Operation: Duisburg, Germany

Date: 30th November/1st December 1944 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit No: 429 (Bison) Sqn, RCAF

Type: Halifax III

Serial: MZ314

Code: AL:W

Base: RAF Leeming, Yorkshire

Location: 2 miles south of Weerk in Holland

Pilot: Fg Off. George Walter Clarke J86980 RCAF Age 21. KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Leslie Joseph Fry 1895898 RAFVR Age 20. KiA

Nav: Plt Off. Clarence William Farraday Short J91067 RCAF Age 21. KiA

Bomb Aimer: Plt Off. Francis Walter Manchip J89367 RCAF Age 24. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: WO2. Gerrad Leo Pare R164443 RCAF Age 23. KiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Flt Sgt. Scott McCrury Ogilvie R221522 RCAF Age 22. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Flt Sgt. Robert Floyd Nimmo R222102 RCAF Age 19. KiA

Above left to right: Fg Off. George W. Clarke, Plt Off. Clarence W.F. Short, Plt Off. Francis W. Manchip (From their Service Records)

Above left to right: WO2. Gerrad L. Pare, Flt Sgt. Scott M. Ogilvie, Flt Sgt. Robert F. Nimmo (From their Service Records)

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the night of the 30th November/1st December 1944 the Sqn detailed 14 aircraft to join a force of 576 aircraft on a mission to bomb target in Duisburg in Germany. Of the 3 aircraft that failed to return of which 2 came from 429 (Bison) Sqn and the third was 578 Sqn Halifax III NR193 LK:V which was involved in a mid-air collision with MZ314. As a result the crews of both aircraft tragically lost their lives.

The second loss for the Sqn was Halifax III MZ288 LK:O. Plt Off. David Bell DFC, J35329 RCAF and his crew are posted MiA.

MZ314 crashed at approximately 20:00 hrs 3¼ km (2 mls) south of Weerk in Holland

On the 24th September 1944 Plt Off. Clarke was the captain of Halifax III LW136 which took off at 16:52 hrs on a mission to bomb targets at Calais in France. The aircraft was hit by Flak shortly after dropping its bombs.

The aircraft sustained severe damage to both Mid Upper and Rear turrets, rudder and aileron trim, DR compass, port outer mainplane and all four engines. Plt Off. Clarke headed for the nearby Allied lines.

Passing over a valley Plt Off. Clarke gave the order to abandon the aircraft but only the Navigator, Flt Sgt. Short and the Bomb Aimer, Flt Sgt. Roy baled out before the rising ground made it unsafe to for the other crew to jump. Plt Off. Clarke successfully crash landed the aircraft in SW of Que Camp. The aircraft caught fire and was totally burnt out, however, the single 1000 lb bomb still aboard did not explode.

Plt Off. Clarke and Sgt. Nimmo were uninjured. Flt Sgt. Short strained his legs as a result of his parachute jump. Sgt. Fry sustained slight Flak wounds to his left arm and nether regions, Flt Sgt. Pare suffered slight scalp lacerations and Flt Sgt. Ogilive bruised his shoulder.

Flt Sgt. Joseph Alphonse Paul Emile Roy R96936 perished when his parachute failed to deploy in time.

Above: Flt Sgt. Joseph A.P.E. Roy and his initial Grave Marker (From his Service Record)

He rests in the Calais Canadian War Cemetery, Leubringhen, Grave 5.C.10. Inscription: “QUOIQUE TRES LOIN TON SOUVENIR RESTE A JAMAIS GRAVE EN NOS COEURS MEURTRIS”. Born on the 2nd February 1922 in Quebec. Son of Joseph Emile and Marie Rose (née Gendron) Roy of Montmagny Station, Province of Quebec, Canada.

He was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J92359 Plt Off. on the 25th September 1944.

Burial details:

The crew were initially buried in the Weert (Altweert St. Joseph) Churchyard and finally laid to rest on the 30th November 1945 at the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery.

Above: Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC))

Above: Initial Grave marker for Plt Off. George W. Clarke (From his Service Record)

Plt Off. George Walter Clarke. Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery XIIV.B.13. Inscription: “AT REST”. Born on the 26th May 1923 in Waterloo County, Ontario. Son of George Henry and Lottie May (deceased in March 1929) (née Merrill) Clarke of Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

His brother 22 year old Cpl. Irwin M. Clarke A21500 was KiA during the ill-fated Dieppe raid on the 19th August 1942 whilst serving with the Essex Scottish Regiment, Royal Canadian Infantry Corp. He is buried at the Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, Hautot-sur-Mer L.16. Inscription: “AT REST”.

Sgt. Leslie Joseph Fry. Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery XII.D.16. Inscription: “TO LIVE IN OUR HEARTS IS NOT TO DIE”. Born in 3rd Qtr. of 1924 in Bedwellty, Monmouthshire, Wales. Son of Joseph and Mildred Alice (deceased in March 1930) (née Gill) Fry of Ramsgate, Kent, England.

Above: Initial Grave markers for Plt Off. Clarence W. Short, Plt Off. Francis W. Manchip (From their Service Records)

Plt Off. Clarence William Farraday Short. Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery XVII.B.8. Inscription: “AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER”. Born on the 13th January 1923 in Richmond, Surrey, England. Son of William and Lily Winnifred (née Whipps) Short of Dundas, Ontario, Canada

Plt Off. Francis Walter Manchip. Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery XVII.B.14. Inscription: “GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS”. Born on the 25th December 1919 on Toronto. Son of William and Hilda (née Hill) Manchip of Toronto, Ontario. Husband of Ada Kathleen (née Couch) Manchip, of Toronto, Canada.

Above: Initial Grave markers for Plt Off. Gerrad L. Pare, Plt Off. Scott M. Ogilvie, Flt Sgt. Robert F. Nimmo (From their Service Records)

Plt Off. Gerrad Leo Pare. Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery XVII.B.11. Inscription: “R.I.P.”. Born on the 18th June 1921 in Windsor, Ontario. Son of Evariste Gilbert and Alphonsine (née Desjarlais) Pare of Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

WO2. Pare was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J92716 Plt Off. effective 29th November 1944.

Plt Off. Scott McCrury Ogilvie. Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery XVII.B.10. Inscription: "YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN". Born on the 20th January 1922 in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. Son of Sinclair and Barbara (née Mosher) Ogilvie of Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. Both his parents predeceased him in 1932 and 1927 respectively.

Flt Sgt. Scott was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J94475 Plt Off. effective 29th November 1944.

Flt Sgt. Robert Floyd Nimmo. Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery XVII.B.6. Inscription: “TRUE HEARTS THAT LOVED YOU IN LIFE, LOVE YOU IN DEATH THE SAME. DAD, MOM & FAMILY”. Born on the 8th April 1925 in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada. Son of Robert and Rose Helen (née Greenwood) Nimmo of East Coulee, Alberta, Canada.

Flt Sgt. Nimmo was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J94232 Plt Off. effective 29th November 1944.

Researched by Ralph Snape from Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this crew (Oct 2024).

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