Operation: Dessau

Date: 7th/8th March 1945 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit No: 170 Squadron (motto: Videre Non Videri - 'To see and not be seen')

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: ME418

Code: TC:V

Base: RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire, England

Location: Morsleben, Germany

Pilot: Fg Off. Harry William Fuller 152276 RAFVR Age 22. KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Walter Gorden Austen 3031942 RAFVR Age 20. KiA

Nav: Sgt. Donald Underwood Hart 1800267 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. William Sidney John Moore 163519 RAFVR Age 30. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. Royce Johnson 1873157 RAFVR Age 20. KiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Thomas Dixon 1596554 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Patrick Kane 1566852 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 16:53 hrs. along with 12 others from the squadron to dislocate supply lines of the enemy and to disorganise the Germans.

Weather for take off was good but very soon after afterwards it was reported as 10/10 cloud decreasing to 5-6/10th and instructions were sent to the crews to bomb the Wanganui flares (Target Indicators). Crews reported seeing fire through small gaps in the clouds.

ME418 was not heard from since take off, but the Luftwaffe night fighters claimed some 41 aircraft. One possible claim are that of Maj. Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer of Stab NJ4 at 21:56 hrs - his 121st claim of the war. He also claimed the other 170 Squadron lost on this operation at 20:31 hrs:

Lancaster III ME388 TC:H Flown by 20 year old, Fg Off. John Stennett Walker 430231 RAAF - Killed with all his crew.

Fg Off. William Sidney John Moore was a Police Constable in the City of London Police before enlisting as aircrew in 1944. He was Constable 172B based at Snow Hill Police Station in the City of London. His nickname was "Ginger" and had served throughout the London Blitz and the V-1 campaign before joining up. He features in a short colour film depicting wartime London, a still of which is shown above. (courtesy of Stuart Humphryes and the other photograph of him is courtesy @squaremile plod)

Burial details:

Above as described - individual grave photographs are available free of charge to relatives.

Fg Off. Harry William Fuller. Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery. Collective Grave 13.G.2-7. Born on the 3rd April 1922. Son of Harry and Gladys Lavinia Fuller, of Romford, Essex, England.

Sgt. Walter Gorden Austen. Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery. Grave 13.G.1. Born in the 1st Qtr 1925 in Kingston, Surrey. Mother’s name was Wright.

Sgt. Donald Underwood Hart. Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery. Collective Grave 13.G.2-7. Son of Alfred Forrester Hart and Sarah Gladys Hart of Chiswick, Middlesex, England.

Fg Off. William Sidney John Moore. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. Collective Grave 13.G.2-7. Grave inscription reads: "IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR HUSBAND AND HIS COMRADES. WE WILL REMEMBER THEM." Son of William Edgar and Mary Jane Moore. Husband of Jessie Violet Moore of Earlham, Norfolk, England.

Flt Sgt. Royce Johnson. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. Collective Grave 13.G.2-7. Grave inscription reads: "HE TOOK, THAT NIGHT, THE ONE GREAT STEP BEYOND THE STARS, INTO THE ARMS OF GOD." Son of William and Laura Johnson of Watford, Hertfordshire, England.

Sgt. Thomas Dixon. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. Collective Grave 13.G.2-7. Grave inscription reads: "HE FOUGHT FOR KING AND COUNTRY, HE DIED FOR THOSE HE LOVED." Son of Thomas and Dora Dixon of Trimdon Station, County Durham, England.

Sgt. Patrick Kane. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. Collective Grave 13.G.2-7. Grave inscription reads: "THOUGH ABSENT, YOU ARE ALWAYS NEAR, STILL LOVED, STILL MISSED, FOR EVER DEAR." Son of Patrick and Margaret Kane of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Researched by Stephen Hunnisett for Aircrew remembered - July 2019. Dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Stuart Humphryes, @squaremile plod for photo of the Bomb Aimer. Thanks to Caroline Cook for the Next-of-Kin information for Fg Off. Fuller (Jul 2023).

Other sources as quoted below:

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