Operation: Essen

Date: 12/13th April 1942 (Sunday/Monday)

Unit: No. 115 Squadron. 3 Group

Type: Wellington III

Serial: X3596

Code: KO-B

Base: RAF Marham, Norfolk

Location: IJsselmeer, Netherlands

Pilot: Sgt. Albert Ernest Holder 1376202 RAFVR Age 27. Killed

Pilot: Sgt. Noel Hensley Blair NZ/404994 RNZAF Age 24. Killed

Obs: P/O. Ronald William Barlow 106537 RAFVR Age 25. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Kenneth John Raiswell 1151893 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Thomas James Phillips 977631 RAFVR Age ? Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Thomas Ryan 621697 RAF Age 22. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 22:57 hrs to bomb Essen - one of 251 aircraft detailed for the attack.

Bombing taking place between 00:55 and 02:45 hrs - with five allied bombers shot down by the intense anti-aircraft fire - five more were shot down by the Luftwaffe night fighters.

Wellington X3596 was shot down by Oblt. Helmut Woltersdorf of 7./NJG1 west of Urk - crashing into the IJsselmeer at 03:15 hrs.

He was also shot down on the 02nd June 1942 by New Zealander Sgt. Peter Masters Gawith DFM.

Above: Wreckage of X3596 with insert of Oblt. Helmut Woltersdorf

Burial details:

Sgt. Albert Ernest Holder. Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. Plot 85. Row D. Grave 12. Son of Albert and Thirza Louisa Holder and husband of Winifred May Holder, of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England. Grave inscription reads: 'In Everloving Memory Of Jim Never Shall His Memory Fade. Loved By All'.

Sgt. Noel Hensley Blair. Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. Plot 85. Row D. Grave 13. Born on the 21st April 1917 at Kaponga, the son of the Reverend Charles and Clara Blair (née Temple-Brown), of Stoke, Nelson, New Zealand. 314 flying hours logged. Thought to have completed some 4 operational sorties.

P/O. Ronald William Barlow. Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. Plot 85. Row D. Grave 15. Son of Edmund and Ada Miller Barlow, of Stockport, Cheshire, England. B.A. Hons. (Oxon.); Scholar of Brasenose College; Diplomas in Economics and General Science. President and Captain, Oxford University Lacrosse team, 1937. Grave inscription reads: 'If There Be Good In That I Wrought, Thy Hand Compell'd It, Master, Thine'.

Sgt. Kenneth John Raiswell. Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. Plot 85. Row C. Grave 13. Son of John and Mabel Raiswell, of Gowerton, Glamorgan, Wales. Grave inscription reads: 'His Life A Beautiful Memory, His Death A Silent Grief'.

Sgt. Thomas James Phillips. Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. Plot 85. Row D. Grave 11. No further details - are you able to assist?

Sgt. Thomas Ryan. Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. Plot 85. Row D. Grave 14. Son of Johana Ryan - no further details - are you able to assist? Grave inscription reads: 'May The Sacred Heart Of Jesus Have Mercy On His Soul R.I.P'.

Researched by Jenifer Lemaire of New Zealand. Page dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: 'For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3', Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand. Grave photographs courtesy Fulham Rocks - used with permission, other sources as quoted below:

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