Operation: Bochum, Germany

Date: 4th/5th November 1944 (Saturday/Sunday)

Unit No: 76 Squadron, 4 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Halifax III

Serial: LL577

Code: MP:M

Base: RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor

Location: Jalhay, Belgium

Pilot: Flt Sgt. Douglas Neville Cole 1600897 RAFVR Age 22. KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Thomas Finbar Craddock 1867543 RAFVR Age 23. KiA

Nav: Sgt. Ernest Albert Goudie 1563229 RAFVR Age 31. KiA

Bomb Aimer: Flt Sgt. Douglas William Plumley 1332775 RAFVR Age 22. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. David James Dodgson 1479648 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Walter Frederick Day 3005518 RAFVR Age 19. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Edmond Fitton 3040322 RAFVR Age 20. KiA

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off from RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor at 17:39 hrs for a night bombing raid on Bochum, Germany.

76 Squadron crews getting ready for operations at Holme-on-Spalding Moor

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.

LL577 was claimed by an unknown crew from Stab IV./NJG1 which claimed a 4-mot in the Aachen-Eupen area at 4.200 m at 19:52 hrs. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (16 October 1944 - 31 December 1944) Part 5 - Theo Boiten)

The aircraft was reported to have crashed at Jalhay, Belgium with the loss of all the crew.

Also lost from the squadron on this operation was:

Halifax III LW648 MP:O Flown by Plt Off. John Lionel Thompson 179541 RAFVR from Ashford Middlesex. (3 KiA, 4 PoW). Claimed by Fw. Peter Müller from 4./NJG1, his 3rd Abschuss, 30-40 km SW of the target at 5.400 m. at 19:55 hrs. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (16 October 1944 - 31 December 1944) Part 5 - Theo Boiten)

Burial details:

The crew were initially buried in Henri Chapelle American Cemetery. Recovered and finally laid to rest at the Hotton War Cemetery on the 25th April 1947.

Above: The Hotton War Cemetery (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC))

Flt Sgt. Douglas Neville Cole. Hotton War Cemetery. Grave IV.E.1. Grave Inscription: ‘IN LOVING MEMORY OF DEAR DOUG. MUM AND DAD’. Son of John Cecil and Milfred Dorothy Cole, of Coulsdon, Surrey, England.

Sgt. Thomas Finbar Craddock. Hotton War Cemetery. Grave IV.E.7. Grave inscription: ‘SWEET JESUS, OPEN WIDE THY HEART AND LET HIM REST THEREIN‘. Son of Thomas J. and Elizabeth Craddock, of Dublin, Irish Republic.

Sgt. Ernest Albert Goudie. Hotton War Cemetery. Grave IV.E.4. Grave inscription: ‘O CARE, LEFT BEHIND, TO THEE ALSO FAREWELL’. Son of Robert John and Jemima Catherine Goudie, of Edinburgh; husband of Elizabeth H. Goudie, of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Flt Sgt. Douglas William Plumley. Hotton War Cemetery. Grave IV.E.5. Grave inscription: ‘THE TRUMPETS SOUNDED LOUD AND CLEAR AS ALL THE VALIANT HEARTS DREW NEAR’. 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. Grave inscription: ‘AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER HIM’. 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. Grave inscription: ‘IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DEAR SON. HIS MUM AND DAD, BROTHERS AND SISTERS’. Son of William Frances Day and Alice May Day, of South Norwood, Surrey, England.

Sgt. Edmond Fitton. Hotton War Cemetery. Grave IV.E.3. Grave inscription: ‘TOO DEARLY LOVED TO BE FORGOTTEN. WE SHALL REMEMBER YOU. GOD BLESS’. Son of Edmund and Lily Fitton, of Huddersfield, England.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) for Thomas Newman, nephew of Sgt. Thomas Finbar Craddock. Many thanks also to David Champion for details on Sgt. Hodgson (Mar 2016). Thanks to John Jones for the night fighter claim. Other updates and additions by Air crew Remembered (Aug 2024).

Other sources listed below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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