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Operation: Nurnberg
Date: 16/17th March 1945 (Friday/Saturday)
Unit: No. 12 Squadron 1 Group (motto: ' Leads the Field')
Type: Lancaster I
Serial: RF188
Code: PH-U
Base: RAF Wickenby, Lincolnshire
Location: Ottensoos
Pilot: F/O. Keith Wearing Mabee J/41812 RCAF Age 22. Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Guy Archer Clarke 1868276 RAFVR Age 19. Killed
Nav: P/O. Leslie Elmer Rae J/95546 RCAF Age 23. Killed
Air/Bmr: F/O. A.R Hovis J/42742 RCAF PoW No further details available (from Macleod, Alberta)
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Sergeant Donald William Debonnaire 1876612 RAFVR Age 20. Killed
Air/Gnr: P/O. Malcolm Melly Barker J/95239 RCAF Age 19. Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. T.K Imperious R/287734 RCAF PoW No further details available (from Port Arthur, Ontario)
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off at 17:28 hrs on the afternoon of the 16th March, Lancaster RF188 formed up with the bomber stream comprised of 277 Lancasters and 16 Mosquitos destined for Nurnberg.
Crossing the French coast in the area of Le Touquet, they proceeded across France in an east south easterly direction toward their target. The city, although it had been very heavily bombed in early January, was still a Nazi stronghold protected from the air by radar controlled night fighters. This raid, which proved to be the last aimed at the city, was to soften up the German defences in preparation for the Allied ground forces assault and ultimate capture which was to occur on April 21st 1945.
As the bomber stream approached Nurnberg they were met by the night fighters who claimed twenty four of the Lancasters. Of the aircraft that did get through to the target, their bombs hit areas in the south and south western districts as well as setting fire to the main train station and badly damaging the gas works.
Records of claims by the night fighters on this operation of which there were many, could not name the Luftwaffe pilots. But RF188 was shot down by a night fighter. The two surviving crew were blown out of the aircraft at about 22:00 hrs.
The Buergermeister at Ottensoos in the Landkreis region, has given the Missing Research and Recovery Unit the following information.
On the night 16/17th March 1945 during an air raid against Nuernberg an English 4 engined bomber of unknown type crashed in the Veitswald, about 400 yards from Ottensoos.
This aircraft had a crew of 7, of which two were taken PoW, one at Henfenfeld 30 km. east of Nuernberg and one at Poetzling 29 km. East of Nuremberg.
Of the 5 men who were found dead at the scene of the crash, 3 were complete charred and unrecognisable, one had been thrown clear of the aircraft and the mid-upper gunner was still trapped in his turret. One of these men was a red-haired Canadian and popular reports considerd that all the crew were Canadian as the two airmen captured were also said to have been Canadian. The dead airmen were buried in Ottensoos by a unit from the Luftgan in Nuremberg and this unit removed all papers and identity tasgs etc. The airmen arc buried in a mass grave.
As there is no other incident reported in the whole of this area on the night in question and as the facts here stated coincide as nearly as possible with the statements made by Fl/Sgt. Imperious and F/O. Hovis, the recovery team convinced that the 5 men buried at Ottensoos are in fact the 5 men listed as missing and previously reported as such. It is considered by the unit that after confirmation from Air Ministry and registration of the grave that this case may now be closed.
12 Squadron lost 5 aircraft on this operation, the others:
Lancaster I PD207 PH-W. Flown by F/O. J.L. Wallace - all crew survived with one crew member having injuries.
Lancaster I PD275 PH-K. Flown by Fl/Lt. Keith William Daymond J/21582 RCAF - Killed with 5 other crew, 1 taken PoW.
Lancaster I RF181 PH-G. Flown by F/O. Daniel O;Rouke 150492 RAFVR - PoW with 1 other crew, 5 crew killed,
Lancaster I ME526 PH-F Flown by 26 year old F/O. Ian Lindsay Felgate DFC. AUS/427079 RAAF from Training, Western Australia - Killed with 4 other crew, 2 taken PoW.
Burial details:
F/O. Keith Wearing Mabee. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 11.F.24. Born on the 16th March 1923 in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.Educated at the Victory Memorial School and High School, Ingersoll, Worked as an apprentice druggist with Thurtell Drug Store in Ingersoll. Enlisted on the 15th October 1942. Son of Roger Leroy Mabee (from Michigan, USA) and Kathleen Mabee (née Wearing - died 22nd September 1984, age 83). Brother of Eugene and a sister who had died at the age of two years. Husband of Margaret Gray Mabee (née Bowie) of 228-18th Avenue, (later 632-18th Avenue) Lachine, Quebec, Canada,
Sgt. Guy Archer Clarke. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 11.F.23. Son of Frank Archer Clarke and Eva Clarke, of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England. Epitaph: 'For Mine Eyes Have Seen Thy Salvation" St.Luke Ii.30'.
P/O. Leslie Elmer Rae. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 11.F.25. Born on the 30th May 1921 in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada. Educated at the Coronation Public, Oyster Bay Public and Chemainus Superior Schools. He worked as a warehouseman and cutter at MacKay Smith, Blair and Co. Ltd, a clothing factory in Vancouver. Enlisted on the 26th September 1941. Son of Elmer Clarke Rae and Olive Margaret Rae (née Roadhouse), of Grande Prairie, Alberta. Husband of Marie Olive May Rae (née Hamelin) of 34 Gates Avenue, Toronto, Canada. Date of marriage 28 April 1943 in Hamilton, Ontario.
Brother of P/O. Harold Olivier Rae J/85912 (shown left) who died on the 25th June 1944 while serving with 9 squadron (Lancaster I LL970 WS-Y - further details here) and Albert Thomas Rae who served with the Royal Canadian Navy (died 20th November 1975, age 51)
Sgt. Sergeant Donald William Debonnaire. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 11.F.22. Son of Herbert and Elsie Debonnaire, of Walthamstow, Essex, England. Epitaph: 'No Day Dawns, No Night Returns But We Remember Thee'.
P/O. Malcolm Melly Barker. Durnbach War Cemetery. Grave 11.F.26. Born on the 29th March 1926 in Verdun, Quebec, Canada.Worked for Pratt and Whitney Aircraft. Enlisted on the 26th October 1943 Son of George Alfred (died 19069, age 85) and Susan Maud Barker (née Good - died 1971, age 82), brother of Alan, Pauline and Vera of Pineville, Pinehurst, East Greenfield, Province of Quebec, Canada. Epitaph: 'Always Good, Unselfish And Kind Ever Remembered By Mother, Dad, Brothers & Sisters
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Karen Ault (relative of Sgt. Debonnaire) National Archives, Kew. Paradie RCAF Archives, Government of Canada.
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KTY 29-10-2023
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