Operation: Frankfurt, Germany

Date: 20th/21st December 1943 (Monday/Tuesday)

Unit No: 50 Squadron, 5 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: DV217

Code: VN:C

Base: RAF Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire

Location: Kelsterbach, Germany

Pilot: Plt Off. John Llewelyn Heckendorf 412442 RAAF Age 25. KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. John Henderson 1019301 RAFVR Age 32. KiA

Nav: Fg Off. Kenneth Thornton Dale 141548 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. Robert Leslie ‘Les’ Rutherford 146342 RAFVR Age 25. PoW No: 3276 * (1)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Arthur Denis Hope 1389232 RAFVR Age 21. PoW No: 269778 ** (2)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Douglas Sinclair Hall 1483259 RAFVR Age 19. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Flt Sgt. Robert Campbell Turner 408379 RAAF Age 26. KiA

* Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland

** Stalag 4B Mühlberg, Sachsen, Germany

March 2025 - An updated comprehensive report on Stalag 3A: To read the report on conditions and evacuation of Stalag 3A during the period of liberation from April - May 1945 click here

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Skellingthorpe in Lincolnshire at16:58 hrs to bomb Frankfurt together with 13 others from the squadron.

The operation involved 650 Bomber Command aircraft made up with 390 Lancasters, 257 Halifaxes and 3 Mosquitos, of which forty-one were lost.

DV217 was claimed by two German night fighter pilots:

Lt. Edgar Honold, his 1st Abschuss, from 2./NJG2 over Kelsterbach, SW of Frankfurt at 5.800 m. at 19:43 hrs;
Maj. Wilhelm Herget from Stab I./NJG4 over Kelsterbach, 12 km WSW of Frankfurt at 5.800 m. at 19:43 hrs.

The victory was subsequently credited to Lt. Honold on the 3rd May 1944 and the claim by Maj. Herget was rejected. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (23 September - 31 December) 1943 Part 3 - Theo Boiten).

Lt. Honold was KiA on the night of the 17th/18th June 1944 during a sortie in the invasion area. He was credited with 4 Abschusse. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies - Theo Boiten).

The order to abandon the aircraft was given, but within seconds the Lancaster exploded throwing the two survivors clear. The wreckage of the aircraft falling at Kelsterbach.

A second aircraft from the Squadron lfailed to return from this mission:

Lancaster III DV234 VN:M Flown by Wg Cdr. Edward Pullen 44315 RAF was KiA along with three (3) others from the and four became PoWs. Initially hit by Flak and then claimed by Oblt. Martin Becker of Stab I./NJG5, his 4th Abschuss and the 1st of three (3) this night. The aircraft coming down at Bodenrode at 19:50 hrs. The crew who lost their lives were also buried at Durnbach War Cemetery.

(1) Fg Off. Rutherford was captured the next day and transported to Dulag Luft arriving there on the 21st December 1943. On the 8th January 1944 he was transferred to Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, arriving there on the 10th January 1944.

On the night of the 27th January 1945, with Soviet troops only 26 km (16 mls) away, orders were received to evacuate the PoWs to Spremberg which is to the West in Germany. The PoW’s were informed of the evacuation, which was on foot, at about 22:00 hrs the same night and were given 30 mins to pack and prepare everything for the March. The weather conditions were very difficult, with freezing temperatures, and it was snowing accompanied by strong winds. There was 15 cm (6 in) of snow and 2000 PoWs were assigned to clear the road ahead of the main groups.

After a 55 km (34 mls) march, the PoWs arrived in Bad Muskau where they rested for 30 hours. The PoWs were then marched the remaining 26 km (16 mls) to Spremberg where they were housed in empty garages, storerooms and in military barracks. There they were provided with warm soup and bread.

During next days, PoWs were divided up according to Compounds, and they were led to railway sidings and loaded into tightly packed carriages.

Fg Off. Rutherford was amongst the groups that were sent to Stalag 3A, Luckenwalde arriving there on the 8th February 1945. On the 22nd April 1945 as the Russians approached the camp the guards fled leaving the prisoners to be liberated by the Red Army.

Stalag 3A 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.Fg Off. Rutherford was interviewed on the 24th May 1945

Robert Leslie ‘Les’ Rutherford was born on the 27th October 1918 in Wallsend-upon-Tyne. He was a shop assistant in Wallsend-upon-Tyne prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 20th October 1939. Robert passed away on the 1st December 2029 in Lincoln, Lincolnshire aged 101.

His brother Sgt. Philip Rutherford 759358 RAFVR was killed the 7th January 1941. He was aboard Botha I L6126 of No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit which ditched off the coast of Silloth, West Cumberland (6 Missing, 1 survivor).

(2) Sgt. Hope was captured that day and was transported to Dulag Luft. On the 6th January 1944 he was transferred to Stalag 4B Mühlberg arriving there on the 9th January 1944.

Sgt. Hope was appointed to a commission and promoted to 169139 Plt Off. with effect 2nd December 1943 (London Gazette, 25th January 1945)

The camp was liberated on the 23th April 1945 by the Soviet Army. The camp held some 30,000 and of these 7,250 were British. The Soviet’s held the British and American prisoners in the camp for over a month. Individual soldiers "escaped" from the camp and made their way on foot to the American lines. Plt Off. Hope was interviewed on the 29th May 1945.

Plt Off. Hope continued to serve in the RAF and was transferred to reserve as a Flt Lt on the 5th December 1954 (London Gazette, 17th December 1954).

Arthur Denis Hope was born on the 13th August 1922 in Cubitt Town, London and was a clerk prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 20th March 1940. Arthur passed away on the 2nd January 2011 in Oakham, Rutland.

Burial details:

Plt Off. John Llewelyn Heckendorf. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 7.A.9. Grave inscription: "HIS DUTY NOBLY DONE. EVER REMEMBERED. REST IN PEACE". Born on the 5th January 1918 in Lockhart, New South Wales. Son of Johannes (John) and Emma Augusta Maria (née Hanckel) Heckendorf of Mount View, Lockhart, New South Wales, Australia.

Sgt. John Henderson. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 7.A.10. Grave inscription: "THEY GROW NOT OLD, AS WE GROW OLD: AGE SHALL NOT WEARY, NOR THE YEARS CONDEMN". Born 1912 in Crail, Fife. Son of John and Charlotte (née Methven) Henderson of East Neuk Hotel, Crail. Husband to Jane Ann Grant (née Donaldson) Henderson of St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland.

Fg Off. Kenneth Thornton Dale. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 7.A.11. Grave inscription: "THEY LEFT THE VIVID AIR SIGNED WITH THEIR HONOUR". Born in the 2nd Qtr of 1922 in Chorlton, Lancashire. Son of Richard and Annie (née Gleave) of Hyde Road, Ardwick, Manchester, England.

Sgt. Douglas Sinclair Hall. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 7.A.8. Born on the 22nd June 1924 Knaresborough, Yorkshire. Son of Harry Sinclair and Gertrude Wharlton (née Burgess) Hall of St Andrews Place, Harrogate, England

Also remembered on the Harrogate War Memorial.

Flt Sgt. Robert Campbell Turner. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 7.A.12. Grave inscription reads: "LORD, LET US NOT THY PURPOSE SEEK FOR ALL IS WELL AS DONE BY THEE". Born on the 13th September 1917 in Willenhall, Staffordshire. Son of Arthur Thomas (deceased) and Louise (née Mason) Turner of Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.

The family emigrated to Australia on the 19th June 1924 sailing aboard the SS Bendigo. In 1936 the family were living in Launceston, Tasmania. Robert had been working on the Launceston examiner before he enlisted.

Researched by Kevin Youngs (Webmaster) and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Ken Ogilvie, Wg Cdr. Paula Wilmot and Les Rutherford for bringing this loss to our attention. Also to Bruce Neill-Gourlay for crew photo and painting (Oct 2018). Thanks to Graham Wallace for the Next of Kin update for Sgt. Hall (Dec 2024). Reviewed and updated with new information by Aircrew Remembered (Dec 2024)

Other sources listed below:

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