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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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75 squadron crest
02/03.06.1942 75 Squadron Wellington III X3408 AA:Q Plt Off. Carter

Operation: Essen, Germany


Date: 2nd/3rd June 1942 (Tuesday/Wednesday)


Unit No: 75 Squadron


Type: Wellington Mk III


Serial: X3408


Code: AA:Q

Base: RAF Feltwell, Norfolk


Location: Aalst-Waalre, just south of Eindhoven, Holland


Pilot: Plt Off. Cecil William Phair Carter NZ41874 RNZAF Injured/PoW No: 545 * (1)


Obs: Sgt. Jack Lawrence Coy 403616 RNZAF Injured PoW No: 402 **

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt Herbert Ives 391384 RNZAF PoW No: 423 **

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Jack Robert Mayall 404081 RNZAF PoW No: 435 **

Air Gnr(Rear): Flt Sgt. Philip Newbury Howard 391384 RNZAF PoW No: 419 *

* Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland. (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser, Bavaria).

** Stalag 357 Kopernikus at Thorn (Toruń) in Poland. Moved in September 1944. The camp was commonly referred to as Stalag 357 Fallingbostel, however, it was officially designated as Stalag 357 Oerbke.

REASON FOR LOSS:


Took off at 00:11 hrs. from RAF Feltwell, Norfolk. 195 Aircraft took part - 97 Wellingtons, 38 Halifaxes, 27 Lancasters 21 Stirlings and 12 Hampdens took part in the second night in succession bombing Essen.

The attack was widely scattered and records show that only 3 high explosive and 300 incendiary bombs hit the city with no serious damage or injuries.

The RAF however lost 14 aircraft! 68 crew members were killed and a further 15 made PoW.

X3408 was hit by Flak during the inbound part of the flight over the target area and then again on the return journey over Duisburg at 10,500 feet finally crashing at Aalst-Waalre at 03:47 hrs. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (23 September - 31 December) 1943 Part 3 - Theo Boiten). All the crew were captured.

(1) Plt Off. Carter was known to have been involved in one unsuccessful escape attempt with a 1st Lt. Harold 'Shorty' Spire who himself later successfully escaped and evaded capture.

He was also involved in the "Great Escape" working in the Map department established in the East Compound. Passed away on the 12th July 1997, age 77. Husband of Jean I. Carter who passed away on the 15th June 2015.

Plt Off. Cecil William Phair Carter as a PoW - in middle leaning over. (Courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand)

Burial details:

None - all the crew survived

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) and dedicated to the crew. Update to narrative (Nov 2019). Addition of link and the involvement at Stalag Luft 3 of Plt Off. Carter (Dec 2023).

Other sources listed below:

RS 20.12.2023 - Addition of link and new information for Fg Off. Carter

KTY 23.05.1924 - PoW image added

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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