Operation: Düsseldorf, Germany
Date: 2/3rd November 1944
Unit: No. 102 Squadron
Type: Halifax III
Serial: MZ798
Code: DY-M
Base: RAF Pocklington, Yorkshire
Location: Leuven
Pilot: Lt. James Errol Begbie 79229V SAAF Age 26. Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Cyril James Jauncey 937799 RAFVR Age 22. Killed
Nav: Sgt. J.P. Robinson RAFVR Survived.
Air/Bmr: F/O. Harry Worden 154603 RAFVR Age 21. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Henry J. Griffiths RAFVR Survived
Air/Gnr: Sgt. R.H. Mathews RAFVR Survived
Air/Gnr: Sgt. R.D. Scott RAFVR Survived
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 16:12 hrs from RAF Pocklington, Yorkshire to attack Düsseldorf, Germany. Massive raid (Last on Düsseldorf of the war by bomber command) with 992 aircraft taking part. (561 Lancasters, 400 Halifaxes and 31 Mosquitoes).
The raid resulted in 5,000 houses destroyed or badly damaged including steel manufacturers, 7 industrial firms were destroyed and a further 18 seriously damaged. Over 678 people on the ground were killed and another 1,000 were injured. 19 Aircraft were lost (11 Halifaxes and 8 Lancasters)
Over Düsseldorf, Germany 02/03rd November 1944 (archives)
Halifax MZ798 was hit by machine gun fire from another bomber in the friendly force and then intercepted by a night fighter, thought to have been flown by Lt. Wolfram Möckel of 4./NJG2 at a height of 3,500 mtrs. over Brussels at 19:42 hrs. 3 Crew members were killed and the remainder survived after falling over liberated territory in Belgium.Lt. James Errol Begbie. Brussels Town Cemetery Grave X. 26.3. Son of James Warburton Begbie and Frances Helen Begbie, of Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa.
Sgt. Cyril James Jauncey. Brussels Town Cemetery Grave X. 26.1. Son of George and Annie Jauncey, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, England.
F/O. Harry Worden. Brussels Town Cemetery Grave X. 26.2. Son of William Henry and Eleanor Ann Worden, of Blackburn, Lancashire, England.
Researched for Gill Ellison - (Harry Worden was her mothers fiancée) With thanks also to Joanne Wagner for original grave photographs - December 2017.
KTY - 01.12.2017 grave marker photograph added.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 01 December 2017, 16:56