Operation: Attack Battle Cruisers off the coast of Norway

Date: 12th April 1940 (Friday)

Unit No: 9 Squadron, 3 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Wellington 1A

Serial: P2520

Code: WS:U

Base: RAF Lossiemouth, Morayshire, Scotland

Location: North Sea off the Norwegian Coast

Pilot: Sgt. Charles Ronald Bowen 562025 RAF Age 27. MiA (1)

2nd Pilot: Sgt. James Dougal Aitchison 563022 RAF Age 25. MiA (2)

Observer: Sgt. William Lockie Balmer 564120 RAF Age 27. MiA (3)

W/Op Air Gnr: LAC. Ralph John 'Spike' Lamb 536874 RAF Age 27. MiA (4)

W/Op Air Gnr: AC1. Percy Frank Ricketts 540110 RAF Age 22. MiA (5)

AirGnr (Rear): LAC. John Lenton Wilkin 534598 RAF Age 19. MiA (6)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Wellington 1A P2520 took off from RAF Lossiemouth at 09.20 hrs on an operation to attack two enemy Battle cruisers and one Cruiser off the Norwegian Coast.

This was one of the largest bombing operation so far in the war. 9 Squadron, 38 Squadron, 149 Squadron, 44 Squadron and 50 Squadron a total of 83 aircraft were involved. The weather conditions were extremely poor with the cloud base down to 10/10 at 600 feet with rain, sleet and low cloud and horizontal visibility down to one mile.

The aircraft were met by heavy Flak and intercepted by Luftwaffe fighters near the Norwegian coast. Some of the aircraft found it difficult to keep up with the main section due to the adverse weather conditions. Wellington 1A P2520 was one of these aircraft and was last seen at 13.05 hrs a few miles from the Southern Coast of Norway by the crew of another aircraft that had also lost contact with the main group.

The aircraft may have been hit by flak or shot down by an enemy aircraft. Of the 9 Wellington aircraft of No. 9 Squadron that took part in this operation 8 returned to base. German radio admitted the loss of 5 of their fighters

9 Squadron personnel arrived at RAF Lossiemouth from RAF Honington on the 2nd April 1940 flying in with 12 Wellingtons. The maintenance personnel arrived the following day having travelled by train. The Squadron was ready for operations on the 4th April 1940 and the Squadron's role was as a striking force against the enemy Naval forces in the North Sea area. It is noted that during the operations from the 4th April to 12th April that considerable assistance was given by personnel at Lossiemouth in both technical and domestic matters

RAF Lossiemouth 1940 (courtesy of Forres.net) Vickers Wellington taken in 1939 (courtesy of Kate Tame)

The loss of Sgt Bowen and his crew was particularly significant for 9 Sqn as it was their first combat related loss since the Battle of Heligoland Bight. 9 Sqn's Fg Off. Bob Turner was also present during the operation on the 12th April 1940.

Above: Flying Log entry for Fg Off. Bob Turner for the day of the raid (Courtesy of Brian Forrest)

Fg Off. Bob Turner recorded the loss of Sgt. Bowen's in his logbook (Above). Fg Off. Turner would have known this crew very well because he was Flt Lt. Ian Grant's 2nd pilot on the first raid of the war on Kiel Canal.

(1) Charles Ronald Bowen and Margery Bowen married in 1937. On day two of the war 4th September 1939 Sgt. Bowen had been Flt Lt. Grant's wingman on an operation to bomb enemy Battle ships near the Keil Canal flying in Wellington L4262. Sgt. Bowen was on his 12th operational flight.

(2) Sgt. Aitchison had been part of Sgt. Bowen's crew for 9 operational flights.

(3) On day two of the war 4th September 1939 Sgt. Balmer was part of Sgt. Bowen's crew flying in Wellington L4262 on an operational to bomb enemy Battle ships near the Keil Canal. Sgt. Balmer had been part of Sgt. Bowen's crew for 12 operational flights

(4) Ralph John 'Spike' Lamb was born on the 8th January 1913 and was the eldest of five children. He married Kate Vera Parker at the Old Independent Church in Haverhill on the 21st October 1939. Sadly Ralph never got to meet his son who was born in the summer months of 1940. Ralph had already enlisted in the RAF before his marriage and joined 9 Squadron in 1939 as AC1 (Aircraftman Class 1). On day two of the war 4th September 1939 AC1. Lamb was part of Sgt. Bowen's crew flying in Wellington L4262 on an operation to bomb enemy Battle ships near the Keil Canal. LAC. Lamb was on his 12th operational flight.

LAC. Lamb and his bride Kate Vera Parker on their wedding day 21st October 1939 (courtesy of Donna Bush)

(5) Sgt. Ricketts had been part of Sgt. Bowen's crew for 9 operational flights.

(6) On day two of the war 4th September 1939 LAC. Wilkin was part of Sgt. Bowen's crew flying in Wellington L4262 on an operation to bomb enemy Battle ships near the Keil Canal. LAC. Wilkin had been part of Sgt. Bowen's crew for 12 operational flights

Burial details:

All the crew are remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey (archives)

Sgt. Charles Ronald Bowen. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Panel 12. Born on the 9th August 1912 in Kettering, Northants. Son of Peter and Florence Louisa (née Johnson) Bowen. Husband to Margery (née Gibson) Bowen of Louth, Lincolnshire, England.

Sgt. James Dougal Aitchison. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Panel 11. Born circa 1915 in Scotland. Son of David and Elizabeth C. (née Dougal) Aitchison of Eyemouth, Berwickshire, England.

Above: Eyemouth War Memorial upon which Sgt. James Dougal Aitchison is remembered (Courtesy of Ethan Siou)

Sgt. William Lockie Balmer. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Panel 11. Son of William Lockie and Ethel Balmer. Husband of Dolly Enid (née Brewer) Balmer of Epping, Essex, England.

LAC. Ralph John ‘Spike’ Lamb. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Panel 23. Born in 1st Qtr of 1913 in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland. Son of Ralph and Margaret Annie (née Donaldson) Lamb. Husband to Kate Vera (née Parker) Lamb of Haverhill, Suffolk, England.

LAC. Ralph John Lamb is remembered on the Haverhill War Memorial, Suffolk

AC1. Percy Frank Ricketts. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Panel 25. Born on the 9th October 1918 in Canning Town, Essex. Son of Henry Samuel and Beatrice May (née Brown) Ricketts of Belvedere, Kent, England.

LAC. John Lenton Wilkin. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Panel 24. Born on the 6th September 1919 in Gilling with Hartforth and Sudbury, Yorkshire. Son of Charles and Ada (née Turnbull) Wilkin of South Duffield, Yorkshire, England.

Researched by Kate Tame for Aircrew Remembered and for all the relatives and friends of the crew. With thanks to Donna Bush - granddaughter of LAC. Lamb, Haverhill Family History Group and Adam Brown - Eyemouth War Memorial. www.forres.net. Many thanks to Ethan Siou for an updated Eyemouth War Memorial image and for the log book entry for Fg Off. Bob Turner from Brian Forrest, the nephew of Fg Off. Bob Turner (Aug 2024).

Other sources listed below:

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