Operation: Nurnberg

Date: 30/31st March 1944 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit: No. 158 Squadron (motto: 'Strength in unity'). 4 Group

Type: Halifax III

Serial: LW724

Code: NP-S

Base: RAF Lissett, Yorkshire

Location: Seelbach, Germany

Pilot: W/O. Eric Ronald Fergus MacLeod Aus/414312 RAAF Age 26. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Louis James Craven 1455585 RAFVR Age? Killed

Nav: Fl/Sgt. Ernest Roy Moore Aus/422625 RAAF Age 21. Killed

Air/Bmr: F/O. Anthony Shanahan Aus/423908 RAAF Age 21 PoW No. 1867 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan (1)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Leonard Gowen Paxman Aus/420999 RAAF Age 25. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. James Arthur Nicholson Aus/428765 RAAF Age 19. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Douglas Fitzgerald Bickford Aus/428902 RAAF Age 20. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

795 aircraft, took part in this operation but suffered 95 losses - the highest of any raid. High-cloud was expected to offer protection to the bomber stream but the target would be clear for the bombing run. A Mosquito meteorological flight had predicted that in fact that would not be the case, but the raid went ahead anyway.

LW724 took off at 22:00 hrs with 15 others. 4 returned early with various problems and 4 failed to return.

Bomb load: 48 x 30 lb, 480x4lb. and 60x4lb x type I.B's.

Weather: Good visibility with many condensation trails in evidence in the moonlight. Patchy clouds on route and bright moonlight above. From 40 miles south of the target there was an 8 - 10/10 cloud in two layers at 12,000 ft and 20,000 ft.

The German controller ignored the diversionary raids and had his fighters circling close to the route of the main force, using Tame Boar tactics. Consequently, the fighters engaged the bombers before they reached the Belgian border.

The clear conditions allowed the fighters to pick off bombers at will with 82 of the 95 bombers being lost on the outbound leg. Strong winds meant that some of the bombers went off the intended route and as a consequence many bombed Schweinfurt in error, some 50 miles from Nuremberg. The problem was exacerbated by two PFF aircraft dropping markers in Schweinfurt. Overall, the raid was a failure and little damage was caused.

Above L-R Rear: Sgt. Louis Craven, F/O. Anthony Shanahan and Fl/Sgt. James Nicholson. Front: Fl/Sgt. Leonard Paxman, W/O. Eric Fergus MacLeod, Fl/Sgt. Ernest Moore and Fl/Sgt. Douglas Bickford (Courtesy National Archive of Australia)

The others lost from the squadron:

Halifax III HX322 NP-B Flown by 28 year old, Fl/Sgt. Albert Brice 811164 RAF (A) from Stoneycroft, Liverpool. Six crew killed with one taken PoW.

Halifax III HX349 NP-G Flown by Sq/Ldr. Samuel Davis Jones DFC 45065 RAF. Two were killed and five were taken PoW.

Halifax III LW634 NP-P Flown by Fl/Sgt. Stephen Hughes 1332532 RAFV. Five were taken PoW and two evaded capture.

LW724 was shot down by Oblt. Fritz Lau flying a Me110 of II./NJG1 at 20,000 ft. with the aircraft crashed at Seelbach.

In his PoW report F/O. Shanahan stated: 'Shot up by a night fighter. Bale out ordered at 20,000 feet by Captain and all acknowledged. No one was injured until Navigator had baled out and I was knocked unconscious by a bullet through head. Five were still in the aircraft. Aircraft was out of control and on fire and crashed about 10 minutes from Nuremberg. I did not see Fl/Sgt. Ernest Moore again. I was wounded before I baled out and unconscious until captured. Released by British Army at Trenthorst'.

(1) Anthony Shanahan was born on the 30th of May 1923 in Austinmer, New South Wales. Enlisted on the 04th November 1941 Australian army, enlisted in RAAF on the 18th July 1942. Discharged from the RAAAF on the 05th October 1945 as an Fl/Lt. Died at the young age of 48 on the 23rd of June 1971. Husband of Marie and father to Paul and Anne.

Burial details:

W/O. Eric Ronald Fergus MacLeod. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 4.F.3. Son of William Francis (died 04th October 1965, age 75) and Ethel Blanche MacLeod (née McKay - died 02nd May 1986, age 96), of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Epitaph: Courage Is Eternal Fame. His brother 30 year old, Cpl. Keith Armstrong MacLeod was killed on the 18th May 1941.

Sgt. Louis James Craven. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 4.F.2. Of Harrogate, Yorkshire, England No further details - are you able to assist?

Fl/Sgt. Ernest Roy Moore. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 4.F.6. Born on the 10th of October 1922 in North Brighton, Victoria. Son of Ernest William James Moore and Mary Cecilia Irene Moore, of Bateman's Bay, New South Wales, Australia.

Fl/Sgt. Leonard Gowen Paxman. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 4.F.1. Born on the 07th October 1918 in Brisbane, Queensland. Son of William Henry James Paxman and Jessie Paxman, of Naremburn, New South Wales, Australia. Epitaph: 'Greater Love Hath No Man'.

Fl/Sgt. James Arthur Nicholson. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 4.F.4. Born on the 11th of June 1924 in Queanbeyan, Australian Capital Territory. Son of Henry Herbert and Vera Eunice Nicholson, of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. Epitaph: 'He Lives In The Hearts Of Those He Loved And Has Left Awhile'.

Fl/Sgt. Douglas Fitzgerald Bickford. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 4.F.5. Born on the 03rd March 1924 in Greenwich, New South Wales. Son of Charles Reginald and Kathleen May Bickford, of Gordon, New South Wales, Australia. Epitaph: 'Fullness Of Life The Hour-Glass Cannot Measure'.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew, thanks to National Archive of Australia Air-27-1049 - 5/6 National Archive. Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Theo Boiten Nachtjagd Combat Archives 1944 Part 2.

Other sources as quoted below:

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