Operation: Gardening

Date: 4/5th August 1942

Unit: No. 460 Squadron

Type: Wellington IV

Serial: Z1422

Coded: UV-W

Base: R.A.F. Breighton, Yorkshire

Location: North Sea – off Brittany

Pilot: P/O. Albert George Grand AUS/402948 R.A.A.F. Age 22. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Athole Douglas MacLeod AUS/405274 R.A.A.F. Age 19. Killed

Nav: Sgt. Albert William Howard AUS/405273 R.A.A.F.Age 29. Killed

W/Op: Sgt. Thomas Cunnah Hobgen AUS/404313 R.A.A.F. Age 21. Killed (1)

Air/Bmr: Sgt.Colin Roderick Donald Lowis AUS/405277 R.A.A.F Age 30. Killed

Reason For Loss:

On the evening of 4th August 1942, Wellington Z1422 took of at 22.14 hrs. to lay mines in the coastal waters off the Brittany Coast, France. That evening it was cloudy and rainy and all the aircraft taking part in the operation took off at staggered intervals. From the time of take off no further wireless messages were received from Z1422. No details exist as to why it crashed, but it is believed to have crashed in the sea due to enemy action.

Sergeant Hobgen’s body was found washed up on the beach by a young French woman who laid a bunch of flowers beside his body. She then reported her find to the German authorities. One other body was also washed ashore near Fort Ivy and both were buried in Quiberon Cemetery. 

The town of Quiberon is in Brittany on the French Coast approximately 20 miles south west of Vannes and Fort Ivy is located about 3.5 miles west of Quiberon. It can only be assumed that as there is no trace of the aircraft that it crashed in the sea. Efforts were made to establish whether the bodies of the other crew members were recovered for burial, but this proved unsuccessful. 

The gravedigger at Quiberon M.J. Bohec when interviewed by the R.A.F. Investigation Officer gave the following information. He was sent to the Isle of Houat by the Germans to collect the bodies of Ostrowski and the other airmen washed ashore there on 28th August 1942 (presumably an Australian from the description of his battledress) for burial at Quiberon with the other three English airmen. However, the German Captain in charge of the boat, for reasons best known to himself would permit Rohec to bring back the one body only. It was generally supposed that these two men were of the same crew as Sgt. Hobgen. All efforts were made to find the rest of the crew, but only Sgt. Hobgen was the only identified member of the crew to be buried in Quiberon Communal Cemetery.

P/O. Albert George Grand. The Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede, Egham, Surrey. Panel 111. Son of Abijah John and Margaret May Grand, of Casino, New South Wales, Australia. Born 30th July 1920 at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Parents were Abijah John and Margaret May Grand. Religion is recorded as Church of England. Enlisted into the Australian Royal Air Force at No.2 Recruiting Centre,Sydney on 11th November 1940. After enlistment embarked to Canada on 21st March 1941.

Sgt. Thomas Cunnah Hobgen. Quiberon Communal Cemetery, Morbihan, Brittany, France. Grave 4. Son of Thornas and Daisy Adelaide Hobgen, of Toowong, Queensland, Australia. Born on 29th December 1920 at Toowooba, Queensland, Australia. Father was Major T. Hobgen. Before enlisting employed as a Marine Engineer. Served from 1938 to 1939 in the Australian 1st Cavalry Mobile Veterinary Section, Q.A.H.C. Enlisting at No 3. Recruiting Centre Brisbane on 16th August 1941 where he gave his father as next of kin Religion Church of England. Posted to No 2. Initial Training School at Bradfield Park, Lindfield, New South Wales on the 19th August of the same year. After his initial training embarked at Sydney on 22nd January 1941 to Canada. After completing his pilot training embarked for the UK on 24th January 1942 to complete his training. Finally joining R.A.F. 460 Squadron on 17th July 1942.

Sgt. Albert William Howard. The Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede, Egham, Surrey. Panel 112. Son of Albert Arthur and Charlotte Jane Isobel Howard; husband of Jean Howard, of Taringa, Queensland, Australia. Born on 9th September 1912 at Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia. His wife’s name was Jean Howard. Enlisted into the Royal Australian Air Force at No 3. Recruiting Centre on 3rd March 1941, giving his wife as next of kin, religion as Presbytarian. He embarked on 17th November of the same year for Canada, on route for the UK.

Sgt. Colin Roderick Donald Lowis. The Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede, Egham, Surrey. Panel 112. Son of Charles and Anne Louisa Lowis, of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. Born on 10th August 1911 at Ipswich, Queensland, Australia.

Sgt. Athole Douglas Macleod. The Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede, Egham, Surrey. Panel 113. Son of William Herbert Macleod and Olive Agnes Macleod. Born on 9th August 1922 at Bundaberg, Queensland. Before enlistment he was employed as a bank clerk at the bank of New South Wales. Enlisting at No 3. Recruiting Centre, Brisbane on 2nd March 1941 religion as Presbytarian and his brother Gordon Wallace MacLeod as his next of kin as both his parents were deceased.His brother was a Pursur on M.S.Corinda, in the Australian Merchant Navy. After enlistment embarked from Brisbane to Canada on route to the UK.

(1) Thomas Cunnah Hobgen’s younger brother, Sergeant John Edward Hobgen AUS/404621 Royal Australian Air Force also died on active service on 9th May 1942. Killed whilst on an operation to Warnemünde along with all the crew of 6 from 12 Squadron, as an Air gunner on a Wellington II W5574 and is buried on the Island of Romo at Kirkeby Churchyard, Denmark. Grave 275.

Researched by Bob Wilton. Acknowledgments: Australian National Archives, Bill Chorley – ‘Bomber Command Losses Vol’s. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions’, the C.W.G.C.

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