Operation: Nantes, France

Date: 11th/12th June 1944 (Sunday/Monday)

Unit No: 635 Sqn, 8 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster III

Serial No: ND965

Code: F2:K

Base: RAF Downham Market, Norfolk

Location: RAF Warmwell, Dorset

Pilot: Flt Lt. Harry McPherson Johnston DSO, DFC, 117127 RAFVR Age 23. Returned (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. Jack Harrowing 618316 RAFVR Age 24. Evader (2)

Nav: Plt Off. David George Everson DFM, 51287 RAF Age 22. PoW No: 8372 ** (3)

Nav II: Flt Lt. Robert Anthony ‘Tony’ Boddington DFC & Bar, 104534 RAFVR Age 28. Evader (2 & 4)

WOp/Air Gnr: Plt Off. Roland Thomas Padden DFC, DFM, 176113 RAFVR Age 23. Returned (5)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Fg Off. Edwin John ‘Jimmy’ Warmington 157190 MiD, RAFVR Age 23. PoW No: 4712 * (6)

Air Gnr (Rear): Flt Sgt. John Hugh Ledgerwood DFM, 1321135 RAFVR Age 22. Returned (7)

* Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang, today situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.

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

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 11th/12th June 1944 the Sqn detailed fourteen (14) aircraft for operations, eight (8) of which were detailed to attack the railway sidings east of Nantes in France.

In the target area the cloud tops were at approximately 6000 ft. The Master Bomber ordered the aircraft to break though the could which they did immediately over the target. They were too late to drop their bombs an in orbiting the target at approximately 1,400 ft the aircraft was hit by concentrated light Flak just south of Nantes.

The aircraft’s tail section burst into flames and also damaged the rudder and tailplane. The aircraft became uncontrollable and the pilot ordered the crew to bale out and four (4) of the crew abandoned the aircraft just after leaving the target area.

Flt Sgt. Ledgerwood vacated the rear turret and found that his parachute had been damaged by fire. It the meantime the captain managed to pull the aircraft out of its dive and under control but not before the rear turret detached and fell away. The fire in the rear of the aircraft was extinguished by Flt Sgt. Ledgerwood. Flt Lt. Johnston decided that as he had sufficient control of the damaged aircraft he would try to reach England. With the assistance of Plt Off. Padden providing navigation information they reached RAF Warmwell in Dorset and safely landed the damaged bomber.

Lancaster III ND965 was repaired and served with 1660 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU), 1668 HCU and 1660 HCU before being struck off change on the 25th March 1948.

Flt Lt. Johnston and Plt Off. Padden were awarded an immediate DSO and DFC respectively, and Flt Sgt. Ledgerwood an immediate DFM for their actions during this operation (London Gazette 14th July 1944).

Citation reads:

“Distinguished Service Order. Flight Lieutenant Harry McPherson JOHNSTON (117127), RAFVR, No. 635 Sqn. Distinguished Flying Cross. Pilot Officer Roland Thomas PADDEN (176113), RAFVR, No. 635 Sqn. Distinguished Flying Medal. 1321135 Flight Sergeant John Hugh LEDGERWOOD. RAFVR, No. 635 Sqn. One night in June 1944, the above personnel were captain, wireless operator and rear gunner respectively of an aircraft detailed to attack an important railway siding at Nantes. Owing to adverse weather and the presence of heavy cloud over the target, it was found on breaking cloud that the aircraft was in an unfavourable position for attack. Despite danger from the powerful defences, Flight Lieutenant Johnston manoeuvred for a position from which a good bombing run could be started. While orbiting the target with this end in view the aircraft was illuminated by searchlights and engaged by anti-aircraft fire. Severe damage was sustained and fire broke out in the rear of the bomber, which fell in to a steep dive and became extremely difficult to control. Flight Sergeant Ledgerwood reported that his parachute had been damaged by fire. The captain was still exerting all his strength in his efforts to control the aircraft, when the rear turret fell off. The fire, still raging in the rear, was brought under control by the courage and tenacity of Flight Sergeant Ledgerwood who, although suffering from severe burns, extinguished it unaided. Flight Lieutenant Johnston then decided, in spite of the precarious condition of the bomber, to try to reach this country. With the assistance of the wireless operator, Pilot Officer Padden, he managed to bring the aircraft more or less under control and, after two hours of endeavour, reached an airfield in England. Throughout the return flight, Pilot Officer Padden rendered most valuable aid in the navigation of the aircraft and greatly assisted his captain in making a safe landing”.

(1) 742780 Flt Sgt. Johnston was appointed to a commission and promoted to 117127 Plt Off. on probation, on the 19th February 1942 (London Gazette 31st March 1942). He was promoted to Fg Off. on probation, on the 1st October 1942 (London Gazette 20th November 1942).

No notification of his promotion to Flt Lt has been found.

Flt Lt. Johnston was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) whilst with 635 Sqn. which was promulgated in the London Gazette on the 14th July 1944.

Acting Sqn Ldr. Johnston was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) whilst with 635 Sqn. which was promulgated in the London Gazette on the 16th February 1945.

Harry McPherson Johnston was born on the 21st January 1921. Little has been found of his life after retiring from the RAF other than he was a Civil Servant and he was living in Wandsworth, London SW1. Harry passed away on the 29th August 2004 in Lambeth, London.

Announcement of death of Harry McPherson Johnston (Courtesy of the Clacton Gazette, dated 10th September 2004)

(2) Sgt. Harrowing was the first to bale out of the front hatch and landed safely south of Nantes at approximately 02:00 hrs. He hid his parachute, harness and Mae West and made contact with nearby Frenchwomen who hid him in a tool shed. The next morning a Frenchman arrived and provided a change of civilian clothing in exchange for his English money and scarf. He was then taken to a nearby field to hide and having provided him with food the journey onwards was arranged for him.

On the evening of that day he was collected and taken to a small Maquis group south of Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu, about 21 km (13 mls) south of Nantes, arriving there the next day. He stayed with this group for about ten (10) Days during which time Flt Lt. Boddington arrived.

Flt Lt. Boddington baled out just after Sgt. Harrowing and safely landed on soft ground in a vineyard south of Nantes near Château de Bougon at approximately 01:00 hrs. After burying his parachute, harness and Mae West he started walking in a south-westerly direction away from the fires in the target area. After about 100 yards he found himself on the edge of an airfield with a German aircraft directly in front of him.

The airfield was Nantes Aerodrome aka Château Bougon. It was a very busy Luftwaffe airfield for anti-shipping units, long-range reconnaissance, weather reconnaissance and as a rest and refit stop for bomber units. The SNCASO (Société nationale des constructions aéronautiques du sudouest) aircraft plant located here did major repair work on German aircraft. It was continually bombed by the USAAF and was bombed by fifty-five (55) B-17s on the 10th June 1944. Today this airfield is Aéroport Nantes Atlantique.

He retraced his steps and then decided to head in an easterly direction with the aim of reaching the Spanish border. After about an hour he crawled into thick undergrowth and hide until first light.

The next morning he headed off again along a bridle path and was confronted by two German soldiers who stepped out from behind a hedge. He stopped and greeted them in French and then turned back long the path and retraced his steps. A French youth cycled slowly past him and asked if he was English to which he replied in French that he was. The youth told him to hurry and follow him but after about 600 yards (550 metres) he heard gunshots and felt bullets whistle past him. He started running and turned into the first lane he came across then ducked behind the hedge bordering the lane and continued running for about 2 miles (3¼ km) until he came across a farmhouse. He carefully watched but did not see any Germans just some French people who were near a barn. He crossed the farmyard hoping to attract their attention. They approached him and pointed to his uniform asking if he was English to which he replied that he was. They turned out to be friendly and provided him with civilian clothes.

A Frenchman who was there decided to take him to his nearby farm and that afternoon they walked to Nantes to his sister’s home. He was instructed to follow about 200 yards (180 m) behind.

After his identity papers and discs were examined she sent for English speaking friends. He was then taken to Chantenay on the WSW outskirts of Nantes where he slept for a short while. He was awakened by different French woman who provided him with a suit of cloths to replace his peasant’s outfit which was not suitable for Nantes. He was then taken to another house whose residents spoke good English who asked him what he intended to do. Flt Lt. Boddington told them he was seeking help to reach the Spanish border but they could not help in that regard and told him that he would have to hide with the Maquis. Later that evening a young man whom was thought to be Maquis arrived and examined his identity papers and discs again.

He stayed overnight of 12th/13th June and the following morning was taken to a prearranged meeting with another Frenchman, apparently a member of the Resistance, who had two bicycles with him. They cycled to his home at Haute-Indre some 4 km (2½ mls) west of Chantenay on the Loire River.

He stayed here for the next three (3) days and on the 16th June he was taken by boat to what he called the Isle Sardine where he stayed for the next five (5) days in a cow-byre near the river.

The small Island is believed to the Banc de Bilho in the mouth of the Estuary of the River Loire, some 18 km (11 mls) down river from Cordemais and 30 km (18½ mls) down river from Le Pellerin.

Whilst here he was told that an American B-17 had crashed in the vicinity of Nantes and that the Germans were carrying out searches west of Nantes on the banks of the Loire River. He was also told that Sgt. Harrowing was with the Maquis and Fg Off. Warmington was at a farm at Le Pellerin. This convinced Flt Lt. Boddington to abandon his plans to head for Spain and join with the Maquis. At about 01:00 hrs on the 21st June he was taken by boat back to Haute-Indre. That afternoon he was taken by bicycle through Nantes, across the river to a small Maquis group of about thirty (30) in the village of Lyon d’Or which was near Rocheservière where he met up with Sgt. Harrowing who had been with the group since 13th June.

Note: The village of “Lyon d’Or” has not been identified, however it may be between Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu, the location described by Sgt. Harrowing and Rocheservière.

They remained with this Maquis group for the next two (2) days. On the 22nd June the leader of the Resistance south of Nantes arrived and ordered the group to make preparations to strike camp and move about 20 km (12½ mls) south of their position. Later that evening two (2) Frenchmen arrived with instructions for Flt Lt. Boddington and Sgt. Harrowing to move to Le Pellerin, on the south side of the Loire River west of Nantes.

They travelled by bicycle stopping at Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu for a drink and cycled through Le Pellerin at about 23:30 hrs where they were taken to a large three-story house on the river front. The owner greeted them and warned that in the event of an air-raid German officers were liable to come to the house and they were shown where to hide in such an event.

The following morning another Frenchman arrived to take Flt Lt. Boddington and Sgt. Harrowing by bicycle to a boat on the Loires River where they met the leader of the Resistance they had encountered the previous evening. He informed them that they were going to the Maquis in the Département of Morbihan, north of St Nazaire. They were taken back to Belle Isle.

Arriving there they found Fg Off. Warmington and two (2) American airmen.

The two Americans were 1st Lt. Wilbur B. O’Brien O-810204 and S/Sgt. Arne G. Ziem 32768319, the Pilot and was the Tail Gunner respectively from the 423rd Bombardment Squadron (H), 306th Bombardment Group (H), B-17G 42-107212.

That evening the group were moved by boat to the river bank, south of the village of Cordemais and were transported by covered truck to a Maquis farmhouse in the woods near Saffré some 46 km (29 mls) to the NE. They were greeted and welcomed by about sixty (60) Maquisards, little knowing that the camp in the woods in fact held some three-hundred (300) in total.

They spent three (3) full days witnesses the Maquisards training in fieldcraft, camouflage, rifle, grenade and machine-gun tactics. There were also gangs of men removing hedges and trees from four (4) fields and prepare the area as a landing strip for the reception of glider landings. There also toured the inner defence rings set up with machine-gun posts at well situated at critical lane junctions.

On the evening of the 27th June it was expected that the camp was to be visited by a liaison officer of the FFI (Force Francaise Intericur) which actually turned out to be a pair of French Majors, a French Capt., a French Lt. and an American Capt. by the name of Wigton who had had arrived from the Moribihan Maquis group.

No information regarding Capt. Wigton has been found but he was probably from the Special Forces (SF) of the Office of Strategic Service (OSS) who were in France training and advising the Maquis.

Capt. Wigton informed Flt Lt. Boddington that the group had been sheltering five (5) members of a Stirling crew for the past six (6) months. Apparently the Moribihan Maquis, about 4000 to 5000 strong and all well armed, came under sustained German attack and the group had dispersed. Consequently the planned move of the five (5) to that group had been cancelled.

Note: The identity of the Stirling crew and their fate has yet to be determined.

They were unaware that their own camp location had been betrayed by collaborators in the Maquis ranks to the Germans who were assembling troops in the surrounding villages. At about 06:00 hrs on the 28th June the woods were surrounded by some 1,500 German troops from Châteaubriant. They were awakened by the Maquis rushing around warning the Germans were attacking. About 30 minutes later they heard periodic burst of machine-gun fire to the south of the camp.

Without any weapons the five (5) fled the farmhouse to the north and hid in the woods that night. Only about a third of the Maquisards were armed and realising that this was more than just an incidental skirmish a general evacuation of the camp was ordered whilst the armed Maquisards held the attack and covered the retreat.

About 30 mins later the five (5) airmen sneaked through the northern edge of the forest and came across a road only to be greeted by gunfire. The five (5) turned back and Flt Lt. Boddington saw S/Sgt. Ziem and Sgt. Harrowing running in a different direction. He along with Fg Off. Warmington and 1st Lt. O’Brien carried on parallel to the road but hidden in the forest. They attempted to cross the road again but were confronted by three (3) Germans who immediately opened fire on them. Flt Lt. Boddington ran straight back into the forest but Fg Off. Warmington and 1st Lt. O’Brien appeared to run across the line of fire on the edge of the wood.

Flt Lt. Boddington decided to try and find a suitable spot in which to hide himself and wait until the attack petered out. He moved very cautiously for about an hour along the edge of this wood and eventually found a coppice of young trees with an undergrowth of ferns in which he hid listening to the shootings and shouting all around his hiding place. About noon after everything quietened he cautiously moved back in the direction from where he had come and then parallel to the road in an easterly direction. He came to the point where the road ran up to the edge of the forest and successfully crossed without being detected.

He decided to steer clear of any Maquis contacts and set his sights on heading for the Spanish frontier. Once out of the wooded area he headed in a north-easterly direction and planned to detour Les Raillières and Candé which he had heard were Gestapo centres. He intended to cross the Loire River in the vicinity of Angers but to avoid what was a Garrison town and then head south towards Spain.

After about 7½ mls (12 km) he was at the head of the Grand Réservoir de Vioreau where he saw a boy working on an allotment. The boy approached him and asked if he was Maquis to which Flt Lt. Boddington replied that he was English. The boy then took him to the village of Le Haut Vioreau and the farm at which he was working. The brother and sister owners of the farm told him he could stay as long he required.

On the 30th June a Maquis arrived looking for other members of the Maquis, which he thought was a ploy to check his story about being a British airman. Flt Lt. Boddington recognised him as being a NCO from the attack by the Germans on the Maquis HQ. He returned on the 1st July and told the owners of the farm that the Germans were looking for the airman and that he should move to his house on the other side of the Réservoir. However, the farm owner’s objected because they knew that he was wanted by the Gestapo but finally agreed that they should hide in nearby woods.

Between the 2nd July and the 31st July he was moved around various places in the area and was told that his plan to cross the Spanish frontier was not possible and that he should wait for the Allies.

During this period he became aware that on the night of the attack of the Maquis at Saffré the wounded Maquis had been shot were they were found. Thirty (30) prisoners had been taken of whom twenty-seven (27) were summarily executed. Also that Capt. Wigton had evaded the Germans and was believed to be in Morbihan. The farms at Saffré where the Maquis HQ was based was burned to the ground. Some of the Maquis who had escaped had reformed and had hidden in the Forêt d'Atcenis, some 12½ mls (20 km) to the east, but were attacked again on the 15th July losing another four (4) of their members.

On the 1st August he heard a strong rumour that the Americans had broken through at Coutances and Saint-Lô some 170 km (107 mls) to the north of where he was staying. On the 4th August the rumour extended to the Americans having reached Rennes about 67 km (41½ mls) to the north but BBC radio broadcasts claimed that the Americans had only reached Avranches some 41 km (25½ mls) south of Coutances.

The villagers insisted on celebrating, hanging out flags, etc., unaware that there were German troops in a village on the far side of the Réservoir. That night machine-gun fire was heard and the following morning an eye-witness informed the villagers that for some reason the Germans had been fighting with each other in the areas of Joué-sur-Erdre and Riaillé and had left eight (8) of their dead behind.

On the morning of the 5th August he decided, accompanied by a villager, to start cycling north to outskirts of Châteaubriant some 22 km (13½ mls) from the village. Arriving in the town centre he found an American Capt. and thirty (30) of his troops and was told that although the Germans had left, the town was only lightly held and unsafe. He was immediately drive by Jeep to Rennes where he was handed over to Allied civil and then military authorities.

On the 7th August he was provided with a lift to Coutances in the company of a Capt. Nelson. From Coutances they hitch-hiked to Le Molay-Littry and stayed overnight at the air strip. The next morning on the 8th August we were flown to a British airstrip near Bayeux where they contacted I.S.9 (W) and was interviewed.

No information regarding Capt. Nelson has been found.

I.S.9 (W) was Intelligence School No. 9 and located at the London District Assembly Centre. Section W. was responsible for the interrogation of escapers, evaders and repatriated service personnel.

After S/Sgt. Ziem and Sgt. Harrowing were separated from Flt Lt. Boddington they had escaped unscathed, sneaked through the German lines and made their way to a farmhouse where they were fed and remained overnight. The next morning they made their way back to Le Pellerin where they spent the next two (2) weeks at another farmhouse near Belle Île, some 7½ mls (12 km) the NW of Le Pellerin.

They were then moved to yet another farmhouse after suspicions were raised that the Germans were wise to their hiding place. They remained at their new location for the next four (4) to five (5) days before moving back to Le Pellerin and finally back to Belle Île, where they remained until the morning of the 15th August.

S/Sgt. Ziem left Belle Île with a member of the French Resistance whilst Sgt. Harrowing remained on the island until the 22nd August when he was advised because of the capture of one of the younger Maquis boys who might reveal his whereabouts under torture that he should leave. He succeeded in rowing to the north bank of the Loire river and made his way to Nantes, which was by then in Allied hands, arriving there on the 23rd August. He was then sent north to Châteaubriand, Rennes and finally to Bayeux. He was then transported to England and reported to I.S.9(W) on the 31st August 1944.

Jack Harrowing was born on the 13th November 1919 in Eastbourne, Sussex. He passed away on the 29th September 2016 in Eastbourne, Sussex.

(3) After baling out and landing without injuries Plt Off. Everson was apprehended on the 13th June 1944 near Nantes. He was held in a Chartres gaol where he was interrogated and held in solitary confinement. He was then moved around various unnamed transit camps in France and on the 27th June ended up at Stalag 12A, also transit camp, which was located between Limburg an der Lahn and Diez, 4 km (2½ mls) SW of Limburg.

On the 14th July he was transferred to Stalag Luft 3 in Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland arriving there on the 15th July.

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.

During next days, PoWs were divided up according to Compounds, and they were led to railway sidings and loaded into tightly packed carriages. On the 2nd February 1945 he was amongst the North, East and remaining West compound PoWs who were sent to Marlag und Milag Nord at Westertimke.

Marlag is an acronym for Marinelager (Navy PoW camp), Milag is short for Marine-Interniertenlager (Marine internment camp), and Nord is German for ‘north’.

He was promoted to Flt Lt. effective 8th February 1945 whilst at the camp. (London Gazette 27th February 1945).

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. 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 another 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-Milag 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.

The lists of those PoWs that remained at the camp, escaped from the marching column or arrived at Lübeck is not complete but given that Flt Lt. Everson was interviewed on the 3rd May 1945 it is probable that he was liberated at Lübeck.

David George Everson was born on the 13th December 1921 in Dartford, Kent. He enlisted in the RAF on the 25th May 1938.

552458 Sgt. Everson was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) whilst with 83 Sqn (London Gazette 11th February 1941).

Press release:

“Throughout the 82 operational flights completed by Sergeant Everson, he has shown outstanding ability and skill as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner. His work has been of the greatest assistance to his pilot and has largely contributed to the success of these operations under adverse weather conditions. He has maintained an exemplary standard of gallantry and devotion to duty and his enthusiasm and attention to detail under difficult circumstances have been of the highest order”.

Flt Sgt. Everson was appointed to a commission and promoted to 51287 Plt Off on the 8th February 1943. (London Gazette, 9th April 1943). Promoted to Fg Off on the 8th August 1943 (London Gazette 24th August 1943).

After returning to England he remained in the RAF and was appointed to permanent commission as a Flt Lt. on the 7th December 1953 (London Gazette 2nd April 1954).

On the 13th December 1968 he was transferred to the General Duties (Ground) Branch retaining his existing rank and seniority (London Gazette 14th January 1969). He retired from the RAF on the 13th December 1976 as a Flt Lt. (London Gazette 23rd December 1976).

David passed away on the 1st January 2013 in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England.

(4) 1375080 LAC. Boddington was appointed to a commission and promoted to 104534 Plt Off. on the 13th July 1941 (London Gazette 19th September 1941). He was confirmed in his appointment as a Plt Off. and promoted to Fg Off. effective 13th July 1942 (London Gazette 18th September 1942).

In recognition of gallantry displayed in flying operations against the enemy acting Flt Lt. Boddington was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) whilst with 97 Sqn (London Gazette 31st July 1942).

Citation: “On 11th July, 1942, a force of bombers was detailed to make an attack on the submarine works at Danzig. The operation, which necessitated a high degree of skill and fortitude, was undertaken in extremely adverse weather. Despite this, the objective was reached by dusk, carefully identified and, in the face of strong opposition from the ground defences, subjected to a most determined attack. Bombs were released at varying heights, some as low as 1,000 feet. Many hits were-obtained. Searchlight posts were also machine-gunned and many searchlights extinguished. The success achieved reflects the greatest credit on the following personnel who participated in various capacities as leaders and members of aircraft crews:”

He was promoted to Flt Lt. on the 13th July 1943 (London Gazette 20th August 1943).

Sqn Ldr. Boddington was KiA on the 14th February 1945 on a daylight operation to Chemnitz aboard 635 Sqn, Lancaster III PB287 F2:T.

Sqn Ldr. Boddington was posthumously awarded a Bar to his DFC effective 13th February 1945 whilst with 635 Sqn (London Gazette 12th February 1946).

(5) 746931 Sgt. Padden was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) whilst with 61 Sqn (London Gazette 21st November 1941).

Citation reads:

“This Wireless Operator/Air Gunner has completed 33 trips totalling 198 hours 40 minutes. Three of his trips were in daylight. On two occasions, once by day and the other at night, he raked ships with machine gun fire which his pilot was attacking. On another occasion, his crew opened fire on searchlights and extinguished several. He has flown with two most determined pilots and is a most reliable Wireless Operator and has contributed much towards the success of their operations. He has consistently exhibited great keenness, courage and devotion to duty”.

Warrant Officer (WO) Padden DFM was appointed to a commission and promoted to 176113 Plt Off. on the 6th May 1944 (London Gazette 27th June 1944). His appointment to Plt Off. confirmed and he was promoted to Fg Off. on the 6th November 1944 (London Gazette 28th November 1944).

He was promoted to Flt Lt. on the 6th May 1946 (London Gazette 31st May 1946). Flt Lt. Padden DFC, DFM relinquished his commission on enlistment in the RNZAF on the 12th November 1952 (London Gazette 20th February 1953).

Roland Thomas Padden was born on the 6th July 1920 in Northumberland. Roland passed away on the 2nd October 1993 in Wyong, New South Wales, Australia.

(6) During the attempt to open the front escape hatch it jammed diagonally across the opening but the Bomb Aimer and Flight Engineer squeezed through the opening. Fg Off. Warmington realising that at 1,400 ft he had little time wrenched the hatch free and rolled forward and out into the night.

He pulled the rip-cord and found himself hanging in space in deathly silence until he heard an aircraft approaching him from behind and getting nearer and nearer. He feared that he was in the flight path but somewhere to his right in the black night it passed on its way.

He passed through a thin layer of cloud and could make out roads and hedges below him. He landed hard and turned his left ankle on the rough ground of a field of vines, which he later found was about 16 Km (10 mls) from Nantes.

He hobbled to some nearby woods and climbed a tree and soon after dawn he watched a motor-cycle combination drive past with two (2) German soldiers aboard. At about 07:00 hrs he watched a man leave a nearby cottage, collect his bicycle from his shed, and cycled towards his tree. As he passed Fg Off. Warmington called out “English Parachutist” in French startling the man who fell off his bicycle in surprise, however, he picked himself up and gesturing for him to follow, ran back to his cottage.

As the cottage he was welcomed by the family who provided food and wine, and brought hot water to bathe his turned ankle. Whilst there a German soldier knocked at the door and asked if the family had seen any parachutists during the night to which they were told that they had slept through the aid-raids on Nantes. Fortunately the German was seen coming and Fg Off. Warmington was hidden in a back bedroom.

He was looked after for the next two (2) weeks until it was decided he would join a Maquis camp in Nantes some 48 km (30 mls) to the north, which necessitated in crossing the Loire river. After a dangerous road trip he met with two French girls at the town of Le Pellerin. As he and his two (2) guides approached the quay, where the captain and his mate awaited with their boat, two (2) German officers stopped and chatted with the girls as Fg Off. Warmington nervously boarded the boat and waved goodbye to them.

As darkness fell the boat pulled away and drifted downstream virtually under the bows of a German gunboat, close enough to hear the German sentries talking and walking about. Just after midnight he was aroused from his slumbers by the noise of the anchor chain being thrown ashore. They landed one by one on Belle Isle, an isolated island in the river Loire.

The small Island is believed to the Banc de Bilho in the mouth of the Estuary of the River Loire, some 18 km (11 mls) down river from Cordemais and 30 km (18½ mls) down river from Le Pellerin.

Walking in a single file across a field, they approached an old stone hut and after exchanging passwords the door was unbolted to be faced by a levelled pistol until they were identified. Already in the hut were 1st Lt. O’Brien and S/Sgt. Ziem, American airmen, whose B-17 was shot down by Flak on the 15th June 1944 on a mission to Nantes in France.

The two Americans were 1st Lt. Wilbur B. O’Brien O-810204 and S/Sgt. Arne G. Ziem 32768319, the Pilot and was the Tail Gunner respectively from the 423rd Bombardment Squadron (H), 306th Bombardment Group (H), B-17G 42-107212.

Also in the hut were a number of young Frenchmen who had either escaped from or were evading deportation to Germany. Shortly thereafter Flt Lt. Boddington and Sgt. Harrowing joined the group.

The escape and evasion of Fg Off. Warmington follows the same course as that of Sgt. Harrowing and Flt Lt. Boddington (see Ser. 2) until he and 1st Lt. O’Brien were captured by three (3) Germans.

They were marched down a lane to a road and were confronted by a large number of German soldiers. They found that the Gestapo were in control of the attack of the forest and were in sole charge of tracking and eliminating the Maquis.

Fg Off. Warmington and 1st Lt. O’Brien declared themselves as Allied airmen but the Gestapo were not interested as they thought they were the camp organisers and therefore terrorists. Their hands were tied behind their backs, roped together and marched back to the farmhouse which had become the Gestapo headquarters. During the morning more and more prisoners were brought in to join them. After lying in a meadow for about seven (7) hours some thirty-five (35) captured prisoners were driven in two (2) lorries to the Nantes goal. Here they were stripped, searched and were split into groups with Fg Off. Warmington and 1st Lt. O’Brien occupying the same cell.

The next day twenty-nine (29) of the captured French were sentenced to immediate execution which was carried out between 23:00 hrs and midnight the same day. A captured priest was sent to Dachau concentration camp as were five (5) others, only one of whom survived the war. On the 30th June 1944 the Maquis Commandant along with two (2) of his Aides, Fg Off. Warmington and 1st Lt. O’Brien were handcuffed and driven under guard to the Gestapo Headquarters in Angers.

The Commandant was tortured and 1st Lt. O’Brien was beaten with rubber truncheons. On the 1st July 1944 Fg Off. Warmington was sentenced to death by a Gestapo tribunal to be shot as a terrorist. However, about eight (8) days later he and 1st Lt. O’Brien were recognised as PoWs and handed over to Luftwaffe.

They were transferred to Dulag Luft Oberursel arriving there on the 12th July. It is assumed that in the absence of confirming records that 1st Lt. O’Brien followed the Fg Off. Warmington’s transfers as they both ended up at Stalag Luft 1 in Barth-Vogelsang.

On the 19th July 1944 they were transferred to the transit camp Dulag Luft, Wetzlar 19th and on the 21st July they were transferred to Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang, arriving there on the 24th July.

Whilst at the camp Fg Off. Warmington suffered from appendicitis and was hospitalised from the 17th August to 12th September 1944.

On the 30th April 1945, the prisoners were ordered to evacuate the camp in the face of the advancing Soviet Red Army, but the Senior American Officer (SAO), Col. Hubert Zemke, refused to give the order. After negotiations between Zemke and Commandant Oberst (Col) Gustav Warnstedt, it was agreed that to avoid useless bloodshed the guards would go, leaving the PoWs behind. The next day, the first Soviet troops arrived.

The Western Allied prisoners took over the camp into self-administration on the 1st May 1945. After protracted negotiations between the Western Allies and the Soviet leadership, the evacuation of the 8,498 inmates of Stalag Luft 1 finally took place between the 10th and 14th May 1945. The former PoWs had repaired a runway at the Barth Air Base and aircraft of the 8th Air Force undertook a massive airlift called "Operation Revival". Hundreds of PoWs had meanwhile made their own way west.

RAF PoWs were flown back to England and the American PoWs were flown to Camp Lucky Strike in Le Havre, France, where they were processed and waited for a liberty ship to return to the United States. Flt Lt. Warmington was interviewed on the 11th May 1945.

Edwin John Warmington was born in Fraddon, Cornwall on the 6th August 1920 and in 1926 went to Texas in the United States. He returned to England in 1931 and lived in Indian Queens and later in St. Austell.

He enlisted in the RAFVR on the 7th May 1940 and undertook his training in Canada. After which he was posted to RAF Luqa on Malta where he flew Blenheims, either with 18 or 107 Squadrons.

He was blown up by one of his own bombs over Sicily and after completing his tour was an instructor for two (2) years until 1943. He then joined a Pathfinder (PFF) for his second tour of operations.

Flt Sgt. Warmington was appointed to a commission and promoted to 157190 Plt Off. on the 26th January 1943 (London Gazette 22nd October 1943). His appointment to Plt Off. was confirmed and he was promoted to Fg Off. on the 26th July 1943 (London Gazette 1st February 1944).

924505 Flt Sgt. Warmington was Mentioned in Despatches (MiD), which was promulgated in the London Gazette on the 14th January 1944. He was promoted to Flt Lt. on the 26th January 1945 (London Gazette 13th February 1945).

Edwin passed away on the 27th January 2004 at Newton Abbot, Devon.

His brothers, Ivan and Bernard also served in the RAF:

Fg Off. Wallace Ivon Warmington 150280 was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) whilst with 166 Sqn on the 17th November 1944. He retired from the RAF as a Flt Lt. on the 3rd November 1963;

Flt Lt. Bernard Owen Warmington 193495 RAFVR. His appointment to a commission as a Plt Off. was confirmed and he was promoted to Fg Off. on the 1st March 1946. He relinquished his commission as a Flt Lt. on the 9th May 1955.

Above: Courtesy of The Western Morning News, dated 2nd December 1944.

(7) No information has been found relating to the further service of Flt Sgt. Ledgerwood DFM other than he survived the war

John Hugh Ledgerwood was born on the 18th October 1921 in West Derby, Lancashire. He passed away on the 20th February 2001 in Banbury, Oxfordshire.

Burial details:

None – The crew survived this operation.

Researched by Ralph Snape from Aircrew Remembered as dedicated to this crew and their families (Jul 2026).

References:

1. WO 208/3348/78: Flt Lt. Boddington, Escape & Evasion.
2. WO 208/3350/1226 & WO 208/5414/29: Sgt. Harrowing, Escape & Evasion.
3. EE-1084: S/Sgt. Ziem, Escape & Evasion.

Other sources listed below:

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