Operation: Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Date: 12th/13th June 1944 (Monday/Tuesday)

Unit No: 90 Squadron, 3 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: LM158

Code: WP:P

Base: RAF Tuddenham, Suffolk

Location: Eerbeek, 10 km WSW Zutphen, Netherlands

Pilot: Fg Off. Albert Clark Elliott J24955 RCAF Age 29. KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Denzil Charles Kibble 1894490 RAFVR Age 22. KiA

Nav: Fg Off. Alexander Allan J24713 RCAF Age 27. KiA

Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. Philip Clinton ‘Tip’ Hoffos RCAF J24647 Age 20. PoW No: 6282 * (1)

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. Kenneth Charles Walker 410927 RAAF Age 21. KiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. David Millar Willmott R209089 RCAF Age 20. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Eric Royston Cocker 1880173 RAFVR Age 35. KiA

* Stalag Luft 3 (Belaria), Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland

Above: Crew photograph for LM158

Rear left to right: Sgt. David M. Willmott, Flt Sgt. Kenneth C. Walker, Sgt. Denzil C. Kibble, Sgt. Eric R. Cocker, Front left to right: Fg Off. Philip C. Hoffos, Fg Off. Albert C. Elliott, Fg Off. Alexander Allan (Courtesy of Christopher Jardine)

Above: Fg Off. Albert C. Elliott, Flt Sgt. Kenneth C. Walker (from their service records)

Above: Sgt. David M. Willmott (from his service record), Sgt. Eric R. Cocker (Courtesy of Christopher Jardine)

REASON FOR LOSS:

LM158 took off from RAF Tuddenham at 23:31 hrs to join a force of three-hundred and three aircraft to bomb the Nordstern synthetic-oil plant (Gelsenberg A.G.) at Gelsenkirchen in Germany.

LM158 was claimed by Lt. Heinz Rolland, his 7th Abschuss, from 12./NJG1 over Arnhem at 3.500 m. at 01:38 hrs. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (12 May 1944 - 23 July 1944) Part 3 - Theo Boiten).

Lt. Rolland was KiA on the night of the 4th/5th December 1944 in a crash near Sevelen SW of Wesel shot down by 219 Sqn Mosquito MM790 flown by Flt Lt. Stephenson and Flt Lt. Hall. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies - Theo Boiten).

The aircraft crashed in the area known as Soerense Zand near Eerbeek (Gelderland), 10 km WSW from Zutphen.

(1) Fg Off. Hoffos was captured on the morning of the 13th June slightly injured. He was transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel after treatment arriving there on the 23rd June for the statutory solitary confinement and interrogation. On the 28th June he was transferred to Stalag Luft 3 (Belaria), Sagan-Silesia.

On the night of the 27th January 1945, with Soviet troops only 26 km (16 mls) away, orders were received to evacuate the PoWs to Spremberg which is to the West in Germany. The PoW’s were informed of the evacuation, which was on foot, at about 22:00 hrs the same night and were given 30 mins to pack and prepare everything for the March. The weather conditions were very difficult, with freezing temperatures, and it was snowing accompanied by strong winds. There was 15 cm (6 in) of snow and 2000 PoWs were assigned to clear the road ahead of the main groups.

After a 55 km (34 mls) march, the PoWs arrived in Bad Muskau where they rested for 30 hours. The PoWs were then marched the remaining 26 km (16 mls) to Spremberg where they were housed in empty garages, storerooms and in military barracks. There they were provided with warm soup and bread.

During next days, PoWs were divided up according to Compounds, and they were led to railway sidings and loaded into tightly packed carriages.

He was amongst the PoWs who were sent to Stalag 3A, Luckenwalde, Brandenburg in Prussia arriving there on the 4th February 1945. On the 22nd April 1945 as the Russians approached the camp the guards fled leaving the prisoners to be liberated by the Red Army.

Stalag 3A was turned over to the Americans on the 6th May at which time the Senior American Officers (SAO) took over the running of the camp until all the PoWs were evacuated. Fg Off. Hoffos left the camp on the 20th May 1945 and he was interviewed the next day.

Philip Clinton Hoffos was born on the 26th March 1914 in Congress, Saskatchewan, Canada. He was a travelling salesman prior to enlisting in the RCAF on the 15th May 1942. Philip passed away on the 16th December 1990 in Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Above: Courtesy of The Leader Post, dated 18th December 1990

Burial details:

Above: The six (6) Commonwealth War Graves at the Brummen (Hal) General Cemetery (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

Fg Off. Albert Clark Elliott. Brummen (Hal) General Cemetery, Plot G, Grave 152. Grave Inscription: “THOU WITH CHRIST AND CHRIST WITH ME AND SO TOGETHER STILL ARE WE”. Born on the 16th October 1914 in Pickering, Ontario. Son of George and Elsie Marie (née Clark) Elliott of Pickering, Ontario, Canada.

Sgt. Denzil Charles Kibble. Brummen (Hal) General Cemetery, Plot G, Grave 131A. Born in the 4th Qtr of 1921 in Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan. Son of Frank James and Eliza Jane (née Jones) Kibble of Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales.

Fg Off. Alexander Allan. Brummen (Hal) General Cemetery, Plot G, Grave 133A. Grave Inscription: “NO EYES CAN SEE US WEEP BUT WITHIN OUR ACHING HEARTS HIS MEMORY WE KEEP. MOTHER”. Born on the 29th December 1916 in Glasgow, Scotland. Son of Mary Allan, and stepson of William Coleman of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Flt Sgt. Kenneth Charles Walker. Brummen (Hal) General Cemetery, Plot G, Grave 131. Grave Inscription: “DISTANCE DIMS NOT THE MEMORY OF ONE WHO LIVED AND DIED SO NOBLY”. Born on the 4th December 1922 in Carnegie, Victoria. Son of Alfred and Alice Jane Walker of Mirboo North, Victoria, Australia.

Sgt. David Millar Willmott. Brummen (Hal) General Cemetery, Plot G, Grave 152A. Grave Inscription: “NO EYES CAN SEE US WEEP BUT STILL WITHIN OUR ACHING HEARTS HIS MEMORY WE KEEP”. Born on the 12th September 1923 in Toronto, Ontario. Son of Richard Charles and Annie (née Millar) Willmott of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Sgt. Eric Royston Cocker. Brummen (Hal) General Cemetery, Plot G, Grave 133. Born on 4th November 1908 in Oakley, Albmarle Gardens, New Malden, South West London. Son of James McLeish Cocker and Rosa Ellen (née Lawson) Cocker. Husband to Millicent Helen (née Wallace) Cocker of Epsom, Surrey, England.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the crew and their relatives. With thanks to Christopher Jardine, nephew to Sgt. Crocker, for his birth details. (Feb 2026). Thanks to Christopher Jardine for the follow-up photographs (Feb 2026).

Other sources listed below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2026 Last Modified: 05 February 2026, 07:12