AR banner
Search Tips Advanced Search
Back to Top

• Kracker Archive
• Allied Losses
• Archiwum Polish
• Paradie Canadian
• RCAF
• RAAF
• RNZAF
• USA
• Searchable Lists

Info LogoAdd to or correct this story with a few clicks.
Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
Check our Research databases: Database List

.

We seek additional information and photographs. Please contact us via the Helpdesk.

460 Squadron Crest
01/02.06.1942 460 Squadron Wellington IV Z1344 UV:W Fg Off. Allan J. Holland

Operation: Essen

Date: 1st/2nd June 1942 (Monday/Tuesday)

Unit No: 460 Squadron

Type: Wellington IV

Serial: Z1344

Code: UV:W

Base: RAF Breighton, Yorkshire

Location: Flushing (Vissingen) Western Schelde

Pilot: Fg Off. Allan James Holland 43286 RAF Age 23. PoW No. 683 * (1)

2nd Pilot: Sgt. Clifford Stanley Douglas 406349 RAAF Age 21. PoW No. 25085 ** (2)

Observer: Sgt. Arthur Patrick Dansey 400080 RAAF Age 21. PoW No. 811 *** (3)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Dudley Raymond Beinke 406136 RAAF Age 21. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. William Desmond Cheese 408046 RAAF Age 21. Died of Injuries

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Thomas Lincoln Watkins 407308 RAAF Age 21. Died of Injuries

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

** Stalag 8b, in 1943 renamed Stalag 344, Lamsdorf (now called Łambinowice) in Silesia, Lamsdorf (now called Łambinowice) in Silesia.

*** Stalag Luft 6, Heydekrug, Memelland (now Šilutė in Lithuania)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 23:21 hrs from RAF Breighton, Yorkshire to take part in the second large 1000 bomber raid on Essen, although the full quota could not be mustered on this night - 956 aircraft did take part made up of 545 Wellingtons, 127 Halifaxes, 77 Stirlings, 74 Lancasters, 71 Hampdens, 33 Manchesters and 29 Whitleys.

The ground was covered in haze or low cloud resulting in very scattered bombing. Reports from Essen stated that 11 houses were destroyed and 184 damaged. A PoW camp was burnt out - this all resulted in 15 people killed and 91 injured. The scattering of the bombing also killed 83 people in Oberhausen, 52 killed in Dusberg and 15 killed in Mulheim.

The raid took its toll on the bomber force with 35 aircraft lost. A total of 140 aircrew were killed and 47 made PoW.

Above: The usual crew of Z1344 left to right: 2nd Pilot George Grand, Thomas Watkins, Doug Hurditch, Dudley Beinke, Buff Cheese and Arthur Dansey - believed to have been taken at Breighton April/May 1942 (courtesy Doug Hurditch via Ronald Dean Munro)

22 year old Plt Off. George Albert Grand 402948 RAAF from Casino, New South Wales, Australia - Believed to have lost his life on Wellington Z1422 UV:W on a gardening operation when the aircraft lost in the sea near Quiberon, France on the 4th August 1942 - all 4 other RAAF crew also lost.

The Squadron lost a second crew to Oblt. Dr. Horst Patuschka of 7./NJG3 at 02:34 hrs. Wellington Z1311 UV:Z, flown by 22 year old, Flt Sgt. John Francis Walsh 404701 RAAF from Gympie, Queensland, Australia - killed with all five other members of his crew. (See Kracker Luftwaffe Archive on this site for details of Oblt. Patuschka)

(1) After being rescued Fg Off. Holland was admitted to the Marine Lazarett in Bergen-op-Zoom where he was treated for a broken right leg and where he remained until the 26th August 1942.

He was then transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel arriving there on the 28th August. On the 4th September he was transferred to Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia arriving there on the 6th August 1942. Whilst at Stalag Luft 3 he was promoted to Flt Lt. with effect the 27th July 1942. Promulgated in the London Gazette on the 13th October.

Flt Lt. Allan Holland and sent the following message via the Australian Red Cross on the 11th December 1942 whilst he was at Stalag Luft 3:

“On the night of the 1st June at about sea level, my aircraft was hit by enemy action and badly damaged and put on fire. Five or six seconds afterwards we hit the sea. The aircraft must have broken up on hitting the water and part of it sank immediately, while other parts remained out of the water.

I fought my way up tp the surface, as did Sgt’s Dansey, Cheese, Beinke and Douglas. Fire was still blazing on the surface but we managed to swim into open water. I am afraid that the rear gunner, whose name I think is Sgt. Williams was drowned, as I have heard nothing of him since.

A ship picked us up fifteen minutes later, but I am afraid that Sgt. Beinke died as he was taken from the water. We were taken to a Hospital at Bergen-op-Zoom, where we were given good medical attention.

Sgt. Dansey and I both had a broken leg each and Sgt. Douglas had been wounded in the thigh and foot. Sgt. Cheese, who was suffering from severe concussion, and two broken legs, one of which had to be amputated died about six weeks later, although he was given every attention. He was buried with full military honours in the local cemetery.

I left Sgt. Dansey on the 9th September, still in hospital. I expect him to be there for another six weeks, when he will be able to move around sufficiently to be moved. Sgt. Douglas is quite recovered.

Will you please convey our sincere sympathies to the relatives of the above.”

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.

He joined PoWs from the North, East and remaining West compound PoWs and sent to the Marlag und Milag Nord PoW camp at Westertimke in Lower Saxony.

Marlag is an acronym for Marinelager (naval prisoner of war camp), Milag is short for Marine-Internierten-Lager (naval internment camp), and Nord is German for ‘north’.

On the 2nd April 1945 the Commandant announced that he had received orders to leave the camp with most of his guards, leaving only a small detachment behind to hand over the camp to Allied forces, who were already in Bremen.

However, that afternoon a detachment of over a hundred SS-Feldgendarmerie entered the camp, mustered over 3,000 men and marched them out, heading east. His PoW questionnaire states that he was on this forced march. The next day, at around at 10:00 hrs the column was strafed by RAF aircraft, and two PoWs were killed.

Over the next few days the column was attacked from the air several times. Finally the Senior British Naval Officer (SBNO), who was later killed in a strafing attack by RAF aircraft, offered the Germans the PoW’s parole, in return for being allowed to rest during the day and march at night. The Germans agreed.

On the 9th April 1945 the guards at Marlag und Milag Nord camp moved out and were replaced by older men, presumably local Volkssturm. Meanwhile, the column slowly headed east, finally crossing the River Elbe, north of Hamburg, on the 18th April.

On the 27th April the camps were liberated by elements of the British Guards Armoured Division.

The next day, the 28th April, the column finally arrived at Lübeck on the Baltic coast. They were liberated by the British 11th Armoured Division on the 1st May 1945. He was interviewed on the 3rd May 1945.

Allan James Holland was born in Australia on the 23rd January 1919 in Bowden, South Australia. He joined the Royal Air Force with a short Service commission in September 1939. Son of Mr. W.G. Holland of 84A Gibson Street, Bowden, South Australia. Allan James Holland passed away on the 11th November 1988 in Truro, Cornwall, England.

(2) After being rescued he was admitted to the Marine Lazarett in Bergen-op-Zoom where he was treated for his wounds and where he remained until the 27th July 1942.

After the statutory visit to Dulag Luft, Oberursel he was transferred to Stalag 8B, Lamsdorf arriving there on the 5th August 1942.

Above left: Sgt. Clifford Stanley Douglas prior to leaving Australia and right Sgt. Douglas alongside the tail turret of a Wellington at 27 OTU at RAF Litchfield in 1941 (Courtesy of Bob Douglas).

In 1943, the Lamsdorf camp was split up, and many of the PoWs (and Arbeitskommando) were transferred to two new base camps at Stalag 8C Sagan (modern Żagań and Stalag 8D Teschen (modern Český Těšín). The base camp at Lamsdorf was renumbered Stalag 344.

On the 22nd January 1945, as the Soviet armies resumed their offensive and advanced into Germany, the camp was evacuated and force-marched to Stalag 3A, Luckenwalde arriving there on the 8th February 1945.

At this time some 1,000 PoWs from the Stalag 8C and Stalag Luft 3 were transported to Stalag 3A, along with PoWs from the Stalag 21C in Wolsztyn. Also at this time PoWs from Stalag 3B, Furstenberg were evacuated to Stalag 3A, adding to the already overcrowded and unhygienic conditions. Finally, as the Russians approached the guards fled the camp leaving the PoWs to be liberated by the Red Army on the 22nd April 1945. He Interviewed on the 14th May 1945.

Clifford Stanley Douglas was born on the 8th June 1921. Prior to enlisting in the RAAF, on the 11th November 1940, he was employed as a clerk in Armadale in Western Australia.

(3) A statement made by Sgt. Arthur Patrick Dansey:

“Sgt. D.R. Beinke died from wounds received to his chest. He was picked up by an AA ship but died aboard. Sgt. W.D. Cheese died in hospital approximately five weeks after being shot down. He had an amputated right leg, wounds to the head and a broken left ankle. I can give no information about Sgt. T.L. Watkins except that his body was picked up in Boulogne river some weeks later.” (note: recovered on the 19th June from the delta of the Schelde)

Arthur Patrick Dansey was born on the 16th June 1921 and resided in Melbourne, Victoria prior to enlisting in the RAAF on the 27th May 1940.

After being rescued he was admitted to the Marine Lazarett in Bergen-op-Zoom where he was treated for his wounds and where he remained until the 19th October 1942 when he transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel arriving there on the 22nd October 1942.

On the 15th November he was transferred to Stalag Luft 1, Barth arriving there 2 days later.

On the 1st November 1943, it appears that upon being promoted to Warrant Officer (WO) he was transferred to Stalag Luft 6, Heydekrug, Memelland arriving there on the 6th November 1943.

Stalag Luft 6 was the closest to the Russian advance. On the 6th July 1944 the PoWs were transported to Stalag 20A by train. It was estimated that 100,000 PoWs took the northern route of force-marches. The route went to Stalag Luft 4 at Gross Tychow, Pomerania then via Stettin to Stalag 9B and Stalag 357 at Fallingbostel. Some prisoners were marched from here at the end of the war towards Lübeck, however, for most, including WO Dansey, Fallingbostel was their final destination.

He remained at Stalag 357, Fallingbostal (Oerbke) until the camp was liberated on the 16th April 1945. He was interviewed on the 7th May 1945.

Burial Details:

Sgt. Dudley Raymond Beinke. Flushing (Vlissingen) Northern Cemetery, Row B, Grave 27. Grave Inscription: 'HIS DUTY NOBLY DONE’. Born on the 3rd May 1921 in Denial Bay, South Australia. Son of Theodor Emil and Marie Antonia Beinke, of Prospect, South Australia.

Sgt. William Desmond Cheese. Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery 3.D.5. Grave Inscription: 'STILL ON ACTIVE SERVICE’. Born on the 13th July 1921 in Currie, Tasmania. Son of Arthur Reginald and Elsie Isabelle Cheese, of King Island, Australia.

Sgt. Thomas Lincoln Watkins. Flushing (Vlissingen) Northern Cemetery, Row B, Grave 32. Grave Inscription: 'HE DID HIS DUTY . Born on the 20th March 1921 in North Adelaide, South Australia. Son of Thomas George and Lena Myra Watkins, of Keswick, South Australia.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Ronald Dean Munro and the crews former pilot, Doug Hurditch. Thanks also to the daughters of the pilot, Katharina Holland and Delia Holland-Jones who contacted us in March 2017 with correct details and photograph. Thanks to Bob Douglas, the son of Sgt. Douglas, for his photographs (Oct 2023). Update to Fg Off. Holland PoW narrative by Aircrew Remembered (Jun 2024).

Other sources in addition to the Australian National Archives shown below:

RS 21.06.2024 - Update to PoW narrative for Fg Off. Holland

Pages of Outstanding Interest
History Airborne Forces •  Soviet Night Witches •  Bomber Command Memories •  Abbreviations •  Gardening Codenames
CWGC: Your Relative's Grave Explained •  USA Flygirls •  Axis Awards Descriptions •  'Lack Of Moral Fibre'
Concept of Colonial Discrimination  •  Unauthorised First Long Range Mustang Attack
RAAF Bomb Aimer Evades with Maquis •  SOE Heroine Nancy Wake •  Fane: Motor Racing PRU Legend
Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and Captain François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
Click any image to enlarge it

Click to add your info via ticket on Helpdesk •Click to let us know via ticket on Helpdesk• Click to explore the entire site
If you would like to comment on this page, please do so via our Helpdesk. Use the Submit a Ticket option to send your comments. After review, our Editors will publish your comment below with your first name, but not your email address.

A word from the Editor: your contribution is important. We welcome your comments and information. Thanks in advance.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2025
Last Modified: 21 June 2024, 05:33

Monitor Additions/Changes?Click to be informed of changes to this page. Create account for first monitor only, thereafter very fast. Click to close without creating monitor