• Kracker Archive
• Allied Losses
• Archiwum Polish
• Paradie Canadian
• RCAF
• RAAF
• RNZAF
• USA
• Searchable Lists
Insert linkOperation: Berlin
Date: 17/18th April 1941 (Thursday/Friday)
Unit: No. 40 Squadron
Type: Wellington IC
Serial: R1331
Code: BL-R
Base: RAF Alconbury, Cambridgeshire
Location: Combe Martin, North Devon, England
Pilot: Sgt. Kenneth Sydney Jenner NZ/40647 RNZAF Survived (1)
Pilot: Sgt. Trevor Horace Bagnall NZ/40640 RNZAF Survived (2)
Obs: Sgt. Carmen Douglas Noble J/15080 RCAF Survived (3)
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. H. Jordan RAFVR Survived
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Allan MacAskill 778670 RAFVR Age 29. Survived (4)
Air/Gnr: Sgt. John Griffin 778670 RAFVR Age ? KilledREASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off at 20:45 hrs from RAF Alconbury, Cambridgeshire to join 117 aircraft on the raid to the 'Big City', the target Bomber Command crews dreaded due to the long distance and the horrific flak defences en-route.
Haze prevented accurate bombing. Flak proved to be as accurate as ever and eight aircraft failed to return from this operation (a further 3 from others taking place) This was the highest number of aircraft lost in the war so far, not counting aircraft that were lost in England on return. Sadly, later operations would see loss figures grow far higher than this.
Ken Jenner with his first wife Ruth Sutton, taken later in 1944 (courtesy Daily Telegraph)
(1) Sgt. Ken Jenner later won the D.F.C. and left the service in 1946, went on to fly the Comet with BOAC he died on 24th February 2013.
(2) W/O. Trevor Horace Bagnall later missing - believed killed on the 18th December 1942. Stirling I BF396 AA-X.
(3) Sgt. Carmen Douglas Noble was shot down flying in Stirling I N3762 BU-C. PoW No: 477 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria. Repatriated to Canada on the 08th July 1945 as Sq/Ldr. Retired in the 1960's.
Burial details:Sgt. John Griffin. Ayr Cemetery, Scotland. Sec. S. 1931 Div. Grave 2865. Husband of Margaret Griffin, of Ayr, Scotland.
(2) Sgt. Allan MacAskill was killed on the 23rd July 1941, serving with 40 Squadron in Malta. Buried at Suez War Cemetery. Grave 2.A.12. Son of Alexander John and Susan Macaskill, of Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland, husband of Teresa Macaski.
Researched for relatives of the crew with thanks to Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses' Vol. 2, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', The Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
KTY Updated 19.11.2019
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: 14 March 2021, 09:37