Operation: Bochum
Date: 04/05th November 1944 (Saturday/Sunday)
Unit: No. 76 Squadron
Type: Halifax III
Serial: LL577
Code: MP-M
Base: RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor
Location: Jalhay, Belgium
Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Douglas Neville Cole 1600897 RAFVR Age 22. Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Thomas Finbar Craddock 1867543 RAFVR Age 23. Killed
Nav: Sgt. Ernest Albert Goudie 1563229 RAFVR Age 31. Killed
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Douglas William Plumley 1332775 RAFVR Age 22. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. David James Dodgson 1479648 RAFVR Age 21. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Walter Frederick Day 3005518 RAFVR Age 19. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Edmond Fitton 3040322 RAFVR Age 20. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off from RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor at 17:39 hrs for a night bombing raid on Bochum, Germany.
This was a successful attack with severe damage to the centre of Bochum with more than 4,000 buildings destroyed or damaged. The industrial area of the city was also severely damaged including the steelworks. 749 aircraft took part in this raid from Nos 1, 4, 6, and 8 Groups. 384 Halifaxes, 336 Lancasters and 29 Mosquitos with the loss of 23 Halifaxes and 5 Lancasters. Based at RAF Elvington No 346 (Free French) Squadron sent 16 Halifaxes on this raid with the huge loss of 5 aircraft.
76 Squadron crews getting ready for operations at Holme-on-Spalding Moor.
Also lost from the squadron on this operation:Halifax III LW648 MP-O Flown by 22 year old, P/O. John Lionel Thompson 179541 RAFVR from Ashford Middlesex. 3 Crew killed, 4 others taken PoW.
Fl/Sgt. Douglas Neville Cole. Hotton War Cemetery. Grave IV.E.1. Son of John Cecil and Milfred Dorothy Cole, of Coulsdon, Surrey, England.
Sgt. Thomas Finbar Craddock. Hotton War Cemetery. Grave IV.E.7. Son of Thomas J. and Elizabeth Craddock, of Dublin, Irish Republic.
Sgt. Ernest Albert Goudie. Hotton War Cemetery. Grave IV.E.4. Son of Robert John and Jemima Catherine Goudie, of Edinburgh; husband of Elizabeth H. Goudie, of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Fl/Sgt. Douglas William Plumley. Hotton War Cemetery. Grave IV.E.5. Son of William John Plumley, and of Ina Doris Plumley, of Croydon, Surrey, England.
Sgt. David James Dodgson. Hotton War Cemetery. Grave IV.E.6. Son of David and Edwardina Dodgson. Born in Newcastle Upon Tyne 1923, England. The only child, his father died in 1924, his mother in 1927.
Sgt. Walter Frederick Day. Hotton War Cemetery. Grave IV.E.2. Son of William Frances Day and Alice May Day, of South Norwood, Surrey, England.
Sgt. Edmond Fitton. Hotton War Cemetery. Grave IV.E.3. Son of Edmund and Lily Fitton, of Huddersfield, England.
Researched for Thomas Newman, nephew of Sgt. Thomas Finbar Craddock. Many thanks also to David Champion for details on Sgt. Hodgson. For further details our thanks to the sources shown below.
KTY 27.03.20116 Details entered for Sgt. Dodgson.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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