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.

Bomber Command crest
05/06.09.1943 No. 623 Squadron Stirling III EH878 IC-I F/O. Humphreys MiD

Operation: Mannheim

Date: 5/6th September 1943 (Sunday/Monday)

Unit: No. 623 Squadron. 3 Group

Type: Stirling III

Serial: EH878

Code: IC-I

Base: RAF Downham Market, Norfolk

Location: Schönborn, Germany

Pilot: F/O. Noel Robert Shakespeare Humphreys MiD. 414630 RNZAF Age 20. Killed (1)

Fl/Eng: Sgt. George Inns 1074776 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Nav: Sgt. Edward George Bull 1391064 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Donald Walon Robinson 1320192 RAFVR PoW. No: 222840 Camp: Stalag Mühlberg-Elbe (IVb)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Hedley Probert Delahay 1313004 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. George Green Read 1304578 RAFVR Age 33. Killed

Air/Gnr: P/O. Frederick Ernest Somers 155189 RAFVR Age ? Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Downham Market, Norfolk at 19:48 hrs joining 604 aircraft to bomb the city of Mannheim and Ludwigshafen.

Above L-R: Noel and his brother James at what is believed to be Glasgow railway station (1) (courtesy Penny Humphreys)

Above, thought to be the crew from EH878, pictured earlier, with below showing their ground crew. Can you recognise anyone in order that we can place names to faces? Contact us, the family would like to hear rom you. We believe the chap sitting on the steps to be Sgt. George Inns as recognised by his family. (courtesy of the Robinson family)

This Stirlings target was Mannheim where although detailed reports were not made available regarding casualties or property damage the damage is thought to have been so severe that normal report gathering was not possible. The town described it as a "catastrophe!"

The allies did not come off lightly on this operation. 37 aircraft were lost, 170 aircrew killed, 64 taken P.o.W and 9 evading capture.

Stirling EH878 was intercepted and shot down by Lt. Karl-Heinz Augenstein (2) from 7./NJG1 at 00:45 hrs. Combat taking place at 5.500 metres with the aircraft coming down at Roeder, Schönborn.

(1) His brother, James Samuel Humphreys 41928 RAF, was badly wounded when his Hurricane I P2765 of No. 605 Squadron was shot down on 9th September 1940. He survived the war but sadly passed away on the 25th April 1986 age 68.

F/O. Noel Humphreys survived a torpedo attack whilst on the Waiwera en route to England on the 29th June 1942. Attacked and sunk by U-754 at 06:10 hrs some 400 miles north west of the Azores. The 97 survivors were picked up by the Norwegian ship Oregon Express which landed at New York (8 killed) on the 10th July 1942. The Oregon Express was also sunk later on the 23rd September 1943 (8 killed, 37 survived).



(2) This was the 10th abschusse for Lt. Hans-Heinz Augenstein. After a total of 46 air victories he was shot down and killed on the 6/7th December 1944 by Fl/Lt. Hedgecoe D.F.C. in a Mosquito. His radio operator, Feldwebel Günther Steins also died in the attack, however rear gunner Unteroffizier Kurt Schmidt, survived, wounded, baling out of the Bf110 G-4. Further information on Fl/Lt. Hedgecoe D.F.C. and his navigator can be found on another page within our website. Amazing that the navigator with Fl/Lt. Hedgecoe is a relative of one of our Canadian researchers.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND BURIAL DETAILS.

The six crew members who were killed were initially buried at Schönborn Cemetery, Rhineland Palatinate, Germany and re-interred at the Rheinberg War Cemetery, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany on 2 April 1948.

F/O. Noel Robert Shakespeare Humphreys MiD. Rheinberg War Cemetery Collective Grave 18.F.6-10. Born on the 28th December 1922 at Rangiora, the son of Richard Edward and Helen Gabriel Humphreys, of Wellington City, New Zealand. A storeman for G.R. ,McKay and Sons prior to service. A total of 508 flying hours logged and on his 20th operational sortie.

Sgt. George Inns. Rheinberg War Cemetery Collective Grave 18.F.6-10. Son of George Samuel and Lily Inns, of Prescot, Lancashire, England. Grave inscription: 'Till We Meet At Jesus' Feet, Rest In Peace, Dear Son'.

Sgt. Edward George Bull. Rheinberg War Cemetery Grave 18.F.5. Son of Edward William and Elizabeth Bull, of Holloway, London, England. Grave inscription: 'Ted, Never Absent From Our Thoughts'.

Sgt. Hedley Probert Delahay. Rheinberg War Cemetery Collective Grave 18.F.6-10. Son of William and Ethel Delahay, of Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, Wales. Grave inscription: 'His Presence Missed, His Memory Treasured. Mam And Dad, Brothers And Sisters'.

Sgt. George Green Read. Rheinberg War Cemetery Collective Grave 18.F.6-10. He was born 22 September 1910 at Nottingham the son of George Green Read (a Master Decorator) and Mabel Louisa Read nee Redgate of West Bridgford, Nottingham. The family lived at 3 Bluecoat Street, Nottingham. George Read attended Nottingham High School from 15 January 1923 and left on 2 April 1925 at the age of 14. He is commemorated on the school war memorial. Grave inscription: 'Always Remembered'.

P/O. Frederick Ernest Somers. Rheinberg War Cemetery Collective Grave 18.F.6-10. No further details, are you able to assist?

Researched for the family of Donald Walton Robinson and dedicated to his and the crews memory. With thanks also to Penny Humphreys and family, Alison Simpkins family of Sgt. George Inns and Nottingham High School Archives for additional information re George Green Read. Thanks also to the great U-Boat website for Waiwera details.

RW 14.11.2015 Details added re Sgt. Read  - Courtesy Nottingham High School Archives

KTY Page updated 13.11.2019

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 MWO 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', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, 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 - 2024
Last Modified: 12 November 2019, 15:27

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