Operation: Breman, Germany

Date: 10th/11th September 1940 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit No: 77 Squadron, 4 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Whitley V

Serial: P5042

Code: KN:K

Base: RAF Linton on Ouse, Yorkshire

Location: Venebrugge (Overijssel) in Holland

Pilot: Sgt. James Alexander Graham ‘Dixie’ Deans 580114 RAF Age 26. PoW No. 271 * (1)

Observer: Sgt. George Bryan Clarke 741766 RAF Age 21. PoW No. 269 * (2)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Horace Jack Agnew 759031 RAF Age 23. PoW No. 262 * (3)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Henry Parkes 629843 RAF Age 19. PoW No. 727 ** (4)

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Francis Anthony Hill 642348 RAF Age 22. PoW No. 275 *** (5)

* Stalag Luft 6, Heydekrug, Memelland now Šilutė in Lithuania

** Stalag Luft 4, Groß-Tychow, Pomerania, Prussia now Tychowo, Poland

*** Stalag 357, Kopernikus at Thorn (Toruń) in Poland

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the night of the 10th/11th September 1940 the squadron detailed nine (9) aircraft for operations of which six (6) were to attack Berlin and the remainder Bremen. Two (2) of the nine (9) failed to take-off. Whitley V P5042 was one of the six (6) detailed to bomb Berlin.

Note: The ORB implies that Whitley V P5042 was detailed to bomb Bremen, however, ‘Dixie’ Deans in his description of the circumstance leading to the loss of the aircraft stated that they had bombed Berlin.

The returning crews reported that little Flak was encountered over the target but was heavy over Oldenburg. Of the seven (7) aircraft from the squadron that bombed Berlin and Breman only P5042 failed to return.

No German night-fighter claims have been found so it is assumed that the aircraft suffered some damage by Flak. Sgt. Deans was sure that one of the aircraft’s petrol lines was severed which resulted in that somewhere close to the Dutch frontier they ran out of petrol. The crew successfully baled out and the aircraft crashed at Venebrugge (Overijssel), 38 km (24 mls) ENE of Zwolle in Holland.

After landing safely Sgt. Deans and his crew dispersed but they were apprehended on the Dutch frontier near Münster, some 40 km (25 mls) SE of the crash site. They were interrogated at a Luftwaffe airfield at Münster before being transferred to Dulag Luft at Oberursel.

The airfield may have been Münster-Handorf, located some 8 km (5 mls) NE of Münster and 2 km (1¼ mls) NE of Handorf village.

(1) Sgt. Deans was then transferred to Stalag Luft 1 in Barth-Vogelsang, arriving there on the 19th September 1940.

Stalag Luft 1 was the first permanent PoW camp for members of the RAF to be established. The first group of officers and NCOs of the RAF arrived at the camp on the 7th July 1940.

In April 1942, all 800 inmates were transferred to the newly constructed Stalag Luft 3 in Sagan, Silesia. The NCOs voted for Sgt. Deans to be their ‘Man of Confidence’. His quiet demeanour and authority soon had the organisation and discipline of the camp under control and also contrived to exert considerable influence over the German authorities. In June 1943 he was amongst the PoWs who were transferred to Stalag Luft 6, Heydekrug which became a PoW Camp for enlisted men. British and Canadian NCOs arrived from Stalag Luft 1 and Stalag Luft 3.

In early 1944 the Russian Army were advancing into the Baltic States from the North and the East preparation for evacuating the camp was being made. The camp was the closest to the Russian advance The PoWs from this camp were in the ‘northern route’ of the force-marches, and were transported to Stalag 20A by train in July 1944, and from there took part in the forced-march.

It was estimated that 100,000 PoWs took the northern route. It went to Stalag Luft 4 at Groß-Tychow, Pomerania then via Stettin to Stalag 9B and Stalag 357, Kopernikus at Thorn (Toruń) in Poland.

On the 1st September 1944 the PoWs were force-marched from Thorn (Toruń) in Poland to the site of the former Stalag 11D, with construction being carried out by the Italian PoWs from Stalag 11B. The camp was commonly known as Stalag 357, Fallingbostal but officially the designation was Stalag 357, Oerbke.

In early April 1945 the PoWs were informed by the Commandant Oberst (Col) Hermann Ostmann that the about 10/12,000 Allied PoWs were being evacuated from the camp in the face of the Allied advance. On the 7th April 1945 the men marched from the camp in columns of 2,000 in the general direction of Lauenburg on the Elbe River. After about ten (10) days they arrived at the village of Ludersburg, north of Luneburg on the west side of the Elbe river where they stayed overnight. Early the next morning, on the 19th April at about 10:00 hrs the column crossed the Elbe via a pontoon bridge and passed through the small town of Lauenburg before crossing the frontier into Mecklenburg. The column then turned east along a raised road to the village of Horst where they were afforded a short rest before arriving at Gresse, some 15 km (9¼ mls) NE of Lauenburg. Here they were were issued with Red Cross parcels.

At around 10:30 hrs whilst the column was on a narrow country road amidst open fields they heard aircraft flying nearby which turned out to be a flight of seven (7) or eight (8) RAF Typhoons which dived in line-astern and strafed the column with rockets and dropped anti-personnel bombs all except the last aircraft which wheeled away at the last moment perhaps realising that they had mistaken the columns as retreating German troops.It was reported that upwards of sixty (60) allied PoW’s were killed and many were wounded.

It was established that a total of forty-two (42) named Allied PoWs died either on the 19th April or in the following days. In addition there was one (1) unnamed American killed who was has yet to be identified;

Six (6) German guards were also killed and a number were wounded. None have been identified;

A total of forty-four (44) named and one unnamed wounded were admitted to the Boizenberg-on-Elbe Cottage Hospital. Twenty-seven (27) were seriously injured, seven (7) of whom succumbed to their injuries in the following days.

The then Warrant Officer (WO) Deans confronted Oberst (Col) Ostmann and bluntly gave him a choice, to be captured by the Russians or the British. OberstOstman provided WO. Deans with a pass and a German guard, and they headed west to contact the advancing British troops. On the 1st May WO. Deans and his guard were sheltering in a house east of Lauenbergwhen they heard over the radio the news of the death of Adolf Hitler. The next morning the house was overrun by troops of the British 6th Airborne. WO. Deans was taken to the commander of VIII Corpswhere he explained the situation. He was provided with a captured Mercedes car and drove back to Gresse. Two (2) days later the PoW column marched back across to the British lines.

A number of so far unidentified Allied PoWs were killed in escape attempts but a large number of the men finished the march.

WO. ‘Dixie’ Deans was interviewed on the 16th May 1945.

James Alexander Graham Deans was born on the 25th January 1914 in Glasgow, Scotland. He enlisted in the RAF on the 26th January 1936.

‘Dixie ‘Deans was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1947 which explained the difficulties he was having whilst flying heavy bombers. In 1940 while flying with a grey patch over one eye he noticed that he could see better with one eye than the other whilst coming into land. Also after parachuting from the Whitley he found he could not escape as quickly as the others from his crew because he did not have the stamina.

WO. Deans was appointed to be a Member of the Most Excellent Order, Military Division (MBE(M)) on the 28th December 1945 at St. James’s Palace for distinguished service while a prisoner of war. (London Gazette 28th December 1945).

James passed away on the 31st March 1989 in Ashtead, Surrey.

Above. Obituary courtesy of The Daily Telegraph dated 21st February 1989

(2) Sgt. Clarke was transferred to Stalag Luft 1 in Barth-Vogelsang, arriving there on the 20th September 1940.

His PoW transfers from Stalag Luft 1 were the same as for Sgt. Deans (see Ser. 1) except that on the 7th April 1945 the then WO. Clarke and three (3) fellow PoWs escaped the marching columns and were liberated by Allied forces seven (7) days later. His fellow PoWs were:

Sgt. Maurice Francis Hurlston 551293 RAFVR who was the Rear Gunner from 77 Sqn Whitley V T4164 KN:T which was on an operation to Sterkrade on the night of 15th/16th February 1941 (5 PoWs). The aircraft was claimed by Oblt. Hans Jüsgen, his first Abschuss, from 2./NJG3 over Malden, 8 km south of Nijmegen at 23:19 hrs (Ref 1, p 62);

Sgt. Cyril Gordon Penn 960977 RAFVR who was the Observer from 21 Sqn Blenheim IV V6398 YH:A which was on a daylight operation to bomb the docks at Cherbourg (3 PoWs). No Flak or Fighter claims have been found listing this Blenheim;

Sgt. Jarvis Isted Burbridge 958282 RAFVR who was the Observer from 214 Sqn Wellington IC X9884 BU:? which was on an operation to Stettin on the night of the 29th/30th September 1941 (6 PoWs). No Flak or Night-fighter claims have been found listing this Wellington which crashed near Landsmeer, 7 km north of Amsterdam.

WO. Clarke was interviewed on the 28th April 1945.

George Bryan Clarke was born on the 9th December 1918 in Addlestone, Surrey. He enlisted in the RAF in June 1938. George passed away in 1990 in Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.

Note: There is a probate record that documents a George Bryan Clarke of Thornthwaite, Sicklinghall, Wetherby, West Yorks who died on the 7th November 1990.

(3) Sgt. Agnew was transferred to Stalag Luft 1 in Barth-Vogelsang, arriving there on the 16th September 1940.

His PoW transfers from Stalag Luft 1 were the same as for Sgt. Deans (see Ser. 1).

Horace Jack Agnew was born on the 3rd September 1917 in County Durham. He enlisted in the RAF in July 1939. Horace passed away on the 7th July 1994 in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.

(4) Sgt. Parkes was transferred to Stalag Luft 1 in Barth-Vogelsang, arriving there in early October 1940.

Stalag Luft 1 was the first permanent PoW camp for members of the RAF to be established. The first group of officers and NCOs of the RAF arrived at the camp on the 7th July 1940.

In April 1942 all 800 inmates were transferred to the newly constructed Stalag Luft 3 in Sagan, Silesia. In late September 1942 he was returned to Stalag Luft 1 and was amongst 200 RAF NCOs who were moved from Stalag Luft 3.

In November 1943 all SNCOs were transferred to Stalag Luft 6 at Heydekrug in Memelland, now Šilutė in Lithuania when Stalag Luft 1 was designated just for Officers of the Allied forces.

In June 1943 Stalag Luft 6 became a Stalag for enlisted men, when British and Canadian NCOs (Non-Commissioned Officers) arrived at the camp from Stalag Luft 1 and Stalag Luft 3.

In early 1944 the Russian Army were advancing into the Baltic States from the North and the East preparation for evacuating the camp was being made. PoWs from Stalag Luft 6, the camp closest to the Russian advance, were in the "northern route" of the force-marches, and were transported to Stalag 20A by train in July 1944, and from there took part in the forced-march.

It was estimated that 100,000 PoWs took the northern route. It went to Stalag Luft 4 at Groß-Tychow, Pomerania then via Stettin to Stalag 9B and Stalag 357, Kopernikus at Thorn (Toruń) in Poland.

He was amongst the PoWs who remained at Stalag Luft 4. The camp held an estimated 9000 -10000 PoWs predominantly USAAF NCOs and other enlisted personnel, but also Canadian and British airmen. Food did exist albeit of poor nutritional value but Red Cross parcels which arrived with some regularity contained enough additional nourishment to keep most of the men fairly healthy. The PoWs were not forced to work and some medical care was available, and clothing was adequate.

In late January 1945 the PoWs could see the distant flash of artillery fire from the east. On the 28th January the evacuation was ordered, and a train loaded with mostly sick and wounded were transported to Stalag Luft 1 at Barth, Germany. On the 2nd February another train load was transported to Stalag 13D at Nürnberg, Germany. Over a period of three (3) days from the 6th February some 6,000 prisoners were ordered to leave the camp on foot with little notice. The PoWs in groups of 250 to 300 were marched, heading west, covering long daily distances on starvation rations.

On the 28th March the column arrived at Ebbsdorf where a large number of the men were jammed into railway box cars and sealed in for some 33 hours until the train arrived at Stalag 11B, near Fallingbostel on the 30th March. Many camps on the eastern edge of Germany were combined into one large camp here. The treatment was a repetition of that at previous camps, with the exception of food, of which there was virtually none. There were no beds or bedding in the buildings.

On the 6th April after only being in this camp for a week, Lagers A and B from Stalag Luft 4 were forced on their final march, this time heading east, doubling back on the route they took to arrive. This last march only lasted approximately three weeks but was just as harsh as the previous march except for the treatment by the Germans, which was somewhat better. There was still little or no food available, and the pace was much slower, advancing four (4) to five (5) miles a day.

On the morning of the 2nd May 1945 the main column was resting in a ditch next to the River Elbe near Lauenburg, Germany, when British troops arrived and liberated the camp. The now liberated PoWs were given virtually nothing and told to march west. The march from beginning to end, spanned 86 days over an estimated 600 miles. Seven (7) PoWs were declared to have died during the march by the Casualty Branch of the Adjutant General’s Office. The then Warrant officer (WO) Parkes was interviewed on the 5th May 1945.

Henry Parkes was born on the 16th May 1921 in Prescot, Lancashire. He enlisted in the RAF on the 12th December 1938. Henry passed away on the 27th September 1993 in Derby, Derbyshire.

Above Courtesy of the Evening Telegraph, dated 29th September 1993

(5) Sgt. Hill was transferred to Stalag Luft 1 in Barth-Vogelsang, arriving there on the 12th September 1940.

His PoW transfers from Stalag Luft 1 were the same as for Sgt. Deans (see Ser. 1).

Upon his return he remained in the RAF reverting to the rank of Flt Sgt. On the 28th November he was appointed to a commission in the Technical Branch and promoted to 58683 Plt Off. (London Gazette 4th March 1947).

He was promoted to Fg Off. on the 28th November 1948 (London Gazette 17th December 1948). On the 1st December 1948 he relinquished his commission on appointment of a temporary commission of Fg Off. in the RAF (London Gazette 28th December 1948). On the 5th July 1952 he relinquished his temporary commission retaining his rank of Fg Off. (London Gazette 4th July 1952).

Francis Anthony Hill was born on the 14th July 1918 in Worksop, Nottinghamshire. He enlisted in the RAF on the 5th May 1939. No further information found.

Burial details:

None.

Researched by Ralph Snape and dedicated to the crew and their relatives (Jul 2026).

Other sources listed below:

References:

1. Nachtjagd Combat Archive (1939 - 12 July 1941) The Early Years Part 1 - Theo Boiten.

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