Operation: Ladbergen

Date: 23/24th September 1944 (Saturday/Sunday)

Unit: No. 61 Squadron (motto: Per puram tonantes-'Thundering through the clear air') 5 Group

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: ND988

Code: QR-E

Base: RAF Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire

Location: Wechte, Germany

Pilot: F/O. Ian Melville Campbell NZ/426213 RNZAF Age 23. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. John Norman Hoad 1175274 RAFVR Age 23. Kiled

Nav: Sgt. Richard Derrick Cole 1486632 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt.Montague John Miln NZ/427508 Age 24. Killed

W/Op/A/Gnr: Sgt. John McCabe 1348047 RAFVR Age ? Killed

Air/Grnr (mu): Fl/Sgt. Samuel Vernon Wickland 640170 RAFVE Age 23. Killed

Air/Gnr (r): Sgt. Harold Lea 1895544 PoW No, 911 Camp: Stalag Luft Bankan (VII)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 19:07 hrs. with 18 others from the squadron rom RAF Skellingthorpe, (nicknamed as Skelly to the crews) - part of a 136 strong bomber group sent to breach the Dortmund-Ems canal north of Münster. Selected for the fact that the water level at this point was significantly higher than the surrounding land, 136 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitos from No. 5 group RAF Bomber Command attacked this target.

F/O. D.C Freeman flying Lancaster III NF914 QR-T failed ti identify the target some 20 minutes after 'H' hour. He released his bomb load east of bomb line. (sir note)

ND988 was also armed with the 'Tallboy' (1) Barnes Wallis bomb. Failed to see the target to drop the bomb and was under instructions to return with it if that happened.

Despite the rather heavy and low clouds, the dyke was successfully breached, resulting in the draining of the Nazis important waterway over a length of 9 km. An important element of this attack was the two direct hits by Tallboy - 12,000 lb. bombs delivered by 617 Squadron early during the bomb run.

Other operations taking place this night, 549 aircraft bombing Neuss. 113 aircraft bombing the night fighter airfield at Handorf, just outside Münster.

Hit by 88mm. anti-aircraft fire from 3.-8 .Flak shw. Abt .273 (o) at 23:15 hrs. and exploded. All but the rear gunner who was thrown clear in the explosion were killed.
Later that morning the Luftwaffe arrived and removed the extensive wreckage. Six bodies were recovered over an area. of 800 yards.

Lancaster I ME732 QR-P Flown by Fl/Kt. Donald Edward Stone 152068 RAFVR - Killed with 4 other crew, 1 PoW, 1 Evaded capture - claimed by Hptm. Georg Hermann Greiner of 11/NJG-1 .(more here)

LancasterIII LM718 Q-K Flown by Sq/Ldr. Hugh Wilkinson Horsley - 2 crew killed, 2 PoW, 3 Evaded - claimed by Hptm. Ernst Wilhelm Modrow of 2./NJG1. On the 01st February the following year Sq/Lde. Horsley flying Lancaster I NF912 QR-L was killed with all his crew whilst attempting a forced landing after an engine failure. (more here)

LancasterIII ED470 QR-W Flown by F/O. Albe

LancasterIII ED470 QR-W Flown by F/O. Albert Keith Hornibrook 426346 RAAF - 6 Crew killed, 1 Evaded - claimed by Lt. Otto Teschne of Stab IV./NJG1.

(note) F/O. Desmond Clayton Freeman DFC. 172828 RAFVR was listed as missing believed killed the following day with 5 others from the crew, 1 crew member evaded capture. His father, 42 year old Luther Henry Freeman Home Guard 11th Lindsey (Gainsborough) Bn also lost his life on the 29th December 1940. His mother Enid Victoria Freeman living in Gainsboroughmust, Lincolnshire have been distraught by war end.

Burial and other details:

Initially buried in a communal grave at Lengerich.After a team of No. 4 MREU (2) examined the grave and identified they were the crew of ND988 they were reinterred on the 31st March 1947.

F/O. Ian Melville Campbell. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Grave 24.f.II. Born on the 12th March 1912 in Whangārei, New Zealand. Educated at Whangare High School and King's College, Aukland. Employed

in the civil engineering trade prior to his enlistment in the RNZAF on the 30th May, 1942. A total of 495 hours logged on the Lancaster. Son of Dr. John George Campbell (died 21st Jauary 1959, age 75) and Violet May Campbell (née Pagan - died 13th August 1970, age 87) of 12 Aubrey Street,, Auckland Nedied 21 Jan 1959 at age 75w Zealand.

Above: Parents, John and Violet - F/O. Ian Melville Campbell (courtesy Ancestry)

Sgt. John Norman Hoad. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. . Collective grave 24. F. 14-18. Son of Herbert and Annie M. Hoad of Birmingham, England. Epitaph 'He Is Not Here He Is Risen'.

Sgt. Richard Derrick Cole. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Collective grave 24. F. 14-18. Son of Richard and Margaret Lilianc Cole of West Hartlepool Co. Durhamm England. M.A.

Fl/Sgt.Montague John Miln. (shown left) Reichswald Forest War. Cemetery. Collective grave 24. F. 14-18. Born at Te Ruiti on the 8th July 1920. Education was received Christs College, Christchurch. Employed on general farm duties on his father's farm 'Castlecraig' near Te Kuiti. In June 1941he applied for war service in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Enlisted on the 11th July 1942. A total of 302 hours logged as air bomber. Son of Robert Roy Miln (died1971, age 85) and of Annie Augusta Miln (Nee Mosley died 1959, age 73) of 'Castlecraig' Te Angam, Auckland, New Zealand.

Sgt. John McCabe. (shown right) Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. . Collective grave 24. F. 14-18. Also remembered on parents grave in Dalkeith Cemetery. Son of Patrick McCabe (died 1940, age 55) and Elizabeth (née Williamson - died 1955, age 68) od Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland.

Fl/Sgt. Samuel Vernon Wickland. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. . Collective grave 24. F. 14-18. Born at Llansaint in 1921. Son of Joseph James Wickland and Elizabeth Jane Wickland. (née Samuel) Husband of Ivy Wickland (married 1942) of Greenwich London, England.

(1)The 'Tallboy' - was a massive 12,000-pound 'earthquake bomb' developed by Barnes Wallis for the RAF in WWII, designed to penetrate deep underground and destroy heavily fortified targets like U-boat pens, bunkers, and large warships (famously sinking the German battleship Tirpitz) using powerful underground shockwaves. Dropped from Avro Lancaster bombers, its streamlined shape and high speed allowed it to pierce concrete, creating seismic effects.

(2) The Royal Air Force Missing Research and Enquiry Service was set up in 1944 to trace the 42,000 personnel who were listed as ‘missing, believed killed’. The demand was so great that the department was expanded in 1945. Flight Lieutenant Noel Archer of the MRES noting details of aircrew graves at a civilian burial ground in France.These men had no special training, and did not have the benefits that modern technology offers; only a strong desire to bring home those who had not returned.
Despite the obstacles caused by the lack of tools, the MRES was able to account for over two thirds of the missing personnel by a thorough combing Flt Lt Ralph Laronde and Flt Lt Noel Archer and colleagues from the MRES bearing an exhumed coffin to a reburial ceremony at an official war grave somewhere in France. of the globe. Those found were identified and reinterred in Commonwealth War Graves Commission plots.
Without the commitment shown by the dedicated teams of the MRES, many families would go on not knowing what had happened to their loved one or of the location of their Final resting place. The MRES allowed families the dignity to finally grieve. The unit was disbanded in 1952.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and Rhis 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 Archives Kew AIR 27-579-17/18, AIR 27-30-90, Theo Boiten, 'Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1944 part four'. Kracker Luftwaffe Archives

Other sources as quoted below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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