Operation: Köningsberg, Germany.

Date: 29th/30th August 1944 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit No: 50 Squadron

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: ED588

Coded: VN:G

Location: East Hälsingborg, Sweden.

Pilot: Fg Off. Anthony Hugh Carver 176877 RAFVR Age 23. KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Ronald Henry Clifford 220679 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

Nav: Sgt. Frederick George Plowman 1522065 RAFVR Age 33 .KiA

Bomb Aimer: Flt Sgt. Donald Alistair Macdonald R176939 RCAF Age 23. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Ernest Mutch 1850302 RAFVR Age 20. KiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. William Robert Campbell 1853822 RAFVR Age 23. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Raymond Walter Bysouth 1867078 RAFVR Age 19. KiA

Above left to right: Sgt. Ronald Henry Clifford (courtesy of his brother Derek); Flt Sgt. Donald Alistair Macdonald (from his service record); Sgt. Ernest Mutch (Courtesy of Tracey Rangdale)

REASON FOR LOSS:

The city was almost totally destroyed by this raid of 189 Lancasters which for this trip operated on their extreme range (950 miles for some). For this reason only a small amount of bombs were carried, (480 tons).

The problem of the range was compounded by the presence of low cloud and the bomber force had to wait for half an hour, wasting precious fuel until the marker aircraft could find a break in the clouds. 17 aircraft were lost on this raid with four from 50 squadron alone. ED588 took off from RAF Skellingthorpe (Skelly) Lincolnshire at 20:58 hrs.

Lancaster ED588 lost with all crew on this day. (courtesy of John Jones)

A very defensive German night fighter force met the formation because of the delay and fierce fighting occurred over the target area. ED588 was intercepted by Maj. Werner Husemann of I./NJG3 over Sweden which was very unusual as the German night fighters were instructed normally to stay over Germany due to the secret radar they carried.

The Lancaster was shot down at 00:48hrs at 3.500m - all the crew were lost. Maj. Husemann was already a night fighter ace with 27 victories up to this raid. He survived the war with a total of 32 victories.

Crash site of Lancaster ED588 East Hälsingborg, Sweden (courtesy of Derek Clifford)

Memorial to the crew with locals from the village of Vittsjo (courtesy of Derek Clifford)

Burial Details:

All funeral arrangements were made by HM Consul at Halsingborg in conjunction with the local Swedish Authorities.Wing Commander D.H. Fleet attended the ceremony and represented the Air Attache.

He reports that the arrangements made were carried out extremely well. The burial ceremony took place in accordance with the arrangements, for which the staff of the Halsingborg Defence Zone was responsible, and to the personnel of which, great thanks is due, not only for the trouble which it took to arrange all the details, but for the sympathetic assistance rendered to this Vice-Consulate.

Above: Ceremony schedule

According to the police reports over 3,000 people attended the funeral and the total number of people present, including the Swedish military guard of honour, firing party, and the military cordons, was about 3,500. The Swedish AirForce sent two aircraft which saluted the dead by dipping over the cemetery. Over 20 'Official' wreathes were place by the authorities.

Fg Off. Anthony Hugh Carver. Helsingborg (Palsjo) Municipal Cemetery Coll. grave Sec. XV. 76-80. Born in 3rd Qtr of 1921 in Aston, Warwickshire. Son of the late Burton and Gertrude (née Harrison) Carver of Northfield, Birmingham, England.

Sgt. Ronald Henry Clifford. Helsingborg (Palsjo) Municipal Cemetery Coll. grave Sec. XV. 76-80. Born on the 1st July 1923. Son of Henry and Nellie Clifford, Birmingham, England

Sgt. Frederick George Plowman. Helsingborg (Palsjo) Municipal Cemetery Coll. grave Sec. XV. 76-80. Son of Frederick and Mary Ellen Plowman, of Ardwick, Manchester, England.

Flt Sgt. Donald Alistair Macdonald. Helsingborg (Palsjo) Municipal Cemetery Coll. grave Sec. XV. 76-80. Inscription 'MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE. GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS'. Born on the 14th March 1920 Charlottletown, Prince Edward Island. Son of Louis James and Georgina Josephine (née Connolly) MacDonald of Charlottletown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Worked as a time keeper for Canadian National Railways prior to service. Enlisted on the 27th August 1942.

Sgt. Ernest Mutch. Helsingborg (Palsjo) Municipal Cemetery. grave Sec. XV. 73. Born 1st July 1921. Son of Robert Bruce and Beatrice May Mutch, of Wyke Regis, Weymouth, Dorsetshire, England.

Sgt. William Robert Campbell. Helsingborg (Palsjo) Municipal Cemetery Coll. grave Sec. XV. 76-80. Born on the 5th December 1920. Other Next of Kin details are not known at this time.

Sgt. Raymond Walter Bysouth. Helsingborg (Palsjo) Municipal Cemetery. grave Sec. XV. 17. Son of Joseph George William and Daisy Alice Bysouth, of Romford, Essex, England.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) for Derek Clifford (Brother of Ronald Henry Clifford) and to relatives of the other crew members. With thanks to Lars Ahikvist and Staffan Hassby from Sweden for providing further information. Photographs of Sgt. Ronald Henry Clifford, the crash site and the memorial sent to us in February 2010 by his brother Derek. Thanks to John Jones for information on the operation (Jun 2023). Update by Aircrew Remembered with thanks to Tracey Rangdale, whose great-uncle was Sgt. Ernest Mutch, for his photograph (Sep 2023).

Other sources listed below:

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