Operation: Mannheim

Date: 18/19 November 1943 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit: No. 431 (Iroquois) Squadron (motto He hatiten ronteriios - Warriors of the air) 6 Group

Type: Halifax V

Serial: LK640

Code: SE-Q

Base: RAF Tholthorpe, North Yorkshire

Location: English Channel

Pilot: F/O. Garnet Oliver Carefoot J/10796 RCAF Age 27. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt .Keith James Shipp 1865142 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

Nav: Fl/Sgt. (P/O.-posthumous). Craig Edward Mcgillivray R/145838 (J/85248) RCAF Age 23. Killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Robert William Mcgavin Cowan 1319861 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Peter Sydney Lowry 1321590 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr (m-up): Sgt. Emerson Earl Case R/183870 RCAF Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr (rear): Sgt. Albert Edward Roden R/186781 RCAF Age 31. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

For the first time in the war, Bomber Command made two large scale attacks, more or less simultaneously, on two widely sense targets. For the opening round of the 'Battle of Berlin', 444 aircraft were dispatched to bomb the Big City and a second stream of 395 bombers headed for Ludwigshafen-am-Rhein near Mannheim, which was attacked between Mme 21.08 hrs. Intended as diversions of the Main Force raids, two small forces of 6 and 10 Mosquitoes attacked Frankfurand Essen respectively, and 16 Wellingtons laid mines between Texel and St. Nazaire.

Major diversionary raid on Mannheim and Ludwigshafen by 395 aircraft - 248 Halifaxes, 114 Stirlings, 33 Lancasters of 3, 4, 6 and 8 Groups. German fighters successfully engaged the bomber force and 23 aircraft - 12 Halifaxes, 9 Stirlings, 2 Lancasters - were lost.

Cloud was present over the target area and much of the bombing was scattered. 21 people were killed, 154 injured and 7,500 bombed out. Many bombs fell outside the city and the local report lists much damage and loss at farms.This was the last major raid on the much-bombed city of Mannheim for 15 months.

10 Mosquitos to Essen, 6 to Aachen and 6 to Frankfurt, 16 Wellingtons minelaying from Texel to St Nazaire.

After taking off at 17:22 hrs nothin further was heard from the crew. No night fighter claimed LK640 and it was presumed th have been hit by flak crashing into the English Channel.

The body of Sgt. Case was recovered from the sea 30 miles south of Newhaven on the 20th November 1943, the body' of Sgt Shipp washed ashore at Bexhill the fillowing year on the 12th January. Fl/Sgt Mcgillivray's body was also washed up at Bexhill on the 09th December 1943. German documents show that F/O. Carefoot Carefoot's body washed ashore near Quend on the 29th November 1943 and that they buried him at Abbeville. International Red Cross reported that Sgt. Lowry's body was recovered near Wimereux on the 17th December 1943. No details on location of Sgt. Cowan's body recovery and the body of Sgt. Roden body was not knowingly recovered so he is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.

Burial and other details:

F/O. Garnet Oliver Carefoot. Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension, Plot 6. Row D. Grave 3. Born on the 18th July 1916 in Beverley, Saskatchewan, Canada. Enlisted on the 23rd June 1941. Son of William Alexander Carefoot (died 1975, age 91) and Annie Ethel Carefoot (née Galbraith - died 1950, age 66) of Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada, F/O. Carefoot immigrated to Sweet Grass, Montana, United States in 1938. Five brothers and two sisters.

Sgt .Keith James Shipp. Great Baddow Churchyard (St. Mary) Grave 615. Born on the 1924 in Chelmsford, Essex, England. Son of James Hutchinson (died 1974, age 68) and Kathleen Florence (née Hunt - died 1974, age 68). His grave incorrectly stated he died on the 11th January 1944, hocerever this was the date his body was recovered. Epitaph: 'In Loving Memory Of Our Dear Son Keith James Shipp Sergt. Flight Engineer R.A.F Who Gave His Life For His Country On 11th January 1944, Aged 19'.

P/0. Craig Edward Mcgillivray. (shown left) Brookwood Military Cemetery. Grave 47. I. 7. Born on the 12th October 1920 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Enlisted on the 15th December 1941. Son of Thomas Alexander McGillivray (died 1977, age 89) and Myrtle Edward McGillivray (née Edward - died 1932, age 39), of 49 Baby Point Cresent,Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Sgt. Peter Sydney Lowry. Marquise Communal Cemetery. Plot 1. Row D. Grave 8. Born on the 8 Apr 1922 in England Son of Albert Sydney and Alice Ethel Lowry, of Chiswick, Middlesex, England. Epitaph: 'To Live In Hearts We Leave Behind Is Not To Die'.

Sgt. Robert William Mcgavin Cowan. Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension. Plot 6. Row D. Grave 2. Son of David McGavin Cowan and Mabel Emily Cowan husband of Dorothy Cowan, of Rogerstone, Monmouthshire. Western Universities Teaching Certificate and Archbishop's Certificate, 1941. Epitaph: 'Born Of The Sun Flying Into The Sun He Signed The Vivid Air With His Honour'.

Sgt. Albert Edward Roden. (shown right) Runnymede Memorial. Panel 186. Born on the 08th March 1912. Enlisyed in Winning on the 21st August 1942. Son of Richard (died 1952, ag 81) and Elizabeth Georgina Barbara Roden (née Murray - died 1973, age 98) Husband of June Ordeana Roden, of Hudson. Ontario. Canada.

Sgt. Emerson Earl Case. (shown left) Newhaven Cemetery. Grave 588. Born on the 28 Feb 1922 in in Zenda, Oxfor, Ontario, Canada, Enlisted on the 25th August 1942. Son of Franklin Edward (died q944, age 65) and Emma Rozella Case (née 1876 - died 1962, age 85) Husband of Eileen Muriel Case (née Avey - died 2009, age 84, of Woodstock, Ontario, Canada. Epitaph: 'Whosoever Believeth In Him Shall Not Perish, But Have Eternal Life St. John 3.15'.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the National Archives Ke, Theo Boiten Nachjagd Combat Archives. Government of Canada WW2 Service Records, Paradie RCAF Archives.

Other sources as quoted below:

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