NG294, Crash debris. Courtesy of Gerald Walmsley.

CREW BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS:

1. P/O James Fletcher was born in 1916 at Govan, Glasgow, Scotland, the son of James Fletcher and Christina Fletcher née Fletcher.

He married Agnes Young in 1936, and they went on to have three children:

William Young Fletcher born 1937 at Paisley

James Fletcher born 1940 at Paisley

Agnes P. Y. Fletcher born 1943 at Paisley.

1670386 Fl/Sgt James Fletcher was commissioned as a Pilot Officer on probation (emergency) on 26 October 1944 (London Gazette 12 December 1944).

He is commemorated on the Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle, Scotland.

On the War Memorial Roll he is named as James Johnstone Fletcher born Johnstone but no birth of a James Fletcher or James Johnston Fletcher can found there.

However a James Johnstone Fletcher was born in 1914 at Johnstone but he died in 1996 aged 82. Thus there appears to be an error on the Roll of Honour. Find a grave also lists P/O. James Fletcher as James P. Fletcher - this would also seem to be an error.

2. Sgt. Sidney Goodier was born in 1924 at Liverpool the son of Thomas Goodier (a Police Constable) and Elsie Goodier née Ainscough. He had 5 siblings: Doris M. Goodier born 1925, Margaret E. Goodier born 1927, Harold Goodier born 1928, Joyce Goodier (1929-1985) and Gerald Goodier born 1931.

In 1939 some of the family lived at 9 Heald Street, Garston, Liverpool - Thomas Goodier, Elsie Goodier, Doris Goodier and 1 other closed entry .

In 1939 Joyce Goodier and Margaret Goodier were both living at Gregory Lane, Halsall, Ormskirk Lancashire with John Threlfall and family and Harold Goodier was living nearby with John B Abraham and family at Malt Kiln, Gesterfield Lane.

3. Sgt. Leonard James Hart was born in 1922 at Bethnall Green, London the son of James William Francis Hart (District Foreman, Metropolitan Water Board) and Alice Maud Hart née Blackett. He had 1 sibling: Vera M. Hart born in 1925

In 1939 the family lived at 271, Burdett Road, Stepney, London and later moved to the Poplar district of London.

4. Sgt. David Rhys Jones - Because of the Welsh traditional use of patronymic surnames derived from the father's name, the number of surnames attributable to those of Welsh ancestry is very limited. Sgt. Jones' names would suggest that he was Welsh or of Welsh ancestry, but with the lack of any further evidence, the identity of this brave airman remains anonymous. If you can provide any information, please contact our Helpdesk.

5. Sgt. John Howard Smith was born in 1924 at Swindon Wiltshire the son of Arthur E. Smith (a Riveter - Great Western Railways) and Rhoda M.B. Smith née Andrews of Blunsdon, Wiltshire. He had 2 siblings: Arthur R. Smith born 1912 and Francis E. Smith born 1914.

In 1939 at Broad Bush, Highworth, Wiltshire - Arthur E Smith, Rhoda M Smith and 1 closed entry. This closed entry is presumably John Howard Smith because:

Arthur R Smith was married and living at another address at Broad Bush.

Arthur R Smith m Florence M Shute 1934

Plus children

Margaret E R Smith 1935

Gillian R A Smith 1942

Francis E Smith was also married and living at 14 St Phillips Road Highworth.

Francis E Smith m Ellen C. Lewis 1938

Plus child Joseph A Smith.

6. Sgt. Peter Banks was born on 1 June 1925 at Wigan, Lancashire , the son of Peter Banks (born c 1888) (a Coal miner in 1911) and Maria Banks (b. c1891) née Davies. (13 Brookes Street, Ince in Makerfield in 1911) No children in 1911 census.

In 1939 the family were living at 51 Holland Street, Wigan i.e. Peter Banks sr (a General Labourer), Maria Banks sr, Margaret, Elizabeth, Maria jr, + 3 closed entries, presumably Marion, Peter and Thomas (Agnes, Martha and Joseph were dead)

Siblings:

Agnes Lilian 1908-1909

Martha 1912-1938

May 1914-1957

Annie 1918-1998

Margaret 2 Jan 1921 -2003

Elizabeth Ellen 16 Feb 1922 -2010

Marion M 1923

Maria 18 Jan 1924 -2004

Peter 1925-1944

Thomas 1926-2012

Joseph 1932 -1932

John Banks born 1934 ??

7. Sgt. Ian Rosse Clapton was born in Sept Qr 1925 at Wandsworth London the only child of Arthur Percy Clapton and Barbara Grace Clapton née Rosser

Arthur Percy Clapton died in 1932 aged 37.

Barbara Grace Clapton née Rosser married Dennis M Boden at Westminster in 1938 living at 26 Albermarle Road Kingswood Beckenham, London in 1939 but Ian Rosse(r) Clapton not with them. Unable to find him in the 1939 National Registration.

Barbara Grace Rosser born Swansea in 1902, had a brother named Rosser Rosser born in 1909 at Richmond, Surrey. Rosser is derived from Roger (German - Röser) and Rosser Rosser is a common combination of Christian and surname in Wales. Ian Clapton was presumably named Rosse or Rosser after his uncle, and in most cases he is recorded as Rosse.

Above researched thanks to Roy Wilcock.

Unfortunately, we have been unable to locate any photos of this crew. If anyone has access to the same and is willing to share please contact the HelpDesk.

BURIAL DETAILS:

Preisberg Wood near Bosen, Germany.

Isolated grave. Not registered.

Date of reburial 11.6.48 at Rheinberg British Cemetery. CWGC

1. P/O James Fletcher is buried in the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany, Coll. grave 8.L.1-5. Son of James and Christina Fletcher; husband of Agnes Fletcher, of Renfrew. His epitaph reads:

He died as he lived,

In search of right

2. Sgt Sidney Goodier is buried in the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany, Coll. grave 8.L.1-5. Son of Thomas and Elsie Goodier of Garston, Liverpool. His epitaph reads:

We loved him so,

We miss him yet.

Our hearts still ache.

We’ll never forget

3. Leonard James Hart is buried in the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany, Coll. grave 8.L.1-5. Son of J.W.F. and Alice Maud Hart of Poplar, London. His epitaph reads:

Beloved,

In the sweet by and by

We shall meet

On that beautiful shore

4. David Rhys Jones is buried in the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany, Coll. grave 8.L.1-5.

5. John Howard Smith is buried in the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany, Coll. grave 8.L.1-5. Son of Arthur E. and Rhoda M. Smith, of Blunsdon, Wiltshire.

6. Peter Banks is buried in the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany, Coll. grave 8.L.1-5.

Son of Peter and Maria Banks of Wigan, Lancashire. (Shown right - courtesy Nicola Bradshaw who sent this into us in August 2023)

His epitaph reads:

I was not there

To see you die,

To lift your hand,

To say good-bye,

My son Peter

7. Ian Rosse Clapton is buried in the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany, Coll. grave 8.L.1-5.

DECORATION SUGGESTIONS BY AUTHOR:

1. P/O James Fletcher 186736: DFC

2. Sgt Sidney Goodier 1673585: DFM

3. Sgt Leonard James Hart 1804387: DFM

4. Sgt David Rhys Jones 1602369: DFM

5. Sgt John Howard Smith 1606296: DFM

6. Sgt Peter Banks 2205640: DFM

7. Sgt Ian Rosse Clapton 2205668: DFM

THE BOMBER COMMAND WAR DIARIES

15/16 December 1944

LUDWIGSHAFEN

327 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitoes of 1, 6 and 8 Groups. 1 Lancaster lost.

The target area for this raid was the northern part of Ludwigshafen and the small town of Oppau in which two important I.G. Farben chemical factories were situated. The local report shows that the raid was very successful, with 450 high-explosive bombs and many incendiaries falling in the premises of I.G. Farben, Severe damage was caused and fierce fires were started. The report states that no other attack since the start of the war had caused such a setback to I.G. Farben production, which included synthetic oil at this factory. The Oppau factory ceased production ‘until further notice’. 5 other industrial firms were also badly hit. Some damage was also caused to housing areas around the various factories but this was not serious and the fatal casualty figure was only 57 people: 50 of these may have been foreign workers who were killed in one of the factories (the records are not clear on this point). Damage was also caused to installations and ships at the nearby Rhine quays.

It would be difficult to find a Bomber Command night raid which caused so much industrial damage but so little in civilian housing areas.

Minor Operations: 62 Mosquitoes to Hannover, 11 to Osnabrück and 3 to Duisburg. 31 R.C.M. sorties, 38 Mosquito patrols, 15 Lancasters and 8 Halifaxes minelaying off northern Denmark. 1 Lancaster minelaying lost.

Total effort for the night: 509 sorties, 2 aircraft (0.4 per cent ) lost.

NACHTJAGD WAR DIARIES VOLUME TWO

15/16 December 1944

It is apparent that Lady Luck was favouring Bomber Command crews throughout the course of this early evening raid when 320 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitoes converged on Ludwigshafen. Due to fog and cloud covering Nachtjagd bases, there was no fighter opposition. One Main Force aircraft, Lancaster NG294 of 625 Squadron, was seen to explode over the target, probably a victim of flak.

In two waves, a second force of 23 aircraft was detailed to lay magnetic mines in the Baltic off North-Eastern Denmark. Hptm. Schröder St. Kpt. of 3./NJG3 shot down an outward-bound Lancaster of 106 Squadron over the sea to the south of Anholt Island.

Hptm. Eduard Schröder: 17 3./NJG3 Lancaster sea 45 km E. Fornaes (LD19): 03.53

2300 m. 106 Sqn Lancaster ND682

There would no survivors from ND682’s crew: F/O E. Barratt, F/Sgt A. Berry, F/Sgt C.P. Calvert, Sgt R.E.B. Day, Sgt J.F.W. Emerson, Sgt P.E. Green and F/Sgt E.B. Towle. F/O Barratt is buried in the Halsin Burg Municipal Cemetery in Sweden and Sgt Emerson in the Anholt Cemetery in Denmark. The remainder of the crew are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

In the recent edition of the NCA series covering this raid Theo Boiten has provided us with the most current scenario for the loss of NG294 in the Reason for Loss section above. In addition, he mentions that: Eight Main Force aircraft sustained minor Flak damage. For one crew this may have proved to be much more significant.

No. 12 Lancaster PD201, PH-H, was returning from the Ludwigshafen raid after crossing the English coast: T/o 1507 from Wickenby—while returning to Base a fire broke out and before anyone could react the stricken Lancaster dived into the ground at 2100, exploding on impact near Holbeach Drove, 8 mi SSW of Holbeach, Lincolnshire. There were no survivors from P/O E.T. Gillingham’s crew which included: Sgt F.J. Angus, Sgt J.A. Carter, Sgt. A. Muttock, Sgt J. Nicholls, Sgt J.G. Robinson and Sgt F.D.M. Smith. The violence of the crash was so great that remains of Sgt Angus and Robinson could not be recovered and they are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Above and below crew graves (Courtesy Gerald Walmsley) Please note that these photographs have had to be reduced to fit on the page. Gerald would be happy to send originals to relatives.

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

This RAF and initially all NCO crew epitomizes the fate of the majority of 625 Squadron aircraft and crews, as well as every other squadron in Bomber Command. Of the Squadron’s seventy-four Lancs and crew who “failed to return”, forty (54%) resulted in the deaths of the entire seven man crew, and one occasion eight.

P/O Fletcher and his young crew were on their fifth or sixth op, still relative neophytes but with potential. It is obvious that his leadership potential had been recognized during flight training and he was recommended for commission, awarded after his first two combat missions.

Unfortunately, this crew found themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time and it would cost them dearly. The most likely cause for this loss was a flak strike on the outbound leg. Mechanical malfunction and ensuing fire is another possibility. We know from the loss of the Squadron’s LL956 this can result in a tight six minute window for an experienced Skipper to decide and give the order to bale out.

https://aircrewremembered.com/hannah-lloyd-albert....

Other contributing factors that may have been involved included: pilot inexperience or incapacitation, intercom failure or attempting a forced landing with loss of control due to progressive structural failure at low altitude. The latter usually resulted in the loss of life of the entire crew. We are aware of one exception where a large manure pile saved a pilot to tell the tale. https://aircrewremembered.com/hurley-patrick-j.htm...

The loss of NG294 and her crew during the Ludwigshafen raid brings into vivid focus the statistical anomalies presented by the fickle finger of fate/Lady Luck. It is remarkable that only one aircraft participating with the Main Force to bomb Ludwigshafen, was lost, 625 Squadron’s NG294—out of a total of 327 Lancs! Impossible odds but not when you pull the short straw. We are aware of a similar situation that had double the impact on Squadron morale. The November 9, 1944, daylight attack on the Wanne-Eickel oil refinery in bad weather was most disheartening for the Squadron’s crews. Of the 256 Lancasters and 21 Mosquitoes, only 2 Lancs failed to return—both from 625 Squadron. It would suffer the loss of two of its veteran crews; LM731 skippered by F/L J.N. Wilson and F/O A. Bruce and his RCAF crew in NG239. There were no survivors from either crew.

The December 15/16, 1944 Ludwigshafen raid provided graphic illustration of the German defences reliance on the Nachtjagd to stave off the relentless attacks by Bomber Command. On an evening when the night fighters to the south were removed from the equation only one aircraft, NG294, was lost to other causes. Under similar circumstances, a conservative 5% of the Main Force would have fallen to the Nachtjagd. As a result out of a force of 327 aircraft, 15 crews returned to Base to fight another day.

Of the forty Squadron aircraft lost with the entire crew, the majority fell to night fighter attacks or a catastrophic flak strike. For many their lives ended in a flash of light. However, this was not always the case and often a crewman found himself uninjured, trapped by centrifugal force as the wreckage of his aircraft plummeted earthward. The other scenario with a similar outcome was to be ejected from an exploding aircraft at 20,000 feet, without a parachute. We are aware of one situation wherein the mother of a Squadron pilot had a premonition that her son had been killed in action, before she received the telegram from the Squadron Commander. This brings to mind the insightful epitaph by Sgt. Peter Bank’s mother—one of the most emotive we have encountered. We are grateful to Nicola Bradshaw for presenting us with the opportunity to share it with this archive report.

For some crews who failed to return there was time to plan and contemplate their situation. Death was not instantaneous, the crew members still had a chance to influence the outcome. We have already documented several losses or near losses where the dice could have rolled either way. However, there was always a common factor, crew camaraderie and teamwork engendered by the ‘crewing up’ concept that proved to be the spiritual core of almost every Bomber Command crew. It was part of their moral fibre and enabled them to return to combat as they observed the meat grinder attrition of their operational tour— with the proverbial pot of gold, thirty ops to tour expire.

We fly together, we fight together and, if necessary, we die together.

During the research for this Project we have become aware of the secretive custom of crew members making pacts with each other. During an op the main spar divided the crew into the five up front and the two in the rear guarding the fort. On occasion gunners were known to make a pack that in the event of an emergency one would not abandon the other, at any cost. Up front, the pilot and flight engineer had the unenviable task in an emergency situation that necessitated abandoning the aircraft, of maintaining control until the rest of the crew had baled out. Only at that point was it acceptable for them to follow suit—often too low to survive. Or with wounded on board the pilot would attempt a forced landing. This did not always go well.

https://aircrewremembered.com/bazalgette-ian-willo...

We are aware of many situations in which the lives of the crew were in danger and the Skipper had to make a decision on what action to take. This almost always involved battle damage to the aircraft and/or wounded crew members, confronted with the decision to bale out as a crew or remain with the Skipper and carry on across the North Sea to attempt a landing, with slim chances of surviving intact. Almost without exception the consensus was to get back to Base or at least English turf. The two examples below illustrate these situations in which all involved survived. We can only speculate on how many of the forty tried and failed.

Battle Order 204: https://aircrewremembered.com/625-squadron-referen...

PB203: https://aircrewremembered.com/etchells-robert-math...

It is possible that P/O Fletcher was confronted with a similar scenario and the crew as a combat team elected to push their limit, leaving it too late to bale out.

Despite the Squadron’s ORB scribe failing to recognize this promising young crew, we are grateful to Roy Wilcock for adding a personal light into their lives. P/O James Fletcher left behind his wife, Agnes, to raise their three children, William age 7, James 4 and Agnes 1. We also know that Sgt. Peter Banks was survived by his parents and eight siblings. JEA.

REFERENCES:

625 Squadron ORB

Bomber Command War Diaries by Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

Nachtjagd War Diaries Volume Two by Theo Boiten and Rod Mackenzie

http://www.flugzeugabstuerze-saarland.de/Bosen_en....

CO-AUTHORS:

John Naylor

Maureen Hicks

Mike Edwards

Roy Wilcock Honorary Member 625 Squadron Project/Research of Crew Biographies

Jack Albrecht

Kelvin Youngs Photo Editing

Submission by Nicola Bradshaw and Gerald Walmsley in memory of this crew and respect for their families.