Operation: Reichwald Forest area, Germany

Date: 16th February 1945 (Friday)

Unit No: 198 Squadron, 123 Wing, 2nd Tactical Air Force

Type: Typhoon Ib

Serial: MN487

Code: TP:R

Base: ALG B.77 Gilze/Riigen, Netherlands

Location: Palzdorf, Germany

Pilot: WO1. Donald James Campbell R155556 RCAF Age 22. KiA

Above: WO1. Donald James Campbell as a trainee, from his Service Record

REASON FOR LOSS

The following was the circumstantial report for WO1 Campbell who was reported missing on Air Operations on the 16th February 1945:

‘On 16th February 1945, 4 Typhoons Ib were detailed to attack VCF targets in the Reichwald Forest area. WO1. Campbell was briefed to fly as Blue 3, but owing to the fact that Flt Lt. Lawless (Blue 1) burst a tyre while taking off and did not become airborne, WO1. Campbell took over as Blue 1. The aircraft were airborne at 17:10 hrs and were over the target area at approximately 17:20 hrs. The target was passed to Blue 1 as houses NE of Goch south of Cleve Forest on 'Yellow Grid' and told that Red Smoke would be laid on in 4 mins. On seeing the Red Smoke he immediately dived down and fired his rockets amid intense light flak from the target area, he then said aver the R/T that he was going down to strafe the flak position, this position he attacked on three occasions, each time in the face of intense flak. Prior to the last attack he said he would go in one more time and then return to Base. He was seen to pull up after this attack, but owing to very bad visibility was not seen subsequently, Blue 2 called up three times on the R/T to him, but received no reply from him.

Nothing further has been has been heard of WO1. Campbell and he has been reported Missing’.

Note: VCF is believed to stand for Vehicle Concentrated Forces.

On the 9th July 1947 No. 20 Section of No. 4 Missing Research and Enquiry Unit (MREU) instigated an investigation into a crash site of an aircraft on a farm in Pfalzdorf, Germany

Parts found at the site identified the aircraft as a Typhoon with a serial of MN467 [sic]. The location was in a field behind the property at Kuhstraße 5 whose owner claimed that the aircraft crashed on the 15th February 1945 [sic] between 16:00 and 17:00 hrs and the body of the pilot was later buried by English soldiers.

The exhumation of the airman from an isolated grave in the field behind the property did not yield a positive identification but the name Milich was found on the casing of the parachute. No pilots brevet was found on the blouse but a Warrant Officers coat of arms was found in one of the pockets. The cross on the grave depicted the name “Campbell Milich, 16-2-1945”.

Note: The only Typhoon recorded as missing in this general location on this day was that of WO1. Donald James Campbell whose Typhoon Ib was serial MN487.

The serial MN467 was indeed attributed to 198 Squadron and was reported lost on this day. However, this Typhoon was being delivered to B.77 Gilze/Riigen when it suffered an engine failure in the landing approach. The aircraft was completely destroyed but the pilot, Fg Off. Louis F. Bastin walked away with a just few bruises.

The use of the name Milich has not been resolved but there is no doubt that the remains recovered where those of WO1. Donald James Campbell.

There were two other anomalies in the MREU report; firstly the grave was reported in the graves concentration report as being situated in a cabbage field behind the house at Kirchstraße 5 and not Kuhstraße 5. Secondly it recorded that his final resting place was at the Reichswald Cemetery in grave 21.H.2, when he was in fact relocated to grave 21.H.8.

Earlier, on the 31st July 1944, whilst with 183 Sqn, on a mission out of ALG B.7 Normandy in France, Flt Sgt. Campbell crashed on take off.

The events leading up to the accident were described by Flt Sgt. Campbell:

‘I was the pilot of Typhoon JP909 and I was briefed to attack German tanks on July, 31st 1944 about 1530 and I was to take off with my Number One, Plt Off. Patterson, at 15:50. I taxied out to the end of the runway behind my Number One. There were six aircraft to take off ahead of us. After they had taken off Plt Off. Patterson and myself proceeded to do likewise. About one quarter of the way up the runway my aircraft swung to port which I immediately corrected. I then lost sight of him, due to the dust so I opened my throttle to +4 lbs boost and my aircraft swung to starboard. My tail was off the ground and I saw I was heading for Flying Control and some parked vehicles. I then opened the throttle fully to try and get airborne before I reached them. I was holding as much left rudder as I could but it would not take any effect, so I tried using port brake but, as I was bouncing quite a lot, this also had no effect. I could not get airborne soon enough, so I crashed through the parked vehicles and Flying Control. I immediately tried to get out of the aircraft as quickly as possible. I was cut on the head where I had hit the gunsight. Some airmen finally helped me out and I went by the ambulance to Sick Quarters.

Note: Fg Off. Joseph Adam Patterson 154703 was KiA on the 31st December 1944 when his Typhoon Ib MN262 was shot down by flak near St. Vith in France.

The subsequent investigation determined that this was a clear case of inexperience. This was Flt Sgt. Campbell’s first formation take off, whilst at the same time his total flying time on Typhoons amounted to only 17 hrs 50 mins.

The aircraft was classified as Cat E (Unrepairable) and an ambulance, crash tender and the Flying Control lorry were destroyed. Along with Flt Sgt. Campbell two airmen received minor injuries which were treated in the Sick Quarters.

Burial details:

Above Courtesy Of the Star Phoenix dated, September 9th, 1945.

WO1. Donald James Campbell. Recovered and interred at the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery 21.H.8 on the 9th July 1947. Born on the 9th July 1922 in Brock, Saskatchewan. Son of James and Clara (née Cyr) Campbell of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

He was posthumously commissioned and promoted to J94418 Plt Off. effective 1st January 1945.

Researched by Ralph Snape and dedicated to this pilot and his family.

Other sources as quoted below:

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