Operation: München

Date: 02/03rd October 1943 (Saturday/Sunday)

Unit: No. 467 Squadron (RAAF)

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: ED621

Code: PO-V

Base: RAF Bottesford, Lincolnshire.

Location: Not known, probably target area Munich

Pilot: P/O. Robert Harder NZ/415692 RNZAF Age 26. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. George Kenneth Barnes 546801 RAF Age ? Killed

Nav: F/O. Milton Edwin Garbutt AUS/413976 RAAF Age 24. Killed

Nav 2: Fl/Sgt. Allan Walter Wright AUS/418609 RAAF Age 20. Killed

Air.Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Graham Ernest Potter AUS/410088 RAAF Age 21. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. William James Baker 1334345 RAFVR Age 20. Missing.

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Norman Sidaway 1499834 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Frank Pullom AUS/414161 RAAF Age 28. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

P/O. Harder left RAF Bottesford at 18.30 hrs. joining 293 other Lancasters from 1, 5 and 8 group with 2 B-17's were detailed to bomb Munich. The target was described as clear but the initial marking scattered. Heavy bombing over the souther parts of Munich.

Reports from Germany mention that 339 buildings were destroyed, 191 people killed with 748 injured.

The Allies lost 8 aircraft, 2 from 467 Squadron.

The other:

Lancaster III ED530 PO-O Flown by 20 yr. old P/O. Kenneth A. McIver from Merriwagga, New South Wales, Australia lost with 5 other crew members on the home run when it ran out of fuel just some 20 miles from Beachy Head. One was picked up by air sea rescue.

Lancaster ED621 is thought too have been brought down by the accurate heavy flak over the target area, but we have no confirmation of this. We do have no confirmed Night fighter claims for this Lancaster though.

P/O. Robert Harder. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 7.E.5. Son of James Christian Harder and Lily Mary Harder, of Westport, Nelson, New Zealand.

Sgt. George Kenneth Barnes. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 7.E.3. No further information available as yet.

F/O. Milton Edwin Garbutt. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 7.E.1. Son of Ernest Milton Garbutt and Evelyn Winifred Garbutt, of Homebush, New South Wales, Australia.

Fl/Sgt. Allan Walter Wright. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 7.E.6. Son of Walter Henry and Eleanor Annie Wright, of Shepparton East, Victoria, Australia.

Fl/Sgt. Graham Ernest Potter. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 7.E.2. Son of Ernest and Bertha Catherine Potter, of Canterbury, Victoria, Australia.

Sgt. William James Baker. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 141. Son of William John Baker, and of Maggie Baker, of Bayswater, London, England.

Sgt. Norman Sidaway. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 7.E.4. Son of William Henry and Sarah Ann Sidaway, of Cradley Heath, Staffordshire, England.

Fl/Sgt. Frank Pullom. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 7.E.7. Son of Albert and Lilian Maude Pullom, of Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, Scotland.

Researched for relatives of the crew with thanks for further information from David Franklin for the superb grave photographs, Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vol. 4', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vol's. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Norman Franks 'Another Kind Of Courage', The Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Further information from these titles/organisations are available from us, just use the 'help' button on the main page above or 'Add Info' button also shown on this page.

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