Operation: Frankfurt, Germany

Date: 18th/19th March 1944 (Saturday/Sunday)

Unit No: 76 Squadron, 4 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Halifax III

Serial: LW655

Code: MP:V

Base: RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor, Yorkshire

Location: Koblenz, Germany

Pilot: Flt Sgt. David Joseph 1576383 RAFVR Age 21. PoW No. 3267 * (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. Edward Thomas Henry Giles 1604913 RAFVR Age 20. PoW No. 3270 ** (2)

Nav: Fg Off. Kenneth Grant Ramsey J22060 RCAF Age 22. KiA (3)

Bomb Aimer: Flt Sgt. Edmund Wirth R159474 RCAF Age 20. PoW No. 3268 * (4)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. James George Frederick Haskett 1468176 RAFVR Age 23. PoW No. 3269 * (5)

Air Gnr (Mid Und): Sgt. L. Makins 1442236 RAFVR Age? PoW No. 3266 * (6)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. John Kenneth Kirton 1004925 RAFVR Age 22. PoW No. 3278 ** (7)

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. William Sinclair 1823159 RAFVR Age 19. PoW No. 3273 ** (8)

* Stalag Luft 4, Groß-Tychow, Pomerania, Prussia now Tychowo, Poland

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

*** Stalag Luft 7, Bankau nr. Kreuzburg, Upper Silesia now Bąków nr. Kluczbork in Poland

Above: Fg Off. Kenneth Grant Ramsey from his service record

REASON FOR LOSS

On the night of the 18th/19th March 1944 76 Sqn detailed nineteen (19) aircraft of which eighteen (18) took-off from RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor to join a force of eight hundred and forty-six (846) aircraft on an operation to bomb Frankfurt. Of the twelve (12) Halifaxes that failed to return two (2) were from 76 Sqn.

LW655 was abandoned at 20,000 ft over Nohn, 29 km (18 mls) NE of Prüm and the aircraft continued and crashed near Koblenz. No German Flak or night-fighter claims has been found for this loss.

The second aircraft from the Sqn was Halifax III LK791 MP:H flown by Flt Sgt. P.R. Noyes who was KiA along with two (2) of his crew and four (4) became PoWs. The aircraft was claimed by Oblt. Ruprecht Pantzer his 3rd Abschuss, from 4./NJG3 NW of Frankfurt am Main at 22:05 hrs.

(1) Flt Sgt. Joseph landed uninjured and together with Sgt. Giles attempted to evade the enemy. However, they had lost their flying boots in baling out and suffered frostbitten feet. They were apprehended at Nohn on the 20th March.

Flt Sgt. Joseph reported on his ‘General Questionnaire for British/American ex-PoWs’ that he had been wounded by a German bayonet. The circumstances leading to this and the severity of the wound are unknown.

He was transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel arriving there on the 22nd March. On or around the 25th March he was transferred to Stalag Luft 6 at Heydekrug arriving there on the 1st April. In early 1944 the Russian Army were advancing into the Baltic States from the North and the East preparation for evacuating the camp was being made. PoWs from Stalag Luft 6, the camp closest to the Russian advance, were in the "northern route" of the force-marches, and were transported to Stalag 20A by train on 16th July 1944, and from there took part in the forced-march.

He was amongst the PoWs who arrived at Stalag Luft 4 at Groß-Tychow in Pomerania, about 12½ miles SE of Belgrad, on the 19th July.

In late January 1945 the PoWs could see the distant flash of artillery fire from the east. On the 28th January the evacuation was ordered, and a train loaded with mostly sick and wounded were transported to Stalag Luft 1 at Barth, Germany. On the 2nd February another train load was transported to Stalag 13D at Nürnberg, Germany. Over a period of 3 days from the 6th February some 6,000 prisoners were ordered to leave the camp on foot with little notice. The PoWs in groups of 250 to 300 were marched, heading west, covering long daily distances on starvation rations.

After the columns arrived at arrived at Ebbsdorf a large number of the men were jammed into railway box cars and sealed in for some 33 hours until the train arrived at Stalag 357 at Fallingbostal, which was officially Stalag 357 Oerbke, arriving there on the 18th March 1945.

The now Warrant Officer (WO) Joseph was amongst the PoWs who remained at the camp which was liberated on the 16th April 1945 by British troops from B Squadron 11th Hussars and the Reconnaissance Troop of the 8th Hussars. They were met at the main gate of the camp by a guard of Airborne troops, impeccably attired and led by RSM Lord. WO. Joseph was interviewed on the 29th April 1945.

He paid tribute to Capt. Forest Hayes [sic] the Medical Officer and Sgt. V.R. Clarke who was the ‘Man of Confidence’for their efforts on the evacuation of Stalag Luft 4 to Stalag 357.

Capt. Graham Forrest-Hay 97599 RAMC, PoW No. 5756;
On the 18th December 1945 he was mentioned in recognition for his gallant and distinguished services whilst a PoW;
Awarded the MBE(M) on the 28th February 1946;
He was awarded the American Bronze Star Medal on the 14th November 1947.

Sgt. Victor Robert Clarke 959892 RAFVR, PoW No. 23600; (See Addendum)
WO. Clarke was awarded the MBE(M) on the 28th December 1945 and was also Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) the same day for distinguished service whilst a PoW;
WO. Clarke, who was on the strength of No. 106 Personnel Reception Centre (PRC) at RAF Cosford, tragically died from Lung Cancer on the 23rd September 1946.

David Joseph was born on the 16th February 1923 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.

His profession was as an Improver Tool Maker in Heavy industry prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 7th July 1941. David passed away on the 26th October 1989 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.

(2) Sgt. Giles landed uninjured and together with Flt Sgt. Joseph attempted to evade the enemy. However, they had lost their flying boots in baling out and suffered frostbitten feet. They were apprehended at Nohn on the 20th March.

The PoW experience for Sgt. Giles was the same as that for Flt Sgt. Joseph (Ser 1) except that he was amongst the 12,000 British PoWs were being to be evacuated from the camp in the face of the Allied advance. The men marched from the camp in columns of 2,000.

After ten (10) days they arrived at Gresse, east of the Elbe. There they were issued with Red Cross parcels, but were then unfortunately strafed by British Typhoonfighter-bombers, mistaking them for German troops. Sixty (60) PoW were killed and many wounded.

WO. ‘Dixie’ Deans confronted OberstOstmann and bluntly gave him a choice, to be captured to the Russians or the British. Ostman provided WO. Deans with a pass and a German guard, and they headed west to contact the advancing British troops. On the 1st May WO. Deans and his guard were sheltering in a house east of Lauenbergwhen they heard over the radio the news of the death of Adolf Hitler. The next morning the house was overrun by troops of the British 6th Airborne. WO. Deans was taken to the commander of VIII Corpsand explained the situation. He was given a captured Mercedes car and drove back to Gresse. Two days later the PoW column marched back across the British lines.

Sgt. Giles was interviewed on the 4th May 1945.

Edward Thomas Henry Giles was born on the 14th April 1923 in Headington, Oxfordshire. He was employed as a clerk in Headington prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 4th March 1942. Edward passed away in October 1995 in South Glamorgan, Wales.

(3) Plt Off. Wirth reported on his ‘General Questionnaire for British/American ex-PoWs’ that their aircraft crashed near Koblenz and that Fg Off. Ramsey was the first of the crew to bale out prior to the crash.

Fg Off. Ramsey’s body was found by two woodcutters found in woods near Niederehe, about 3 km (1¾ mls) SW of Nohn and some 60 km (38 mls) west of Koblenz.

Fg Off. Ramsey’s service record enclosed the following letter from a Sgt W.A. Sparks to Sqn Ldr V.A. Mulhall the RCAF Casualty Liaison Officer on the 9th April 1947 with Sqn Ldr. Mulhall’s reply:

“Please see MRES report. Information as to how "RAMSAY” met his death has not been ascertained. The card to which the identity disc is attached (amongst German documents) is marked "Fluchtig' which I believe means evaded. Do you wish MRES to exhume with a view to finding if possible, the cause of death, if not, I intend closing the case”.

Re: J.22060 F/O RAMSAY, K.G. Navigator

“I am informed by the German translator that “Fluchtig” definitely implies knowledge that the man is or was alive. Also, German translator states that receipts for effects were not, to his knowledge, given unless the man was present and surrendering his effects. The card and identity disc implies he escaped from custody after giving up the disc. The fact that his money was already checked by German Accounts Branch on 25th April - three days before his body was found - is also significant. As an individuals name as never indicated on a package of escape money, the Germans must have identified the package as his property on his own statement, or by relating it to his identity disc. And to have his identity disc before finding his body must mean that he had been for a time at least in their hands. I feel that he died after escaping from custody; possibly owing to a wound sustained whilst making his escape, and possibly owing to a War Crime. Before asking for a War Crime investigation, I would like to see an exhumation report please. My one be secured?”

Signed(V.A. Mulhall)
Sqn LdrRCAF
Casualty Liaison Officer

A search of the UK National Archive databases has not found any records relating an investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of Fg Off. Ramsey.

(4) Flt Sgt. Wirth was apprehended near Koblenz on the 19th March and transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel arriving there the next day on the 20th March.

On the 23rd March he was transferred to Stalag Luft 6 at Heydekrug arriving there on the 1st April. In early 1944 the Russian Army were advancing into the Baltic States from the North and the East preparation for evacuating the camp was being made. PoWs from Stalag Luft 6, the camp closest to the Russian advance, were in the "northern route" of the force-marches, and were transported to Stalag 20A by train on 16th July 1944, and from there took part in the forced-march.

He was amongst the PoWs who arrived at Stalag Luft 4 at Groß-Tychow in Pomerania, about 12½ miles SE of Belgrad, on the 18th July.

Flt Sgt. Wirth was appointed to a commission and promoted to J88606 Plt Off. whilst a PoW at Stalang Luft 4.

In late January 1945 the PoWs could see the distant flash of artillery fire from the east. On the 28th January the evacuation was ordered, and a train loaded with mostly sick and wounded were transported to Stalag Luft 1 at Barth, Germany. On the 2nd February another train load was transported to Stalag 13D at Nürnberg, Germany. Over a period of 3 days from the 6th February he was amongst some 6,000 prisoners who were ordered to leave the camp on foot with little notice. The PoWs in groups of 250 to 300 were marched, heading west, covering long daily distances on starvation rations.

On the 6th April after only being in this camp for a week, Lagers A and B from Stalag Luft 4 were forced on their final march, this time heading east, doubling back on the route they took to arrive. This last march only lasted approximately three weeks but was just as harsh as the previous march except for the treatment by the Germans, which was somewhat better. There was still little or no food available, and the pace was much slower, advancing 4 to 5 miles a day.

On the morning of the 2nd May 1945 the main column was resting in a ditch next to the River Elbe near Lauenburg, Germany, when British troops arrived and liberated the camp. The now liberated PoWs were given virtually nothing and told to march west. The march from beginning to end, spanned 86 days over an estimated 600 miles. Seven PoWs were declared to have died during the march by the Casualty Branch of the Adjutant General’s Office.

The above is a précis of the treatise prepared by the Military Intelligence Service War Department in 1944 which was compiled and presented by Greg Hatton.

Plt Off. Wirth was interviewed 12th May 1945.

Edmund Wirth was born on the 20th March 1923 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was a scholar prior to enlisting in the RCAF on the 25th March 1942.

(5) Sgt. Haskett was apprehended near Koblenz on the 19th March and transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel. The PoW experience for Sgt. Haskett was the same as that for Sgt. Giles (Ser 2). Sgt. Haskett was interviewed 3rd May 1945.

James George Frederick Haskett was born on the 9th January 1921 in Kings Lynn, Norfolk. He was a Joiner in the building industry before enlisting in the RAFVR on the 21st September 1941. James passed away on the 6th January 1990 in Warranwood, Victoria, Australia.

(6) There is a disparity with the name for Sgt. L. Makins. The loss card for the aircraft has him as Sgt. Louis Haskins 1442236. A PoW record for Stalag Luft 4 for an airman with a Service No. 1442236 lists his name as Sgt. Makins. At this time disparity has not been resolved

(7) Flt Sgt. Kirton was apprehended near Koblenz on the 19th March and transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel. The PoW experience for Flt Sgt. Kirton was the same as that for Sgt. Giles (Ser 2). Flt Sgt. Kirton was interviewed 6th May 1945.

John Kenneth Kirton was born on the 25th September 1921 in Durham, Co. Durham. He was unemployed prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 15th June 1940. John passed away in December 1993 in Durham, Co. Durham.

(8) Flt Sgt. Sinclair was apprehended near Koblenz on the 19th March and transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel. The PoW experience for Flt Sgt. Sinclair was the same as that for Sgt. Giles (Ser 2). Flt Sgt. Kirton was interviewed 11th May 1945.

William Sinclair was born on the 17th August 1924. He was a Plasterer in Salcoates, Scotland prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 16th April 1943.

Addendum:

Sgt. Victor Robert Clarke 959892 RAFVR, PoW No. 23600.

The ‘General Questionnaire for British/American Ex-PoWs’ for Sgt. Clarke records that he was from 9 Sqn and that he was captured at Worms, which is about 17 km (10 ½ mls) NNW of Mannheim, on the 29th August 1941.

The 9 Sqn Operation Record Book (ORB) for the night of the 29th/30th August 1941 records an operation to Mannheim.

In the summary it reports that Sgt. Clarke and Sgt. Corser, the Wireless Operator and Observer respectively, were missing from Wellington IC R1757. The aircraft was flying over the Mannheim area at 23:20 hrs at a height of 11,000 ft. After dropping its bombs they did some jinking in cloud to avoid Flak and searchlights and encountered severe icing conditions.

The Captain, Sqn Ldr. Inness, lost control of the aircraft which turned onto its back but he managed to regain control. He ordered the crew to standby to abandon the aircraft. Again the aircraft became uncontrollable but Sqn Ldr. Inness managed to regain control after falling to about 2,000 ft.

Owing to some misunderstanding Sgt. Clarke and Sgt. Corser were missing and had in fact been seen to bale out by the Front Gunner, Sgt. Blackmore.

Sgt. Richard Derek Corser 1280363 RAFVR was captured along with Sgt. Clark and was a PoW at Stalag Luft 4, Groß-Tychow, Pomerania (PoW No. 23636).

Sqn Ldr. William Innes Cosmo Inness MiD, 33260 – Survived the war as a Gp Capt;
Sgt. Thornton – No corroborated information found;
Sgt. Eric James Blakemore DFM, 914262. Appointed to a commission and promoted to 169156 Plt Off. Attained the rank of Sqn Ldr - Survived the war;
Sgt. James Bell DFM, 1060540. Appointed to a commission and promoted to 126807 Plt Off – Survived the war.

It should be noted that some sources link Sgt. Clarke and Sgt. Corser with 9 Sqn Wellington IC R1279 which was lost on an operation to Genova (6 KiA).

Burial details:

Fg Off. Ramsey was initially buried at Niederehe, district of Daun, on the 25th March 1944. He was finally laid to rest at the Rheinberg War Cemetery on the 21st May 1948.

Above: Initial grave marker for Fg Off. Kenneth G. Ramsey from his service record

Fg Off. Kenneth Grant Ramsey. Rheinberg War Cemetery, 11.E.25. Born on the 27th April 1921 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Son of James (deceased) and Martha Winifred (née McLellan) Ramsay of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the crew and their families (Jun 2026).

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