Operation: Stettin (Szczecin), Poland

Date: 16th/17th August 1944 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit No: 625 Squadron, 1 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: LM674

Code: CF:U

Base: RAF Kelstern, Lincolnshire

Location: Stettiner Haff (Szczecin Lagoon), Germany

Pilot: Plt Off. Dean Gordon Charlick 417050 RAAF Age 23. MiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. James Arthur Slade 1896319 RAFVR Age 34. MiA

Nav: WO. Jack Finlay Moore 409004 RAAF Age 23. KiA

Bomb Aimer: Flt Sgt. Albert Wilson Farrer 417824 RAAF Age 30. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. Francis John Geddes 426336 RAAF Age 22. KiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Charles Cletheroe 611721 RAF Age 24. MiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Flt Sgt. Gaeton Gerard Collard 427847 RAAF Age 30. KiA

Above left to right: Plt Off. Dean G. Charlick, WO. Jack F. Moore (Courtesy of their Service Records)

Above left to right: Flt Sgt. Albert W. Farrer, Flt Sgt. Francis J. Geddes, Flt Sgt. Gaeton G. Collard (Courtesy of their Service Records)

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 16th/17th August 1944 the Sqn detailed sixteen (16) aircraft to join a force of four-hundred and sixty-one (461) Lancasters to bomb Stettin on the Baltic. This was one of three operations, Kiel and “Gardening” in the Baltic the other two.

LM674 was the only aircraft from the Sqn and one of five (5) that failed to return from the Stettin mission.

German night-fighters were late in intercepting the bomber streams and almost all the recorded claims were over Denmark. Two of the Gardening bombers fell to Flak, one falling in the same area as the reported position of LM674 and the other close-by. Thirteen (13) aircraft of the Stettin force returned with Flak scars with six (6) being severely shot up. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (24 July 1944 - 15 October 1944) Part 4 - Theo Boiten)

German records report that a British bomber, probably LM674, crashed into the Stettiner Haff (Szczecin Lagoon), which is some 46 km (29 mls) to the NNE of Stettin (Szczecin). It is not known if LM674 was lost in-bound to the target or homebound and there are no night-fighter or Flak claims for the loss. However, it appears probable that LM674 fell to Flak.

On the 1st October 1947 a team from the Missing Research & Enquiry Unit (MREU) and No. 50 Graves Concentration Unit (GCU) proceeded to the Karnin New Cemetery and the Stolpe Village Cemetery, on Usedom Island. Two (2) RAAF personnel, Flt Sgt. Collard and Flt Sgt. Geddes, were reported in German records as have being buried at Karnin New Cemetery and the Stolpe Village Cemetery, respectively, on the 16th August 1944.

On the 24th August 1948 a team from the MREU and 50 GCU proceeded to Ueckermünde Cemetery. Here three (3) British casualties were exhumed. In a communal grave the remains of Flt Sgt. Albert W. Farrer and WO. Jack F. Moore were identified. A third set of remains, which were presumed be from this crew, could not be identified. The bodies were all washed ashore on the 24th August 1944 and buried the next day.

The Karnin New Cemetery and the Stolpe Village Cemetery are on the north shore and Ueckermünde Cemetery on the south shore of the Stettiner Haff (Szczecin Lagoon).

Burial Details:

Flt Sgt. Collard and Flt Sgt. Geddes were laid to rest at the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery on the 4th October 1947. The third set of remains found at the Ueckermünde Cemetery were laid to rest at the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery 5.E.32 as “Unknown” on the 26th August 1948 along with WO. Moore and Flt Sgt. Farrer in adjacent graves.

Above: The Runnymede Memorial (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

Plt Off. Dean Gordon Charlick. Runnymede Memorial Panel 258. Born on the 26th November 1920 in Adelaide, South Australia. Son of Gordon William and E. Grace W. Charlick of Unley, South Australia.

Also remembered on the Roll of Honour at Unley, South Australia.

Sgt. James Arthur Slade. Runnymede Memorial Panel 237. Born on the 8th February 1910 in Wandsworth, London. Son of George Frederick William and Rose Anna (née Horner) Slade of Battersea, London.

Above: The Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

WO. Jack Finlay Moore. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery 5.E.31. Born on the 9th October 1920 in East Malvern, Victoria. Grave inscription: “LOVED SON OF MR. & MRS. G. MOORE , EAST MALVERN, VICTORIA, AUST”. Son of George and Margaret Mary Moore of East Malvern, Victoria, Australia.

Also remembered on the Roll of Honour at Malvern, Victoria.

Flt Sgt. Albert Wilson Farrer. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery 5.E.33. Grave inscription: “AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. FOR EVER BELOVED”. Born on the 11th January 1914 in North Adelaide, South Australia. Son of Frederick and Ethel Amelia Farrer. Husband of Gwenyth Mildred Farrer of Netherby, South Australia.

Also remembered on the Roll of Honour at Mitcham, South Australia.

Flt Sgt. Francis John Geddes. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery 2.C.18. Grave Inscription: “HE DID HIS DUTY NOBLY. ALWAYS REMEMBERED”. Born on the 27th October 1921 in Rockhampton, Queensland. Son of Lawson and Caroline Amy Geddes of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.

Also remembered on the Roll of Honour at Rockhampton, Queensland.

Sgt. Charles Cletheroe. Runnymede Memorial Panel 227. Born in the 3rd Qtr of 1919 in Easington, Durham. Son of Frank James and Elizabeth (née Welsh) Cletheroe. Husband of Blanche Cletheroe of Andreas, Isle of Man.

Flt Sgt. Gaeton Gerard Collard. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery 2.C.17. Grave Inscription: “HIS DUTY FEARLESSLY AND NOBLY DONE. GOOD-NIGHT, MY SON”. Born on the 10th March 1914 in Melbourne, Victoria. Son of Gerard and Mathe Collard, of Cottesloe, Western Australia.

Also remembered on the Roll of Honour at St. Kilda, Victoria.

Researched by Ralph Snape from Aircrew Remembered as dedicated to this crew and their families (Apr 2025).

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