Leconsfield - Orfordness - Target - Orfordness - RAF Leconsfield. Bomb load - 18 x 500 lb. HD.

Takung off at 21:50 hrs on an operation against the railway yards at Hasselt in Belgium. 132 crews taking part with 15 supplied by 466 squadron.

Only 39 bombed the target and all missed due to haze. The Master Bomber ordered that the raid be stopped. Red and green markers were in a tight clouds and the bombs were falling around them. A few sticks fell to the west of the target. 5 of the squadron crews reported a large explosion at 00:31 hrs. 21 year old, Fl/Sgt. Stevens (note) Aus/416802 RAAF flying Halifax III LV823 reported another at 00:40 hrs when 30 miles away.

The bomber stream came under intense enemy fighter attacks from the enemy coast also on the return trip. Many combats observed by the squadron and aircraft going down. None were encountered over the target area.

Primary target was bombed from 9,000 ft at 00:29 hrs on a heading of 187 miles. During the return trip they were again attacked by night fighters and the squadron suffered the loss of two crews. Halifax III LV826 flown by P/O. Eric Harry Gaggin Aus/425000 RAAF with all 8 crew killed.

Above: The Luftwaffe crew. Feldwebel Rumpelhardt, Oberleutnant Schnaufer and Oberfeldwebel Gänzler (Courtesy Kracker Archive)

LV919 was intercepted by the night fighter crew of Hptm Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, Feldwebel Friedrich Fritz Rumpelhardt ard Oberfeldwebel Wilhelm Gänzler of the Stab IV./NJG 1, who had taken off from St Trond (Sint-Truiden) airfield at 23:56 hrs, in BfWilhelm 110 G-4 G9+HF. This was their 64th Victory.

Above: Crew memorial, note that the incorrect serial number inscribed. This aircraft was also lost on this operation. Details here. (Courtesy Waymarking Groundspeak)

Burial details:

F/O. Leonard Victor Barnett. Schoonselhof Cemetery. Collective. Grave IVa.E. 33-34. Born on the 24th February 1923 in Moorabbin, Victoria. Son of Henry Victor (died 11th July 1961, age 69) and Alice Maud Barnett (died 27th May 1957, age 67), of Moorabbin, Victoria, Australia. Epitaph: 'His Duty Done. Now In God's Care

Right: Original grave marker

Sgt. Alexander Mitchell Berry. Schoonselhof Cemetery. Collective. Grave IVa.E. 33-34. Schoonselhof Cemetery Coll. Grave IVa.E. 33-34. Son of William Wilson Berry and Florence Augusta Berry, of Kingsbury, Middlesex. Epitaph/: 'In Everloving Remembrance Of Our Dear Son'.

F/O. Geoffrey Philip Pinn. Schoonselhof Cemetery Grave IVa.E.35. Born on the 6th July 1921 in Summer Hill, New South Wales. Son of Leslie Paul Gordon Pinn (died 11th August 1969, age 84) and Lavina Ethel Pinn, (née Trompp - died 1973, age78) of Epping, New South Wales, Australia. B.Ec., Dip. Ed. (Sydney). Epitaph 'Out Of This Nettle, Danger, We Pluck This Flower, Safety.

Fl/Sgt. Harold John Smith. Schoonselhof Cemetery. Collective. Grave IVa.E. 33-34. Born on the 20th April 1915 in Warrnambool, Victoria. Son of Walter Richard (died 01st December 1939, age 66) and Annie Elizabeth Mary Smith (née Anderton - died 12th August 1974, age 86), of Mepunga East, Victoria, Australia. Brother of Stanley Keith “Stan” Smith V353179 who survived the war, Alan Leslie Smith V353178 survived the war and Kenneth Walter Smith. Epitaph: 'His Duty Nobly Done. Ever Remembered And Loved'.

Sgt. William Kevin Gertzel. Schoonselhof Cemetery. Collective. Grave IVa.E. 33-34. Born on the 24th July 1923 in Perth, Western Australia. Son of Clarice Gertzel, (née Macpherson - later fellows - died 01st February 1973, age 76) of Perth, Western Australia. Brother of Vincent Leslie Gertzel, Epitaph: 'His Duty Fearlessly And Nobly Done. Ever Remembered'.

Fl/Sgt. William Andrew Gillard. Schoonselhof Cemetery. Collective. Grave IVa.E. 33-34. Born on the 24th July 1923 in Perth, Western Australia. Son of Richard George (died 15th November 1965, age 85) and Rose Ann Gillard (née Smith - died 17th May 1962, age 85) , of Houghton, South Australia of Houghton, South Australia. Epitaph: 'Ever Remembered By His Mother, Sisters And Brothers'.

F/O. Lavington Edmund John Chinnery. Schoonselhof Cemetery. Collective. Grave IVa.E. 33-34. Born on the 7th September 1911 in Goodwood, South Australia. Son of Archibald George (died 15th March 1947, age 62) and Melinda Myrtle Deneen Chinnery (née Cocker - died 23rd July 1966, age 82); husband of Ruva Arma Chinnery (née Young - married 26th January 1935 - died 1955, age 42), of Central Avenue, Magill, South Australia. Epitaph; 'Beloved He Lived Valiantly He Died'

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the National Archives. Kew. AIR-27-.1926-10/11, Paul McGuiness RAAF Archive, Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Waymarking Groundspeak. Australian National Archives.

Other sources as quoted below:

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