Operation: Berlin, Germany

Date: 2nd/3rd September 1941 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit No: 35 (Madras Presidency) Squadron, 4 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Halifax I

Serial: L9560

Code: TL:F

Base: RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Yourkshire

Location: Kreuzbruch, 40 km north of Berlin, Germany

Pilot: Plt Off. Douglas Stewart Fraser 88869 RAFVR Age 19. KiA

2nd Pilot: Sgt. Robin Lyell Blin Beare 1375044 RAFVR Age 19. PoW No: 9569 * (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. Norman Willingham 922470 RAFVR Age 27. KiA

Obs: Plt Off. John Peter Boston Cushion 88456 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Denis Slater 755528 RAFVR Age 20. KiA (2)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Arthur Henry ‘Gus’ Stroud 909968 RAFVR Age 22. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Edward Wilkinson 1018131 RAFVR Age 26. PoW No: 9597 * (3)

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

Sgt. Robin Lyell Blin Beare (from his Private Pilots Licence), Sgt. Arthur Henry ‘Gus’ Stroud (courtesy Pat Baker)

We would like to appeal for any relatives of the crew who we understand, may have further information / photographss of the crew.

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 2nd September 1941, Halifax I L9560 TL:F took off from RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 20:50 hrs for an operation to bomb Berlin. It transmitted a signal indicating that the aircraft was on track and about to cross the enemy coast.

L9560 was claimed by Uffz. Karl Kupfer of 3./NGJ3, with his 3rd Abschuss south of Kreuzbruch 40 km north of Berlin at 01:15 hrs. Note: The aircraft was coned by searchlights and hit by Flak of Flakgruppe Berlin-Nord (Halifax Liebenwalde at 10:15 hrs). (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (13 July 1941 - 29 May 1942) The Early Years Part 2 - Theo Boiten)

Oblt. Karl Kupfer survived the war and was credited with three (3) confirmed Abschüsse. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies - Theo Boiten)

L9560 was one of two Halifaxes from 35 squadron that failed to return .

L9508 flown by Fg Off. Ross James DFC was hit by Flak of Flakgruppe Berlin-Nord and crashed between Basdorf and Zühldorf. He was KiA with another member of his crew and the remaining five (5) became PoWs

(1) Sgt. Bleare suffered a head injury from Flak splinters before baling out. He was captured near Berlin that night.

He was transferred to the Reserve Lazarett (hospital) in Hohemark, Dulag Luft arriving there on the 3rd September. On the 13th September he was transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel for one (1) day before being transferred to Stalag 8B, Lamsdorf, now called Łambinowice in Silesia arriving there on the 18th September.

Whilst here Sgt. Bleare arranged an identity transfer with an Army private in order to escape from a working party, however, unforeseen circumstances prevented his escape.

On the 5th May 1942 he was transferred to Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Germany (now Żagań in Poland). On the 15th June 1943 he was transferred to Stalag Luft 6, Heydekrug, Memelland (now Šilutė in Lithuania) arriving there on the 20th June.

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.

On the 15th July 1944 he was transferred to Stalag Luft 4, Groß-Tychow, Pomerania, Prussia (now Tychowo, Poland) arriving there on the 21st July.

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 he was amongst the PoWs on 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.

The camp was liberated on the 16th April 1945 and Sgt. Beare was interviewed on the 23rd April 1945.

Robin Lyell Blin Beare was born on the 31st July 1922 in Chertsey Surrey. He was a Medical Student in Surrey prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 31st July 1940. Robin passed away on the 26th November 2007 in Kent.

(2) Sgt. Denis Slater

Above: Denis and his fiancée Gladys Holt, in his parents' back garden in Allenton, Derby. (Courtesy of Jill Gittins) Denis was a cousin of Jill’s mother.

(3) Sgt. Wilkinson suffered unknown injuries on the 3rd September and was treated in a berlin hospital. On the 8th September he was transferred to the Reserve Lazarett (hospital) in Hohemark, Dulag Luft. On the 18th September he was transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel for one (1) day before being transferred to Stalag 8B, Lamsdorf, now called Łambinowice in Silesia arriving there on the 20th September.

On the 12th May he was transferred to Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Germany (now Żagań in Poland) arriving there the next day.

On the 6th July 1943 he was transferred to Stalag Luft 6, Heydekrug, Memelland (now Šilutė in Lithuania) arriving there on the 19th July.

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 he was amongst the PoWs were transported to Stalag 20A by train on the 16th 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 PoW 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 Hermann Ostmann that 12,000 British PoWs were being evacuated from the camp in the face of the Allied advance. The men marched from the camp in columns of 2,000.

After ten (10) days they arrived at Gresse, east of the Elbe. There they were issued with Red Cross parcels, but were then unfortunately strafed by British Typhoonfighter-bombers, mistaking them for German troops. Sixty (60) PoW were killed and many wounded.

Warrant Officer (WO) ‘Dixie’ Deans confronted OberstOstmann and bluntly gave him a choice, to be captured to the Russians or the British. Ostman 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 ofLauenbergwhen 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 Corpsand explained the situation. He was given a captured Mercedes car and drove back to Gresse. Two days later the PoW column marched back across the British lines.

The now Warrant Officer (WO) Wilkinson was interviewed on the 5th May 1945.

Edward Wilkinson was born on the 9th May 1915 in Oxhill, Stanley County Durham. He was employed in the Grocery and Provisions trade in County Durham prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 1st September 1940.

Burial details:

Plt Off. Douglas Stewart Fraser. Berlin War Cemetery, Joint grave 4.B.2-3. Grave Inscription: “JE SUIS PRET. ST. MARK IX.23.” (I AM READY). Born on the 23rd October 1921. Son of Wing Commander Archie Stewart Fraser RAF and Dorothy Fraser of Hythe, Kent, England.

Sgt. Norman Willingham. Berlin War Cemetery. Grave 4.B.5. Born in the 3rd Qtr of 1913 in Sculcoates, Yorkshire West Riding. Husband of Iris May (née Ward) Willingham of Ipsden, Oxfordshire, England.

Plt Off. John Peter Boston Cushion. Berlin War Cemetery, Joint grave 4.B.2-3. Born in 1st Qtr of 1920 in Kings Norton, Worcestershire. Son of Air Vice-Marshall Sir William Boston Cushion, KBE, CB and Lady Cushion (née Kenyon-Spooner) of Andover, Hampshire, England.

Sgt. Denis Slater. Berlin War Cemetery, Grave 4.B.1. Grave Inscription: “IN PROUD AND LOVING MEMORY OF DENIS. OUR DEARLY LOVED ONLY SON.” Born in the 1st Qtr of 1921 in Derby. The only child of John William and Muriel (née Cowling) Slater of Allenton, Derbyshire, England.

Sgt. Arthur Henry ‘Gus’ Stroud. Berlin War Cemetery, Grave 4.B.4. Grave Inscription: “YEARS HAVE PASSED BUT EVERY DAY IN SILENCE WE REMEMBER HIM. ALL AT HOME.” Born on the 25th December 1919 in Chadwell Heath, Essex. Son of Benjamin and Alice Maud (née Turner) Stroud of Chadwell Heath, Essex, England.

Researched by Aircrew Remembered, researcher and specialist genealogist Linda Ibrom for relatives of this crew. With thanks to Pat Baker - photo of Sgt Stroud ( from a collection of photographs of his Aunt Edna Baker WAAF who sever at Linton-on-Ouse. Many thanks also to Martin Harper and the family of Sgt. Stroud for additional family information, also, a great may thanks to April Fury - relative of Sgt. Arthur Henry Stroud - who continue to support this page to the crew (Mar 2017). The family visited the graves of the crew. Reviewed and updated with new information by Aircrew Remembered with thanks to Jill Gittins (for the image of Sgt. Slater and his fiancée (Nov 2025).

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 - 2025 Last Modified: 10 November 2025, 18:15