Operation: Bomber Support, Germany

Date: 21st/22nd November 1944 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit No: 192 (Special) Squadron, 100 Group

Type: Halifax III

Serial: MZ806

Code: DT:E

Base: RAF Foulsham, Norfolk, England

Location: About 1½ km (1 ml) from Kirchbrombach, Germany

Pilot: WO. Bernard Harley Harrison 657748 RAFVR Age 29. KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Richard Benjamin Hales 1810455 RAFVR Age 20. Murdered (1)

Nav: Sgt. Stanley Wharton 1622354 RAFVR Age 21. PoW No: 1268 * (2)

Bomb Aimer: Flt Sgt. Alec Peter Bloomfield 1604008 RAFVR Age 20. Murdered (1)

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. John George Smith 429256 RAAF Age 20. PoW No: 1264 * (3)

Special Op: WO. John Robert Sutton 1181273 RAFVR Age 24. KiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Robert Peter Clancy 1795884 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Tom David McGill 1824436 RAFVR Age 20. KiA

* Stalag 3A and work camps (Also Oflag 3-6) Luckenwalde (was originally interrogation centre) Brandenburg, Prussia

Above: John George Smith from his Service Record

REASON FOR LOSS:

MZ806 took off from RAF Foulsham on a mission to investigate and record electronic signals traffic and Freya transmissions in support of the Aschaffenberg operation. WO. Sutton was the Specialist Operator.

Freya was an early warning radardeployed by Germany during World War II.

MZ806 was claimed by Feldwebel (Fw) Konrad Beyer, his 11th Abschuss, from 1./NJG4 flying Ju88 G-1 3C+HJ, in the Groß-Umstadt/ Darmstadt-Aschaffenberg area at 200 m. at 19:30 hrs. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (16 October 1944 - 31 December 1944) Part 5 - Theo Boiten).

The aircraft crashed and exploded about 1½ km (1 ml) from Kirchbrombach, some 15½ km (10 mls) SSE of Groß-Umstadt.

(1) The circumstances leading to the deaths of Flt Sgt. Bloomfield and Sgt. Hales were determined by a Military Government Court convened in Hamburg between the 18th and the 28th July 1947.

Four German nationals were charged jointly with committing a war crime at König, Kreis Erbach, Germany on or about 21st November 1944 in violation of the laws and usages of war, being concerned in the killing of 1604008 Flight Sergeant A.P. Bloomfield and 18104555 Sergeant R.B. Hales both of the Royal Air Force, prisoners of war.

The four accused were:

Wilhelm Peter Johann Schwinn, who was the former Kreisleiter (District Leader) for the Erbach Kreis (District);

Otto Horst Maurer, who was a former Leutnant (2nd Lt) in the Wehrmacht and an instructor for the local Volkssturm (Home Guard);

Johann Leonhard Meyer and Wilhelm Haigis, both of whom were former members of the Politische Staffel (Political Task Force) of the Nazi party and attached to the Erbach Kreisleitung (District office).

Note: The Kreisleitung was guarded largely by members of the Politische Staffel (Political Task Force). Members of this group were drawn from fanatically devout National Socialists who had at least reached the position of Blockleiter. The role of the Politische Staffel evolved during the war years but in this instance it is believed they were essentially used as the armed personal security detail for the Kreisleiter.

The court heard that Flt Sgt. Bloomfield and Sgt. Hales were captured and taken to the house of the Bürgermeister (Mayor) of Nieder-Kinzig. Sgt. Hales was wounded in the left upper thigh and Flt Sgt. Bloomfield had lost a shoe when baling out of the aircraft. Both airmen were unharmed and treated decently whilst at the Bürgermeister’s house. The capture of the two airmen was reported to the Gendarmerie at Bad König.

Maurer, in a statement made to an Allied investigating officer, stated that at about 20:30 hrs on the day in question he, his NCOs and members of the Politische Staffel were ordered to report to Schwinn at the Kreisleitung. Maurer further stated that in the presence of Jäger, Mayer, Horn and other unnamed individuals, they were informed that an aircraft had been shot down in the vicinity and that a number of airmen had baled out and had been captured. They were to proceed to the location and collect the captured airmen. He then went on to allege that Schwinn had implied that the airmen were to be killed enroute to Erbach im Odenwald. The day after his original statement he made another withdrawing this allegation, which he also confirmed under oath during his testimony to the court.

Maurer, Meyer, Haigis together with four others identified as Jäger, Saurer, Geisler and Horn set off in cars to the scene of the crash.

Jäger was a former Chief of the Fire Brigade, Officer I/C Politische Staffel and a Company Commander of the Volkssturm. He and Saurer were killed in a car crash;

Wilhelm Geisler was a former member of the Politische Staffel. He was not in custody;

Friedrich Karl Horn was a former member of the Politische Staffel. He committed suicide in Altona prison on the 7th July 1947.

After visiting the crash site they proceeded to the house of the Bürgermeister of Nieder-Kinzig and found that the two airmen had left for Bad König under escort of the Gendarmes. They set off in pursuit and caught up with the two airmen and their escort at Bad König.

Maurer then ordered that the airmen should be handed over into his custody. The Gendarmes complied and Haigis, Meyer, Horn and Geisler were detailed to escort the two airmen. They were marched away in almost total darkness in the direction of Erbach im Odenwald with Haigis and Meyer leading, and Horn and Geisler following. Maurer and Jäger in the meantime collected the airmen’s documents from the Gendarmes.

Before he committed suicide Horn gave a deposition in which he stated that Maurer and Jäger passed them on the road, he was of the mind that they would return to pick them up in the car. Halfway between Zell and Erbach im Odenwald he heard Jäger’s voice in front of him but he did not recall what he said. Shortly thereafter he heard the sound of shooting and one of the airmen collapsed and the other disappeared. He claimed that he did not fire his pistol despite some observing his smoking pistol. They could not find the second airman but Jäger assured them that the second airman would not get very far because he was sure that he had shot him.

Zell is some 2¾ km (1¾ mls) north of Erbach im Odenwald.

The next day the bodies of the two airmen were found on two separate paths off to the left of Königer Straße leading south to Michelstadt. The first path being the furthest from Michelstadt, where Sgt. Hales was found some 50m. (160 ft) from the road and some 100m. (320 ft) to the north of Flt Sgt. Bloomfield’s body, which was lying some 25m. (80 ft) from the road along the second path.

The court found all four guilty of the charge and sentenced them to the following terms of imprisonment with effect the 28th July 1947:

Schwinn to 12 years but the Deputy Judge Advocate General, in his review, recommended that his sentence should not be confirmed;

Maurer and Mayer to 15 years and 7 years respectively. Both of their sentences were suspended on the 27th November 1951;

Haigis to 5 years. During March 1949 he was transferred to the Mariannen-Hospital in Werl suffering from serious heart problems. A petition for his release was made by the prison doctor because in his opinion Haigis was not fit for detention. The final disposition of his sentence is unknown.

The two airmen were buried in a common grave in the SW corner of the Bad König civilian cemetery. The grave was exhumed on the 9th June 1945 and the two bodies were identified as Flt Sgt. Bloomfield and Sgt. Hales. The pathologist’s report determined that Flt Sgt. Bloomfield had been shot four times. It was surmised that the first bullet struck him in the neck which caused him to collapse and the other three were inflicted to the body whilst he was prone on the ground. Sgt. Hales had been shot once which perforated his right lung. After the autopsy had been completed Flt Sgt. Bloomfield and Sgt. Hales were reinterred next to one another in a new plot in the same cemetery at Bad König.

(2) Sgt. Wharton was captured near Darmstadt the same day. He was transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel where he was held in solitary confinement for a period of time. He and Flt. Sgt. Smith were then transferred to Stalag Luft 7, Bankau nr. Kreuzburg arriving there on the 20th December 1944.

From this point onwards until he was liberated is the same as that of Flt Sgt. Smith (See Ser. 3 below).

He reported that he was involved in the planning of an escape attempt but it was discovered. He did not mention when or where the attempt was to be carried out.

Stanley Wharton was born on the 7th April 1923 in Sheffield, Yorkshire. He was employed as a Grocery shop assistant in Sheffield prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 1st January 1942. Stanley passed away on the 5th January 1987 in Greater Manchester, England.

(3) Flt Sgt. Smith described his perspective of what transpired aboard the aircraft:

“We were flying at 14,000 ft when we attacked from starboard by a night-fighter. I did not hear orders from the captain of the aircraft being off intercom system at the time. As far as I know none of the crew were injured. Three baled out before me, Sgt. Wheaton, Sgt. Bloomfield and Sgt Hales. The pilot WO. Harrison was still in the aircraft, the others I don’t know for sure, but I think they were, including WO. Sutton, Sgt. Clancy and Sgt. McGill. I baled out at approximately 1500 ft, the aircraft was under control for about 15 secs after I left. It was on fire on both starboard engines. Crashed near Duisburg approximately”.

Flt Sgt. Smith attempted to escape toward the Allied lines but was captured the next day on the 22nd November 1944. He was informed by the Germans that Sgt. McGill was badly injured and was being treated in a Frankfurt hospital. They also told him that the bodies of the Pilot, Mid-Upper Gunner and the Specialist Operator were recovered from the crashed aircraft.

He was transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel where he met Sgt. Wharton. After being held at Dulag Luft for almost a month they were transferred to Stalag Luft 7, Bankau nr. Kreuzburg arriving there on the 20th December 1944.

Whilst at Stalag Luft 7 during an air raid alert a Sgt. in the RCAF heard an all clear which he thought was the camp "All Clear" so immediately when outside and a guard patrolling outside the wire without warning aimed and fired. The Sgt. was hit in the lungs and died a few hours later.

The identity of the RCAF Sgt. has yet to be established

On the 19th January 1945, 1,500 prisoners, including Flt Sgt. Smith and Sgt. Wharton, were marched out of the camp in the bitter cold. They crossed a bridge over the river Oder on the 21st January, reached Goldberg on 5th February, and were loaded onto a train.

Flt Sgt. Smith was promoted to Warrant Officer (WO) on the 22nd January 1945.

On the 8th February 1945 they reached Stalag 3A located about 52 km (32 mls) south of Berlin near Luckenwalde, which already held 20,000 prisoners, consisting mainly of soldiers from Britain, Canada, the US and Russia.

In early 1945, some 1,000 PoWs from the Stalag 8C and Stalag Luft 3 were brought to Stalag 3A, and also PoWs from the Stalag 21C in Wolsztyn. In February 1945 prisoners from Stalag 3B Furstenberg were evacuated to Stalag 3A, adding to the already overcrowded and unhygienic conditions.

On the 22nd April 1945 as the Russians approached the camp the guards fled leaving the prisoners to be liberated by the Red Army. The camp was turned over to the Americans on the 6th May at which time the Senior American Officers (SAO) took over the running of the camp until all the PoWs were evacuated.

John George Smith was born on the 28th September 1924 in Mayfield, New South Wales. He was employed as a shop assistant in Newcastle, New South Wales prior to enlisting in the RAAF on the 2nd November 1942. After being repatriated to Australia he was discharged from the RAAF on the 26th October 1945 upon demobilisation. John passed away on the 16th July 2013 in Belmont, New South Wales, Australia.

Burial details:

WO. Harrison, Sgt. Clancy, Sgt. McGill and WO. Sutton were initially buried in communal grave 233 A, Section B in the Kirch-Brombach civilian cemetery on the on the 22nd November 1944.

Flt Sgt. Bloomfield and Sgt. Hales where initially buried in a common grave in the SW part of the König civilian cemetery. The six airmen were concentrated to the Durnbach War Cemetery on the 1st November 1947.

Above: The Durnbach War Cemetery (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC))

WO. Bernard Harley Harrison. Durnbach War Cemetery Coll. Grave 2.H. 19-21. Inscription: ‘"HE THAT LOSETH HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE SHALL FIND IT" WORTHY OF REMEMBRANCE’. Born on the 30th November 1915 in Ottershaw, Surrey. Son of William Stephen and Emma Harrison; husband of Helena Myra Marshall (née Cameron) Harrison, of Madron, Cornwall, England.

Sgt. Richard Benjamin Hales. Durnbach War Cemetery 2.H.18. Inscription: ‘HE GAVE HIS LIFE THAT WE MIGHT LIVE’. Born on the 20th March 1924 in Mile End, London. Son of George and Sarah (née Morton) Hales, of Bow, London, England.

Flt Sgt. Alec Peter Bloomfield. Durnbach War Cemetery 2.H.17. Inscription: ‘TREASURED MEMORIES OF A VERY DEAR SON. REMEMBERED ALWAYS BY MUM AND DAD’. Born on the 10th February 1924 in Reading, Berkshire. Son of Benjamin and Eleanor (née Roberts) Bloomfield, of Reading, Berkshire, England.

WO. John Robert Sutton. Durnbach War Cemetery Coll. Grave 2.H. 19-21. Inscription: ‘"JESUS SAID... HE THAT BELIEVETH IN ME THOUGH HE WERE DEAD, YET SHALL HE LIVE"’. Born in 4th Qtr of 1920 in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire. Son of John Robert and Mabel (née Flowers) Sutton, of Daybrook, Nottinghamshire; husband of Edna M. Sutton, of Arnold, Nottinghamshire, England.

Sgt. Robert Peter Clancy. Durnbach War Cemetery Coll. Grave 2.H. 19-21. Inscription: ‘PRAY FOR THE REPOSE OF HIS SOUL. SACRED HEART OF JESUS, HAVE MERCY ON HIM’. Son of Thomas and Mary Ann Clancy. No further information found.

Sgt. Tom David McGill. Durnbach War Cemetery Coll. Grave 2.H. 19-21. Inscription: ‘EVER REMEMBERED’. Born in 1924 in Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire. Son of John and Mary McGill, of Maryculter, Kincardineshire, Scotland.

Also remembered on the Roll of Honour at the Scottish National War memorial.

Researched by Ralph Snape and Traugott Vitz and dedicated to the relatives of this crew. Thanks also to Traugott Vitz for his work on the VitzArchive database. Update to include new photograph and PoW information (Sep 2024).

Other sources listed below:

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