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Operation: Hasselt
Date: 12/13th May 1944 (Friday/Saturday)
Unit: No. 466 Squadron (RAAF) 4 Group (motto 'Brave and true')
Type: Halifax III (Equipped with H)
Serial: LV826
Code: HD-J
Base: RAF Leconsfield
Location: North Sea
Pilot: P/O. Eric Harry Gaggin Aus/425000 RAAF Age 28. Missing - believed killed
Pilot 2: P/O. George Clifton Jennison 174541 RAFVR Age ? Missing - believed killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Hugh Forbes 1690225 RAFVRVAge 21. Missing - believed killed
Nav: W/O. Laurence John Nichols Aus/413886 RAAF Age 22. Missing - believed killed
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Peter William Nicholls Aus/417507 RAAF Age 20. Missing - believed killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: F/O. John Robert Brookes 160528 RAFVR Age ? Missing - believed killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Norman Edward Locklier Aus/419321 RAAF Age 27. Missing - believed killed
Air/Gnr: Fl.Sgt. Donald Anderson Bowern Aus/420434 RAAF Age 27. Missing - believed killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Werather: Fine with smoke haze and only a few scattered patches of low cloud. Target area was cloudless with poor vertical visibility. No ground detail visible. RAF Leconsfield - Orfordness - Target - Orfordness - RAF Leconsfield. Bomb load - 18 x 500 lb. HD.
Takung off at 21:50 hrs on an against the railway yards at Hasselt in Belgium. 132 crews taking part with 15 supplied by 466 squadron.
Only 39 bombed the target and all missed due to haze. The Master Bomber ordered that the raid be stopped. Red and green markers were in a tight clouds and the bombs were falling around them. A few sticks fell to the west of the target. 5 of the squadron crews reported a large explosion at 00:31 hrs. 21 year old, Fl/Sgt. Stevens (note) Aus/416802 RAAF flying Halifax III LV823 reported another at 00:40 hrs when 30 miles away.
The bomber stream came under intense enemy fighter attacks from the enemy coast also on the return trip. Many combats observed by the squadron and aircraft going down. None were encountered over the target area.
Primary target was bombed from 9,000 ft at 00:29 hrs on a heading of 187 miles. During the return trip they were again attacked by night fighters and the squadron suffered the loss of two crews. Halifax III LV919 flown by F/O. Leonard Victor Barnett Aus/418332 RAAF with all crew killed.
Homeward-bound, the aircraft was intercepted by the night fighter crew of Hauptmann Modrow and his radio operator, Unteroffizier Erich Schneider flying He219 A-0 G9+GK of 2./NJG1 at an altitude of 3,500m at 01.00. They were on a patrol out of their base in Venlo.
Burial details:
P/O. Eric Harry Gaggin. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 258. Born on the 04th March 1916 in Brisbane. Enlisted on the 07th December 1941. Son of Harry Walsh Gaggin and Olga Gaggin, of Bulimba, Queensland, Australia and husband of Florence Muriel Gaggin, of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
P/O. George Clifton Jennison. Runnymede Memorial. Pane 211. (Also remembered on family grave in Scartho Road Cemetery) Son of George Robert (died 04th March 1949) and Elsie Grace Jennison (died June 1959), of Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England.
Sgt. Hugh Forbes. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 229. Son of Hugh and Christina Forbes, of Stravithie, Fife,Scotland.
W/O. Laurence John Nichols. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 258. Born on the 30th September 1921 in Goulburn, New South Wales. Son of Laurence Reginald and Grace Emmeline Nichols, of Summer Hill, New South Wales, Australia
Fl/Sgt. Peter William Nicholls. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 261. (Also remembered on family grave in Centennial Park Cemetery in Pasadena South Australia). Born on the 06th April 1924 in Unley, South Australia. Enlisted on the 23rd May 1942. Son of Alfred William (died 27th September 1987, age 91) aand Dorothy Margaret Nicholls, (née Lusty - died 04th June 1976, age 85), of Highgate, South Australia.
F/O. John Robert Brookes. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 204. Son of John and Louisa Brookes, of Catford, London, England..
Fl/Sgt. Norman Edward Locklier. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 271. Born on the 25th August 1916 in Richmond, Victoria. Enlisted on the 18th July 1942. Son of George Norman and Lilia Alice Locklier, (née Turner) of Caulfield, Victoria, Australia. Husband of Yvonne (née Cox) father of Norman George (born 14tj February 1941) of 34 Garden Street, Cardenval, Victoria, Australia.
Fl/Sgt. Norman Locklier left a touching letter to his son, Norman George before leaving on the operation.My letter to my son Norman
Fl/Sgt. Donald Anderson Bowern. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 260. Born on the 21 January 1917 in Pambula New South Wales. Enlisted on the 08th November 1941. Son of Richard Walter Walter (died 06th July 1954) and Florence Emily Bowern, of Cronulla, New South Wales, Australia.
(note) John Humphreys Stevens DFC survived the war. On the 03rd June 1944 during an operation to Trappes Rail Centre near Paris his Halifax was severely damaged by a Me210. He managed to keep the aircraft under control and landed safely back at base. Born 16th August 1923 in Medindie. Enlisted on the 11th September 1941 in Adelaide. Let the RAAF as a Fl/Lt. on the 06th September 1945. Passed away on the 04th July 2003, age 79. Husband of Audrey Dortevens (née Collings - died 12th July 2004, age 76) of Prospect, Prospect, South Australia. Both buried at Clearview, Port Adelaide Enfield - South Australia.
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the National Archives. Kew. AIR-27-.1926-10/11, Paul McGuiness RAAF Archive, Kracker Luftwaffe Archives. Bodies washed ashore.
KTY 04.10.2024
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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