- Home
- Maps▾
- FAQ▾
- About/Donate▾
- News▾
- Obits
- Contact/Help▾
- PersonalHistories▾
- Cross Reference Research Lists ▶
- Recent Archive Reports
- Profiles in Courage
- 1914 -1918 WW1 Material
- Royal Air Force + RAFVR ▶
- WAAF/WRAF
- Australia
- Belgium
- Canada
- Site honouring Czechoslovak RAF
- Holland: LOST Rob Philips Memorial Archive
- New Zealand
- Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland
- Poland
- South Africa
- Archiwum Mielnika: Polish Air Force Archive
- USAAF & USAF
- USA WASP Flygirls
- USA - Co de Swart Gallery: Baker Crew 95th BG
- USA - Co de Swart Gallery: Geyer Crew 98th BG
- Axis Powers
- Russia/Soviet Union
- RCAF 409 The Nighthawks
- Hore-Kennard RCAF
- Zenon Bartkowiak PAF
- Charles Dills USAAC
- Gerald Schwartz USAAC
- Ralph Malan Memoirs
- Soviet Women 'Night Witches'
- Full Story of Lancaster Z-Zebra
- First Air Raid Victim
- 1914 -1918 WW1 Material
- Databases▾
- Databases Master List
- Consolidated Names: includes 500K+ names from all our databases
- Cross Reference Research Lists
- Research Sources
- MULTI-NATIONAL DATABASES
- Aces and Aviators International WW1 - 3000+
- Vitz Archive: War Crimes Victims of Axis
- NEW! USAAF & Allies Non Combat Incidents and Losses
- ALLIED DATABASES
- Allied Losses and Incidents: all Commands
- Aircrew Deaths & Resting Places Worldwide 1939 - 47 120,000+
- Alamein Allied Air Forces Memorial 3000+
- Allied Non-British Graves in Europe managed by CWGC
- Battle of Britain: Enhanced and Extended
- Glider Pilot Regiment Casualties
- Korean War UN Forces Database
- LOST Rob Philips Memorial Archive Dutch/2TAF Losses
- Malta Memorial Database
- Nordic Allied Database
- Ottawa Allied Air Forces Memorial Database
- Paradie RCAF Archive
- Archiwum: Polish Air Force Archive
- Polish Honour Roll
- RAAF Honour Roll
- RCAF Notes - 9000+
- Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm
- Runnymede Memorial Database
- Soviet Aces Database 1941 - 1945
- US Aces and Aviators WW2
- US Air Service Victories WW1
- USAAF Allies NonCombat Losses
- USAAF Operations WWll
- US Marine Corps Squadrons WWll
- Vitz Memorial Archive: War Crimes Victims of Axis
- AXIS DATABASES
- Kracker Luftwaffe Archive
- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
- German Graves in UK
- German WW2 Aces
- Luftwaffe Graves Managed by CWGC
- Luftwaffe Victories by Name/Date
- Archives ▾
- Archiwum: Polish Air Force Archive: Data on 17,000
- Kracker Luftwaffe Archive
- LOST Rob Philips Memorial Archive: Holland
- Paradie Canadian Archive
- Paul McGuiness RAAF Archive WW1 & WW2
- Profiles in Courage
- Vitz Memorial Archive: War Crimes Victims of Axis
- USAAF Combat Operations 1941-45 Worldwide
- 409 RCAF: The Nighthawks
- Detailed Personal Archive RCAF Officer
- Charles Dills Archive
- Gerald Schwartz Archive
- Ralph Malan Memoirs
- RAF Coastal Command Patrol Areas
- US Intelligence Analysis German Anti Aircraft
- Allied Mine Laying Map (Gardening)
- Airborne Forces - a short history
- More ▾
- de Swart Gallery: Baker Crew, Geyer Crew
- Guide to Complete Site
- Helpdesk
- Donate
- Lay a Wreath
- Your relative's CWGC grave explained
- CWGC War Graves in USA
- Doing Your Own Research
- Research Sources
- US Assistance to Warsaw Uprising
- Our support for charities
- Axis Awards Descriptions
- Stolperstein: Permanent Remembrance
- Who fought for Britain 1939 - 1945
- Aerotoxic Syndrome
- Bermuda Triangle Mystery
- Cross Reference Research Lists
- Not Many People Know That
- Image Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations Used by Forces
- Poetry of Direct Personal Experience
- Staggering Cost in Lives of WWll
- Animated Map All Allied Bombing WW2
- USAAF Combat Operations 1941-45 Worldwide
- Polish Airmen Fighting (Video)
- Important Links
- Canada Memorial Project
- Remembering Banica
- Book Reviews
- 1 BFTS Texas
- Veterans Appeals
- Korean Conflict
- Vietnam Conflict
- Other Conflicts
- Commercial Aviation
- Bush Flying
- Nose Art
- Military Humour
- Airborne Forces - a short history
-
• Kracker Archive
• Allied Losses
• Archiwum Polish
• Paradie Canadian
• RCAF
• RAAF
• RNZAF
• USA
• Searchable Lists
Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
Check our Research databases: Database List
.
We seek additional information and photographs. Please contact us via the Helpdesk.
Operation: Musketry 3 (Anti-submarine patrol)
Date: 18th August 1943 (Wednesday)
Unit: 547 Squadron, Coastal Command
Type: Wellington XI
Serial: HZ407
Code: 2V-K
Base: RAF Davidstow Moor, Cornwall
Location: Bay of Biscay
Pilot: Flt.Sgt. John Clarke 1230372 RAFVR Age 21. Missing
Pilot 2: Fg.Off. Noel William Springer 415034 RNZAF Age 22. Missing
Nav: Flt.Sgt. Charles Ross Byers R/127557 RCAF Age 21. Missing
WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. George Billing Hasdell 1222569 RAFVR Age 33. Missing
Air Gnr: Sgt. Henry James Graham 1029884 RAFVR Age 21. Missing
Air Gnr: Sgt. Granville Smith 1021078 RAFVR Age 21. Missing
We welcome contact from any other relative who are able to contribute information or comments on this page of remembrance.
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off on anti-submarine patrol from RAF Davidstow Moor, Cornwall at 13.27 hrs.
The aircraft failed to return and no further details are available. The crew are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial (details below
Left: Fg.Off. Noel William Springer. Right: Plt.Off. Colin Nairne.
Left: Runnymede Memorial (archives)
Burial details:
None - all are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial
Flt.Sgt. John Clarke. Panel 135. Son of Frederick and Esther Clarke, of Leigh, Lancashire, husband of Margaret Clarke, of Leigh, Lancashire, England.
(Above right) Fg.Off. Noel William Springer. Panel 198. Son of Ernest Charles and Constance Ella Louise Springer (nee Ricketts), of Wakefield, Nelson, New Zealand. Further information: Born on 23rd Ocober 1920 in Wakefield, New Zealand. He also had a twin sister, Nola Constance. Both attended Wakefield school in 1925. Noel later attended Nelson College 1934-1935. A total 742 hours flying time recorded.
Flt.Sgt. Charles Ross Byers. Panel 135. Born on the 25th September 1921 in Winnipeg. Son of Charles William and Winifred Beatrice (née Goodchild) Byers, of Weston, Ontario, Canada.
Sgt. George Billing Hasdell. Panel 152. Son of Charles Henry and Comfort C. Hasdell, of Northampton, husband of Winifred Louisa Hasdell of Northampton, England.
Sgt. Henry James Graham. Panel 151. Son of William John and Aletta Gertrude Graham, of Portobello, Staffordshire, England.
Sgt. Granville Smith. Panel 165. Son of James and Jessie Smith, of Newton Heath, Manchester, England.
Researched for Keith Springer (relative of Fg.Off. Springer) and dedicated to all relatives of this crew. With thanks to, Keith Springer and family, Errol Martyn - "For Your Tomorrow Vol 2", Chris Goss - "Bloody Biscay", Auckland Museum/Cenotaph , NZ Weekly News, CWGC.
30.04.2020 - Editorial update and addition of Runnymede Panel.
Original upload date unknown
30.04.2020 - Editorial update and addition of Runnymede Panel.
History Airborne Forces • Soviet Night Witches • Bomber Command Memories • Abbreviations • Gardening Codenames
CWGC: Your Relative's Grave Explained • USA Flygirls • Axis Awards Descriptions • 'Lack Of Moral Fibre'
Concept of Colonial Discrimination • Unauthorised First Long Range Mustang Attack
RAAF Bomb Aimer Evades with Maquis • SOE Heroine Nancy Wake • Fane: Motor Racing PRU Legend
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 Captain 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', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, 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.
Click to add your info via ticket on Helpdesk •
Click to let us know via ticket on Helpdesk• 
Click to explore the entire site
A word from the Editor: your contribution is important. We welcome your comments and information. Thanks in advance.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed
by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior
permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2025
Last Modified: 21 March 2021, 12:02