Operation: Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Date: 25th/26th June 1943 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit No: Unit: No. 102 Squadron 6 Group (motto: Tentate et Perficite - 'Attempt and achieve')d

Type: Halifax II

Serial: JB843

Code: DY:F

Base: RAF Pocklington, Yorkshire

Location: Breezand, North Holland

Pilot: Sgt. Kenneth Gore 1431059 RAFVR Age 20. KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Thomas Mitchell Sugden 1119079 RAFVR Age 23. KiA

Nav: Sgt. John Harold Wright 1388972 RAFVR Age 20. KiA

Bomb Aimer: Sgt. Thomas Eric Judd 1233573 RAFVR Age 22. KiA (1)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Frederick Henry Mitchell 1079029 RAFVR Age 33. KiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. David Albert Harris Gough 1575135 RAFVR Age 19. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. John Bartholomew Foskett 1337461 RAFVR Age 22. KiA

UPDATE July 2025: We would like to contact any relatives of the crew as a new memorial planned

UPDATE August 2025 - invition ans programme of event, download - Guest invitation.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 23.34 hrs from RAF Pocklington, Yorkshire to bomb the Oil refineries of Gelsenkirchen with 472 other aircraft - 214 lancasters, 134 Halifaxes, 73 Stirlings, 40 Wellingtons with 12 ‘Oboe’ Mosquitoes.

The operation was considered to be a failure. Target was covered in cloud, with no moonlight until later in the raid, the Mosquitoes failed to accurately mark the target, due to 5 of them having defective equipment.

The reports from Dusseldorf state that 24 buildings destroyed, 3,285 damaged - most of them superficial. 20 Industrial premises were also hit, with only 4 suffering serious loss of production. 16 people on the ground were killed. For Bomber Command the losses were extremely heavy with 34 aircraft lost, either on the operation or on return to their bases. 179 Crew were killed with 36 taken PoW.

Halifax JB843 was claimed by Hptm. Hans-Joachim Jabs, his 29th Abschuss and 2nd of 3 this night, from 11./NJG1 over Breezand, 13 km south of Den Helder at 4.880 m. at 02:43 hrs. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (23 June - 22 September) 1943 Part 2 - Theo Boiten)

Above: Hptm. Hans-Joachim Jabs (courtesy Kracker Archives)

Obstlt. Hans-Joachim Jabs survived the war and was credited with 38 confirmed Abschüsse, 22 night and 16 day with 10 awaiting confirmation. He died on the 28th October 2003, age 86. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies - Theo Boiten)

(1) Thomas Eric Judd resided at 51 Abercorn Road in Coventry. Thomas attended Bablake from 1932 to 1937. His Form Master wrote in 1937,"Fairly good standard of work, with a definite bias towards the practical side in Science. Keen, willing, cheerful", the report also showed he had shown interest in the Scientific Society and model aeroplanes.

Prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 16th February 1941 he was employed by Coventry Gauge and Tool Co. Ltd.

Above: Sgt. Thomas Eric Judd (courtesy Paul Malone)

'The Wheatleyan', December 1943 reported "We have just heard with regret of the death of Sergeant Observer T. E. Judd, whose Halifax was shot down over the Ruhr. He is buried in the municipal Graveyard at Petten, in Northern Holland".

Burial details:

Above: Bergen General Cemetery and Bergen-Op-Zoom Cemetery (courtesy CWGC)

Sgt. Kenneth Gore. Bergen General Cemetery. Plot 2. Row C. Coll. Grave 1-3. Grave Inscription: “IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DARLING SON. "THEY GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR PEACE"”. Sgt. Kenneth Gore. Bergen General Cemetery. Plot 2. Row C. Coll. Grave 1-3. Born on the 08th February 1923. Son of Adrian and Kate Muriel Gore, of West Bridgford, Nottingham, England.

Sgt. Thomas Mitchell Sugden. Bergen General Cemetery. Plot 2. Row C. Coll. Grave 1-3. Grave Inscription: “REST IN PEACE”. Born in the 4th Qtr of 1919 in Leeds. Son of Thomas Mitchell and Henrietta (née Wardle) Sugden of Cookridge, Leeds, Yorkshire, England.

Sgt. John Harold Wright. Bergen General Cemetery. Plot 2. Row C. Coll. Grave 1-3. Grave Inscription: “THE WINGS OF MAN'S LIFE ARE PLUMED WITH THE FEATHERS OF DEATH R.I.P.”. Son of Harold Frederick and Dorothy Laura Wright of West Wickham, Kent, England.

Sgt. Thomas Eric Judd. Bergen-Op-Zoom Cemetery. Grave 30.A.6. Born in 25th January 1921 in Coventry, Warwickshire. Son of John William Judd and Alice (Alison) Judd (neé Pearce) of Coventry, England.

Sgt. Frederick Henry Mitchell. Bergen General Cemetery. Plot 2. Row C. Coll. Grave 1-3. Born on the 14th December 1910 in Manchester. Son of John William and Maud Ellen Mitchell. Husband of Elsie Caerys Mitchell of Wallasey, Cheshire, England.

Sgt. David Albert Harris Gough. Bergen-Op-Zoom Cemetery. Grave 28.B.10. Born on the16th February 1924 in Blean, Kent. Son of Bernard H. and Kete E. (née gates) Gough of Blean, Kent, England.

Sgt. John Bartholomew Foskett. Bergen General Cemetery. Plot 2. Row C. Coll. Grave 1-3. Born during 1921 in India. Son of Walter and Dollie (née Kershaw) Foskett of Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, England.

Researched and dedicated to Mrs. L. Geary, niece of Sgt. Gough and all the relatives of this crew with thanks to Paul Malone relative of Sgt. Judd. Reviewed and updated by Aircrew Remembered with thanks to Trevor Harkin for Sgt. Judd's bio (Mar 2025)

Other sources listed below:

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