Operation: Emden

Date: 03/04th September 1942 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit: No. 75 Squadron 3 Group

Type: Wellington III

Serial: X3396

Code: AA-R

Base: RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk

Location: Wittmund, Germany

Pilot: Sgt. James Law 1101018 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Obs: Sgt. Horace Llewellyn Grant NZ/405254 RNZAF Age 27. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Rupert Ernest Renton NZ/412352 RNZAF Age 22. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Richard Alfred William Newman NZ/405309 RNZAF Age 24. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. John Trevor Vivian Gill NZ/403362 RNZAF Age 27. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at around 23:30 hrs from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk to bomb Emden. 11 aircraft king part in this small operation.

Another aircraft was lost from the Squadron, in fact the only other aircraft:

Wellington II X3794 Flown by Fl/Sgt. Eric Richmond Hunting 1291752 RAFVR missing believed killed with four others, one crew members body was recovered for burial.

Wellington X3396 was intercepted and shot down by Oblt. Paul Gildner (1) of 5./NJG2. Westermarsch near Norden: 1,500m at 02:20. The aircraft came down near Wittmund. The crew were initially buried there before being reinterred at cemetery shown below after the end of the war.

The event was witnessed and recorded at 02.21 by Uhr: 10. / MFlaA . 236 'Pogum' (which is the local Flak unit No.236, the 10th Battery of that unit, named Pogum) 'meldet abstürzt im Westermarsch (Utlandshörn)'. They saw and confirmed the crash in the direction of Westermarsch/Utlandshörn.

(1) This was the 39th kill for Oblt. Paul Gildner (shown right) who went on to obtain an enormous score of 42, before he himself was killed on the 24/25th February 1943 in a forced landing near Gilze-Rijen airfield after engine failure.

Information of Luftwaffe pilot courtesy of the Kracker Archives on this website.

Tom Kracker became interested in collecting the shoulder insignia of our Armed Forces. This interest expanded into collecting both Allied and Axis items. After retirement from the Marines, he decided to shift gears from collecting to researching. In the process, He had accumulated reams of information about Luftwaffe pilots, and decided to compile this data in a format that other researchers might use.

With thanks to the great work from Ian Martyn of Medals Reunited New Zealand

MRNZ is a 100% not-for-profit, self-funded and FREE service dedicated to reuniting named medals that have been found, donated (pre-owned or arrive anonymously) or recovered by Police, with family or a descendant.

Burial details:

Sgt. James Law. Sage War Cemetery Grave 3.B. 2. Born on the 02nd February 1921, the son of William Law, and of Millicent Law, of Deepdale, Lancashire, England. Enlisted on the 18th June 1940 at Warrington. Grave inscription reads: "We Miss Him Most Who Love Him Best".

Sgt. Horace Llewellyn Grant. Sage War Cemetery Grave 3.B. 4. Born on the 08th October 1914, the son of Leonard and Constance Grant, of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. Occupation prior to service a baker. A total of 250 flying hours logged and on his 02nd operational sortie. Medals probably awarded - The 1939-1945 Star. The Aircrew Europe Star. Defence Medal. The War Medal 1939-1945. NZ War Service Medal 1939 - 1945. The NZ Memorial Cross.

Sgt. Rupert Ernest Renton. Sage Wear Cemetery Grave 3.B. 3. Born on the 15th October 1919, the son of Alexander Cameron Renton and of Adeline Jane Renton (née Broadwood), of Auckland City, New Zealand. A total of 183 flying hours logged and on his 02nd operational sortie.

Sgt. Richard Alfred William Newman. Sage War Cemetery Grave 3.A. 1. Son of Alfred and Ada Newman, of Wellington City, New Zealand. A total of 248 flying hours logged and on his 02nd operational sortie.

Sgt. John Trevor Vivian Gill. Sage Wear Cemetery Grave 3.A. 2. Born on the 30th December 1914, the son of T. R. W. and Edith Gill, of Auckland City, New Zealand. Attended King's College, Aukland from 1920-1931. Occupation prior to service a farmer. A total of 116 flying hours logged and on his 02nd operational sortie.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Ian Martyn - Medals Reunited of New Zealand. Further details courtesy of the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand, thanks to John Jones for the additional information confirming the fighter claim, other sources as quoted below:

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