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Operation: Frankfurt
Date: 06/07th August 1941 (Wednesday/Thursday)
Unit: No. 150 Squadron
Type: Wellington IC
Serial: W5721
Code: JN-Z
Base: RAF Snaith, Yorkshire
Location: Not known.
Pilot: P/O. Cowen Landreth 61996 RAFVR Age 21. Killed
Pilot 2: P/O. Alexander Cairns Anderson NZ/403929 RNZAF Age 27. Killed
Obs: P/O. Alistair Ferguson Bruce 88444 RAFVR Age 29. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Joseph Hagan Bolton 987466 RAFVR Age 20. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. William John Culley 947158 RAFVR Age 25. Killed
Air/Gnr: P/O. Arthur Wilfred Lambert 69444 RAFVR Age 27. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off from RAF Snaith, Yorkshire at 22.35 hrs. to bomb the city of Frankfurt. 68 aircraft taking part with reports that the bomb runs were accurate and successful. Although some bombs were reported to have dropped on Mainz some 20 miles away from the target area.
Wellington Mk I's
Bomber Command lost three aircraft on this operation, two Wellingtons (the other, 300 Polish Squadron X9676 and one Whitley, Z6488 of 51 squadron. Four crew taken PoW, 13 killed.Another Whitley, Z6808 was abandoned over Swanton Morley on return due to severe icing, all crew escaping serious injuries. Whitley Z6835 crashed into a hangar at their base on return, with no reported fatalities. Finally Whitley T4158 ditched off Dunkerque with all crew rescued by HSL145 (1) out of Dover despite heavy ground fire from German coastal batteries.
(1) High Speed Launch 145 survived the war, sadly only to be left to rot at West Mersea by Wyatt's slipway.
Reichswald Forest War Cemetery (courtesy Geoff Swallow)
P/O. Cowen Landreth. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Coll. Grave 22.E.14-18. Son of the late Cowen Landreth and Amy Landreth of Forest Hall, near Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England. Educated at Cheltenham college.
P/O. Alexander Cairns Anderson. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Coll. Grave 22.E.14-18. Son of Hugh Miller Anderson and Janet Helen Anderson of Cremorne, Sydney, Australia.
P/O. Alistair Ferguson Bruce. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Coll. Grave 22.E.14-18. Son of Alexander and Elizabeth Bruce.
Sgt. Joseph Hagan Bolton. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Coll. Grave 22.E.14-18. Son of John and Sarah Ann Bolton, of Wallsend, Northumberland, England.
Sgt. William John Culley. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Coll. Grave 22.E.14-18. Son of William and Maud Culley, of Nottingham, England.
P/O. Arthur Wilfred Lambert. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Coll. Grave 22.E.14-18. Son of Rfn. Arthur Lambert, 3rd Bn. The Rifle Bde., died of wounds in France 19th February, 1915, and of Agnes Margaret Lambert, of Peckham, London, England.
Researched for David Wall, relative of Sgt. Joseph Bolton, Peter Atkinson, nephew of the pilot, P/O. Landreth. With thanks to Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - "Nightfighter War Diaries Vol's. 1 and 2", Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses Vol. 2", Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - "Bomber Command War Diaries", Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 22 October 2014, 19:17