Operation: Rotterdam, Netherlands

Date: 28th August 1941 (Thursday)

Unit: 226 Squadron

Type: Blenheim IV

Serial: Z7289

Code: MQ:R

Base: RAF Wattisham, Suffolk

Location: Kethel-Schiedam, Netherlands

Pilot: Plt Off. Fitzroy Montague Veitch Johnstone 64265 RAF Age 19. PoW No: 3758 * (1)

Obs: Sgt. Raymond Evans 1252262 RAF PoW No: 9547 ** (2)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Reginald George Drake 959617 RAF PoW No: 174 ** (3)

* Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland. (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser, Bavaria).

** Stalag Luft 7 Bankau nr. Kreuzburg O.S." (O.S. standing for Oberschlesien, Upper Silesia). Today called Bąków nr. Kluczbork (Poland).

REASON FOR LOSS:

Some 18 Blenheims took part in a low level attack on the docks in Rotterdam. At a huge cost with 1 crashing on take off (all crew safe) but It is known that two cargo ships were hit along with other damage.

After take off at RAF Wattisham in Suffolk at 14:30 hrs Z7289 took part in the attack, the Blenheim IV was hit by Flak, belly landed at Kethel-Schiedam in the Netherlands at 20:23 hrs after attacking harbour and the docks of Rotterdam. All the crew taken PoW.

Z7289 was one of 8 Blenheims lost on this raid. Brief details of others:

From 21 Squadron:V6436 YH:L - Flown by 25 year old, Plt Off. Frank Kerr Orme J3739 RCAF of Ontario, Canada - killed with all crew.
V5825 YH:R - Flown by Plt Off. MacDonald 63451 RAFVR - Pow with one other crew member, the Observer, 20 year old Sgt. Raymond Jervis Somerfield 986567 RAFVR from Norton, Sheffield, England killed.
Z7435 YH:S - Flown by 20 year old, Sgt. Kenneth Hayes 1254653 RAFVR from South Norwood, Surrey, England killed with all crew.
Z7447 YH:A - Flown by 21 year old, Sqn Ldr. Richard Ashton Shuttleworth 33548 RAF - survived but succumbed to his injuries later, 2 other crew killed.
From 88 Squadron:
L9379 - Flown by 27 year old, Plt Off. Tudor Gwynn Edwards 44819 RAF from Rhydymwyn, Wales - killed with all crew.
Z7445 - Flown by 23 year old, Flt Lt. James Okeden Alexander 44267 RAF from British Columbia, Canada - killed with all crew.
The other 226 Squadron Blenheim IV Z7299 MQ:F Flown by Sgt. R.J. O’Connell RCAF crashed on take off - all crew survived.

Burial details:

None - all crew survived the war.

Researcher Michel Beckers for Aircrew Remembered August 2016. Photographs of Sgt. Reginald Blake courtesy Helen Britton (daughter) Other from the Michel Beckers collection. With thanks to the Eastern Daily Press, Norfolk for publishing the story of Sgt. Drake and also to Forces War Records who helped his daughter uncover some details. Thanks to Jessi Bird for informing us about her father (Oct 2021). Other updates by Aircrew Remembered (Oct 2021)

(1) Plt Off. Fitzroy Montague Veitch Johnstone: Born on the 29th May 1922, husband of Dora nee Lofthouse, father of 2 daughters and one son. Died in 1979.

(2) We have been informed by Jessi Bird that her father Sgt Evans passed away at home in Hertfordshire in 2010 aged 90. He was the father of 3 daughters.

(3) Sgt. Reginald George Drake, from Norwich, Norfolk. Worked at the Norfolk County Council after the war. Husband to Vera and father to 2 sons and a daughter. Died July 2014, just before his 100th birthday.

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: 11 October 2021, 04:36