Operation: Essen

Date: 16/17th September 1942 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit: No. 11 Operational Training Unit. 91 Group

Type: Wellington IC

Serial: DV480

Code: OP-N Bar

Base: RAF Bassingbourne, Cambridgeshire

Location: Springersdiep

Pilot: P/O. Ian Alexander Grant NZ/414283 RNZAF Age 24. Killed

Obs: P/O. James Lyders Speedy NZ/411950 RNZAF Age 22. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. Robert Henry Groom 126450 RAFVR Age ? Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Stanley Swain 1378437 RAFVR Age 30. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. William Buckley 1080095 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 20:30 hrs to bomb the Krups works at Essen - 368 aircraft taking part.

Although it is reported at the majority of the bombing was scattered, this was described as the most successful on what was known to be a difficult target.

33 large fires with a further 80 medium-sized fires with 8 industrial and 6 transport premises being hit. The Krupps works were also damaged, hit by 15 high explosive bombs - further damage was caused when one of the allied aircraft crashed into the target full of incendiary bombs - 47 people reported killed on the ground with a further 92 suffering various degrees of injuries. The scattered bombing also hit Bochum causing 50 fires with a reported 13 killed. The towns of Herne and Cochem were also hit - killing a further 15 people on the ground.

DV480 is thought to have been hit by flak on the homeward-bound flight and came down on a sandbank in the Springersdiep off Overflakkee. It is believed that Sgt. Buckley baled out of the aircraft over Belgium airspace and was killed. The bodies of P/O. Grant, P/O. Speedy and P/O. Groom had washed ashore at Paarenplaat on the19th of September 1942.

Two other crews from 11 OTU were also lost:

Wellington ICDV612 Flown by F/O. Victor Dominic Benefield, three crew PoW, two killed. Further details here.

Wellington Z1108 Flown by P/O. William Arthur Hoskins, all five crew killed. Further details here.

The training units were called upon to make up the numbers. Losses from these units were huge and it was the last time they would be called upon to take part in main force operations.

27 OTU lost two aircraft with 5 crew killed
26 OTU lost 2 aircraft with all 10 crew killed.
25 OTU lost 1 aircraft with 4 crew killed, the pilot was taken PoW.
23 OTU lost3 aircraft with 13 crew killed and 2 taken PoW.
22 OTU lost 1 aircraft with all 5 crew killed.
21 OTU lost 1 aircraft with all 5 crew killed
15 OTU lost 2 aircraft with all 10 crew killed
12 OTU lost 2 aircraft with all 10 crew killed.
11OTU lost 3 aircraft with 12 crew killed and 3 taken PoW.
10 OTU lost 1 aircraft with all 5 crew killed.

Burial details:

P/O. Ian Alexander Grant. Ouddorp General Cemetery. Row 1. Grave 3. Born on the 18th February 1918 IN Shanghai, China. Moved to New Zealand around 1940. Served for 6 months in the Shanghai Volunteers. Worked as a clerk for Woolworths, Auckland. Enlisted at Levin on the 21st July 1941. Initial training with No. 4 Elementary Flying Training School. Embarked for Canada on the 17th November 1941. Pilots badge and awarded his commission on the 27th March 1942. Embarked for England on the 01st May 1942, further training with No. 15 Pilot Advanced Training Unit on the 27th June 1942. Joined 11 Operational Training Unit on the 21st July 1942. Son of John Eadie and Lilian Rose Grant (née Ratcliffe), of London, England.

P/O. James Lyders Speedy. Ouddorp General Cemetery. Row 1. Grave 1. Born on the 03rd January 1920 at Wairoa. Attended Victoria University and Massey Agricultural College. Served in the territorial army for 6 months. Enlisted at Levin on the 23rd March 1941. Initial training with No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School but his pilot training was terminated and he was remustered as an observer on the 07th June 1941. Embarked for Canada on the 22nd of September 1941. Observer badge and promoted to sergeant on the 28th February 1942. Awarded his commission on the 04th April 1942. Embarked for England on the 01st May 1942. Attached to 9 Observer Advanced Flying Unit on the 08th June 1942. Joined 11 11 Operational Training Unit on the 21st July 1942 and carried out 3 operational sorties. Son of James Brydon Speedy and Sigrid Augusta Speedy (née Lyders - died 13th April 1978, age 86), of Wairoa, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.

P/O. Robert Henry Groom. Ouddorp General Cemetery. Row 1. Grave 2. No further information - are you able to assist?

Sgt. Stanley Swain. Rotterdam General Cemetery (Crooswijk). Plot LL. Row 1. Grave 20. Son of Thomas Swain, and of Floris Ida Swain, of Adwick-le-Street, Yorkshire and husband of Edith Ethel Swain, of Doncaster, Yorkshire, England.

Sgt. William Buckley. Heverlee War Cemetery. Grave 7. K. 7. Son of Roger John and Caroline Buckley, of Elton, Sandbach, Cheshire, England.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

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