Operation: Düsseldorf, Germany

Date: 10th/11th September 1942 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit No: 61 Squadron, 5 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: R5888

Code: QR:?

Base: RAF Syerston, Nottingham

Location: Vicinity of Krefeld, Germany

Pilot: Flt Sgt. Frank Hobson 912096 RAFVR Age 22. KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Gordon Anthony Hill 819006 RAuxAF Age? KiA

Nav: Sgt. Lloyd Watson Thomas 402282 RAAF Age 20. KiA

Bomb Aimer: Sgt. Wilfred Thomas Belton 1058416 RAFVR Age 21. KiA (1)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Philip Haig Fairbanks 1112526 RAFVR Age 20. KiA (2)

Air Gnr (Mid Upper) Sgt. Albert Cranston Yates R70975 RCAF Age 21. KiA

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 20:35 hrs to bomb Düsseldorf. A huge force took off - a total of 479 aircraft made up with 242 Wellingtons, 89 Lancasters, 59 Halifaxes, 47 Stirlings, 28 Hampdens and 14 Whitleys.

The pathfinders marked the target area successfully using the 'Pink Pansies' in converted 4,000 lb bomb casings. The city was hit in all areas apart from the north, also hit was the neighbouring town of Neuss.

‘Pink Pansies’ an incendiary bomb - 2,800 lbs - used as a target marker made up from Benzol, rubber and phosphorous.

Reports are that 39 industrial firms in Düsseldorf and a further 13 in Neuss were damaged to the extent that no production could take place for various periods, 8 public buildings were destroyed and 67 damaged. 911 houses were also destroyed, 1,506 seriously damaged and another 8,340 lightly damaged.

On the ground 132 people were killed, made up of 120 in Düsseldorf and 12 in Neuss. A further 11 people were classed as "missing" 2 days after the raid. 19,427 people were made homeless.

The raid took its toll on the Allies though with 33 aircraft lost. (20 Wellingtons, 5 Lancasters. 4 Stirlings, 3 Halifaxes and 1 Hampden) 60 crewmen were killed, 1 injured and 13 made PoW.

Flak destroyed an estimated eight (8)bombers, but only sparce details on just four (4) of then claims have been found to date. A further eighteen (18) were lost to German night-fighters. No records for the loss of R5888 have been found.

However, the crew were initially buried by the Germans in the Krefeld Main Cemetery and it can be surmised that the aircraft crashed in the vicinity of Krefeld.

(1) Timothy Matthias has related the following anecdotal story about Sgt. Belton told to him in the 1980’s by one of the senior residents of Bwlchgwyn village.

‘The Bwlchgwyn village policeman has been instructed by the RAF to find Sgt. Belton and inform him he should not be on leave at this time. The constable found Sgt. Belton at the family home and informed him of his duty to return him to the RAF. Sgt. Belton told the constable that he had just wanted to visit home one last time as he was sure he would not return from operations in the near future. The constable told him if he wanted more time he would happily tell the authorities he couldn't find him. Despite his premonition Sgt. Belton told the constable it was his plan to return anyway, he just wanted to see the family one last time’.

Above: Newspaper clipping believed to have been published shortly after his last visit to his parents. (Courtesy of Timothy Matthias)

(2) Sgt. Fairbanks’ brother, 28 year old, 3rd Officer Gordon Maguire Fairbanks was lost just months earlier on the 26th January 1942. On board the SS Refarst when it was torpedoed by U-582 south of St. Johns, commanded by Lt. Werner Schulte.

Lt. Schulte and all his crew of 46 were also lost on the 5th October 1942 SW of Iceland in U-582.

3rd Officer Gordon Maguire Fairbanks is remembered at the Tower Hill Memorial, Panel 86. Husband of Lilian Fairbanks, of Austhorpe, Yorkshire, England.

Note: the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) incorrectly lists his loss as on the 26th June 1942. Aircrew Remembered have advised them of the error.

Burial details:

Flt Sgt. Frank Hobson. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Grave 16.G.12. Grave inscription: 'DYING, HE DIES NOT, BUT LIVES ON IN OUR HEARTS'. Born on the 7th September in Liverpool, Lancashire. Son of Frank and Rosetta (née Johnson) Hobson of Liverpool, Lancashire, England. (Batchelor of Arts Degree)

Sgt. Gordon Anthony Hill. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Grave 16.F.14. Left effects to his Widow Marjorie Ethel Olive (née Sinclair) Hill of Carshalton, Surrey, England.

Sgt. Lloyd Watson Thomas. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Grave 16.F.18. Grave inscription: 'THEY NEVER FAIL WHO DIE IN A GREAT CAUSE'. Born on the 5th November 1921 at Sydney. Son of Robert William and Eva Elizabeth Thomas of 'Hundleby', Station Street, Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia.

Sgt. Wilfred Thomas Belton. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Grave 16.F.13. Born on the 17th December 1920 in Brymbo, Denbighshire. Son of William and Louisa Belton of Bwlchgwyn, Wrexham, Denbighshire, Wales.

Sgt. Belton is also remembered on the Bwlchgwyn village memorial.

Sgt. Philip Haig Fairbanks. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Grave 16.G.14. Born in the 4th Qtr of 1921 in Leeds, Yorkshire. Son of Richard William and Norah Christine (née Walford) Fairbanks of Whitkirk, Yorkshire, England.

Sgt. Albert Cranston Yates. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Grave 16.F.15. Grave inscription: 'AT REST'. Born on the 10th October 1921 in Olds, Alberta. Son of Albert Martin and Maud (née Cranston) Yates of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Yates Bay in Kazan Lake, Saskatchewan is named after Sgt. Albert Yates

Sgt. Ernest West Catlin. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Grave 16.G.13. Born in the 2nd Qtr of 1920 in Northampton, Northamptonshire. Son of Arthur Harold and Evelyn (née Clarke) Catlin of Leicester, England.

Researched for Jane Fairbanks (niece of Sgt. Philip Haig Fairbanks) and dedicated to the relatives of this crew. A very special mention to Mitch Buiting for taking photographs of the crews graves on the day request sent (Jan 2020). TThanks to Timothy Matthias for the next of kin information and clipping for Sgt. Belton which have been expand and added to the updated report (Dec 2025).

Other sources listed below:

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