Archive Report: Allied Forces

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07/08.05.1944 No. 150 Squadron Wellington JA515 IN-Q W/O. Clarke

Operation: Bucharest, Romania.

Date: 06/07th May 1944 (Saturday/Sunday)

Unit: No. 150 Squadron

Type: Wellington 

Serial: JA525

Code: IN-Q

Base: RAF Regina, Italy

Location: Comana, Giurgiu, Romania

Pilot: W/O. Stanley Clarke 594834 RAFVR Age 27. Killed

Nav: Sgt. Leonard William Cox 1399813 RAFVR. Age 20. Killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Clifford Walker 1622662 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Robert Peter Scott 1399813 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. George Samuel Vaughan 2210449 RAFVR Age 39. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Very little is recorded regarding RAF attacks on Romania. Of course, there is a great deal regarding the USAAF and the Ploiesti oil refinery bombings.

Bombing Bucharest continued with 205 Group attacking the city once again. 76.2 Tons were dropped and direct hits on various building were confirmed with 4 large fires seen. Luftwaffe were present and attacked. Fl/Sgt. Walker In Wellington IN-P shot down a single engined aircraft. Barracks were hit during the raid as well as the main railway yards.

                    

Four aircraft were lost on the operation, 2 Wellingtons from 40 Squadron were lost:

Wellington LP128 Flown by Australian W/O. John Coape Smith who survived as a Prisoner of War, 1 crew member, 22 year old Fl/Sgt. Ray Sauerwald, also an Australian, from Adelaide was killed.

Wellington LN982 flown by Fl/Sgt. K.C.J. Martin who with all his crew jumped clear, drifting south, taken Prisioner of War by the Bulgarians.

Liberator EW341 from 178 Squadron flown by 23 year old Fl/Sgt William A. Molyneux from Barnet in Hertfordshire, killed with 4 other crew members, 2 survived as Prisoners of War.

                   

A memorial was placed in the town of Comana, Giurgiu in gratitude by the local villagers who buried the crew. Candles are lit every year in the town church to the crew.

                   

150 Squadron Wellingtons leaving base in Italy (courtesy IWM)

 Crew grave photographs are available free of charge to anyone using the 'add info' button at the top of every page.

     

    

Burial details:

W/O. Stanley Clarke. Bucharest War Cemetery. Grave 2.B.5. Son of James and Sarah Jane Clarke, of Forest Town, Nottinghamshire, England. Also commemorated on the family grave in Forest Town Church, England.

Sgt. Leonard William Cox. Bucharest War Cemetery. Grave 2.B.4. Son of William George and Jessie Gertrude Cox, of Longcot, Berkshire, England.

Sgt. Clifford Walker. Bucharest War Cemetery. Grave 1.B.7. Son of William Henry and Harriet Walker, of Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England.

Sgt. Robert Peter Scott. Bucharest War Cemetery. Grave 2.B.2. Son of Ernest John Scott, and of Mabel Gertrude Scott, of Bradfield St. George, Suffolk, England.

Sgt. George Samuel Vaughan. Bucharest War Cemetery. Grave 1.B.8. Son of Charles John Vaughan and of Ellen Vaughan (nee Sumners), husband of Gertrude Vaughan, of Liverpool, England.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Patrick Macdonald 'Through Darkness to Light'. Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 

 

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