Operation: Nickel

Date: 08th September 1939 (Friday)

Unit: No. 102 Squadron (motto: Tentate et Perficite - 'Attempt and achieve')

Type: Whitley II

Serial: K8985

Code: DY-J

Base: RAF Driffield, Yorkshire

Location: Nivelles airfield, Belgium

Pilot: F/O. William Curwen Gavine Cogman 39274 RAF Age 26. Interned

Obs: P/O. Arthur William Mack 40244 RAF Age 24. Interned

Obs: Sgt. Gerard John Peter Henry 48086 RAFVR Age 18. Interned

W/Op/Air/Gnr: AC1. Alan Steel 550484 RAF Interned

Air/Gnr: Cpl. Sydney Reay Wood RAF Interned

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 23:59 from RAF Driffield. During the return from a leaflet-dropping (nickel) operation over the Ruh, they ran short of fuel and strayed into neutral Belgium airspace where they were intercepted by two Belgian Air Force fighters flown by pilots Jean Offenberg and Alexis Jottrand (1) from the 4 Escadrille. They fired a green flare and forced the bomber down to land on their own airfield at Nivelles, where the crew was interned and the aircraft seized.

They naturally gained sympathy from the Belgians. Some Belgian airmen visited them during their captivity and it's understandable that the authorities did nothing to prevent their evasion! During January 1940 P/O. Mack with the others of his crew escaped dressed in Belgian uniforms provided by friendly Belgian soldiers. P/O. Mack was back with his squadron in time to be promoted to Flying Officer on 24 March 1940.

K8985 stayed in a hangar at Nivelles until it was destroyed in the German attack on the 10th of May 1940.

(1) P/O. Alexis Rene Isidore Ghislain Jottard 82515 RAF shot down flying Hurricane P3167 on the 27th October 1940, listed as missing - believed killed.

Both Belgian pilots are shown left. (Both were B of B pilots)

Fl/Lt. Jean Henri Marie Offenberg DFC, 82517 RAF mid-air collision during a training exercise flying Spitfire AB188 on the 22nd January 1942.

Later burial and other details:

F/O. William Curwen Gavine Cogman. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 5 - missing believed killed - 102 squadron Whitley N1417 evaded capture but lost when the ship he was on was sunk Details here. Born on the 16th of May 1913 in Morningside, Edinburgh, Scotland. The son of George Curwen Cogman, a civil servant, and Eliza (née Gavine) Cogman of 22, Barnton Gardens, Davidson's Mains, Edinburgh. Granted a short service commission as an Acting P/O. in the RAF on the 21st of December 1936 and was confirmed in his rank on the 12th of October 1937. He was appointed as an Acting Fl/Lt. on the 2nd of March 1939 and was promoted to Flying Officer on the 12th of May 1939. He was married to Mary Isabelle (née Mill, later McCulloch) of 'Medan', Craiglockhart.

His brother Harold (born on the 256th July 1922) also served in the RAF as a fighter pilot with 241 squadron. He was discharged from the RAF in May, l946. He worked for a time in Edinburgh and Dundee, for the Standard Life Assurance Co. After the war, things were pretty bad economically in Scotland, so he emigrated to the USA on the 09th September l948. He died on the 04th February 2005 in Ponca City, Oklahoma age 83.

P/O. Gerard John Peter Henry. Trondheim (Stavne) Cemetery. Grave A IV British. J.7. - killed on the 27th April 1942. 35 squadron Halifax II W1020 during an attack on the Tirpitz. Son of Oscar Edward and Elizabeth Henry, of Whalley Range, Manchester, England. Epitaph: 'He Gave His Best To Those He Loved, And Those He Loved For Ever Remember. R.I.P'.

Sgt. Alan Steel. Mexborough Cemetery. Sec. B. Cons. Grave 351 - killed on the 29 August 1940. 102 squadron Whitley N1489 flew into the hillside at Silsden Farm near Keighley in Yorkshire. Details here.

Sq/Ldr. Arthur William Mack DFC, Mangere Lawn Cemetery - died 20th August 1990, age 74. Husband of Constance Decimond Mack (died 21st June 1972) of Auckland, New Zealand.

Born 20 January 1916 in Wellington. He joined the RAF in 1937. On the 24th August 1938 Arthur Mack was graded as P/O. Piloting a Whitley N1385 involved in a heavy landing accident at RAF Driffield on the 10th January 1940 - aircraft repaired.

He was promoted to F/O. on the 24th March 1940, then to Fl/Lt. on the24th March 1941 and to S/Ldr (temp) on 1st July 1943. After flying with Bomber Command he transferred to Fighter Command and trained as a night-fighter pilot. He later commanded 605 Squadron and was awarded the DFC for service with this unit, Gazetted on 24th September 1943, the citation reads..

'This officer formerly completed a tour of operational duty in Bomber Command. Latterly in fighter operations at night. Squadron Leader Mack has displayed great keenness and tenacity. During a recent operational flight, and when some 430 miles from base, his aircraft struck an object and four feet of the starboard wing of his aircraft was broken off and all except two feet of the starboard aileron. Despite this, Squadron Leader Mack flew the aircraft to base. This officer has set a very fine example.'

He transferred to the RNZAF in January 1944, survived the war and returned home.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, Yorkshire Aircraft Accidents.

Other sources as quoted below:

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