Operation: Montdidier

Date: 03/04th May 1944 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit: No. 582 Squadron 8 Group. PFF. (motto: Praevolamus designates - 'We fly before marking')

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: JA968

Code: 60-O

Base: RAF Little Staughton

Location: Montdidier, France

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Frederick Castell Bertelsen J/9077 RCAF Age. 22. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Reginald George Lovegrove 967425 RAFVR Age 29. Killed

Nav: F/O. James Leigh Ritchie J/23721 Age ? Killed

Air/Bmr: W/O. Glenwood Allan Schwerdfeger R/150897 RCAF Age ? Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Edward Kenneth Slattery 1580782 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Ronald Mansbridge 1876639 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Geoffrey Albert Clyne Aus/410454 RAAF Age 20. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

84 Lancaster with 8 Mosquitoes were detailed to bomb the Luftwaffe airfield at Montdidier. The results reported were heavy damage amongst the buildings and other installations on the northern part of the airfield.

Four aircraft on this operation fell victim yo the German night fighters, the others:

35 Squadron Lancaster III ND643 TL-S flown by 21 year old, P/O. Colin Elton from Eltham in London. All 7 crew killed.

405 Squadron Lancaster III ND881 LQ-Q flown by 25 year old, Stanley Clayton McDonald from Vancouver Canada. All 7 crew killed.

582 Squadron Lancaster IIIND910 60-F flown by P/O. Charles James Erskine O'neill from Canada. 6 of the crew with 1 evading capture - F/O. John Bernard Armstrong J/23730 of Peterborough, Ontario returned to his unit in September 1944.

At the same time 346 Lancasters with 14 Lanasters were bombing a German military camp at Mailly-Le Camp. Losses on that raid were enormous with 42 Lancasters lost!

Lancaster III JA968 was shot down by either Oblt. Jacob Schaus of 4./NJG4 at 00:18 hrs or by Hptm. Helmut Bergmann of 8./NJG4 at 00:26 hrs.

Above L-R: Hptm. Helmut Bergmann, Fw. Wilhelm Schopp and Fw. Günter Hauthal. This crew claimed 5 Lancasters within 30 minutes on this operation.

Burial details:

Fl/Lt. Frederick Castell Bertelsen. Montdidier French National Cemetery. Collective Grave 5822 – 5824. Son of Albert Frederick & Florence Rebecca Bertelsen of Salmonhurst, Victoria Co., New Brunswick, Canada.

Sgt. Reginald George Lovegrove. Montdidier French National Cemetery. Collective Grave 5822 – 5824. Son of James Albert Lovegrove and Helena Florence Lovegrove (née Coltman). Of Ecclesall Bierlow, Yorkshire, England.

F/O. James Leigh Ritchie. Montdidier French National Cemetery. Grave 5826. Son of Ralph L. (died in 1968, age 83) and Lottie Ritchie (née Stover - died in 1976, age 91), of Chatham, Ontario, Canada. Grave inscription: 'Blessed Are They That Die In The Lord. He Died To Save His Loved Ones, Not In Vain'.

W/O. Glenwood Allan Schwerdfeger. Montdidier French National Cemetery. Collective Grave 5822 – 5824. Born on the 11th December 1915. Worked as a chef/waiter prior to service. Of Ontario, Canada.

Sgt. Edward Kenneth Slattery. Montdidier French National Cemetery. Collective Grave 5822 – 5824. Son of Edward and Doris Nellie Slattery, of Birminghamm, England. Grave inscription: 'To Think Of You, Son, Is Our Only Treasure. In Our Hearts You Will Live For Ever'.

Sgt. Ronald Mansbridge. Montdidier French National Cemetery. Grave 5827. Son of William Charles and Ellen Louisa Mansbridge, of Harrow, Middlesex, England. Grave inscription: ' A Voice We Loved Is Stilled, A Place Is Vacant In Our Home That Never Can Be Filled'.

Fl/Sgt. Geoffrey Albert Clyne. Montdidier French National Cemetery, Grave 5825. Born on the 22nd May 1923 at Richmond, Victoria. Worked as a clerk prior to service. Enlisted 30th January 1942 at Melbourne. Son of Albert Henry (died 25th April 1968) and Monica Clyne (née Rice - died 07th February 1984, age 84), of 19 Esplanade, Elwood, Victoria, Australia. Grave inscription: 'His Duty Nobly Done. For Ever Loved And Mourned. R.I.P'.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Theo Boiten 'Nachtjagd Combat Arcives, Kracker Luftwaffe Archive, National Archives Australia, Veteran Affairs of Canada, Operation Picture Me, other sources as quoted below:

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