Operation: Maritime Strike Mission

Date: 17th January 1945 (Wednesday)

Unit No: 254 Squadron, 16 Group, Coastal Command

Type: Beaufighter TF.X

Serial: NE465

Code: QM:F

Location: About 1 km (¾ ml) due west of Twisk, Netherlands

Base: RAF North Coates, Lincolnshire

Pilot: Flt Sgt. Arthur James Maton 1399467 RAFVR Age 22. KiA

Navigator: Flt Sgt. Henry Kinnaird Radcliffe 1562928 RAFVR Age 21. Evader (1)

Above left, Flt Sgt. Arthur James Maton and right, Flt Sgt. Henry Kinnaird Radcliffe (Courtesy of Jane Kelly)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Sixteen Beaufighters armed only with Cannon took off from RAF North Coates between 12:33 hrs and 12:49 hrs and formatted with sixteen aircraft from 236 Sqn armed with Rocket Projectiles (RP) and Cannon on a Maritime Strike mission off the coast of Den Helder, Netherlands.

The formation rendezvoused with Spitfires from 602 Sqn and 603 Sqn, which were armed with bombs, over RAF Coltishall. At position 53 00N, 04 33E, in the North Sea 15 km (9¼ mls) east of Den Helder, the wing leader saw bursts from the Spitfires bombing.

At Lat/Long 52 58N, 04 45E, just off the north coast of Den Helder, one large hull ship of 300 to 400 ft, three ‘M’ class Minesweepers and five to six armed trawlers all stationary were sighted. All of the ships were attacked with RP and Cannon fire by both Sqns. A number of targets on shore including a bridge, flak tower and a gun emplacement were also attacked.

It was reported by several crews that one of the ‘M’ class Minesweepers was seen to blow up and the others left ablaze as was at least one of the armed trawlers. After mission photographic evidence confirmed that the large hulled ship was well ablaze midships, two of the ‘M’ Class Minesweepers were on fire as was one of the trawlers, and all the other vessels had been hit by Cannon fire.

NE465 was one of three 254 Sqn Beaufighters that failed to return.

During the attack NE465 was hit in the petrol tank by Flak. As they were flying at sea level Flt Sgt. Radcliffe thought that they would have to ditch but they decided to climb to 1500 – 2000 ft and bail out. Around the Twisk area Flt Sgt. Radcliffe baled out followed by Flt Sgt. Maton a few seconds later. Whilst he was floating down he saw Flt Sgt. Maton dropping to the ground. His parachute had failed to open and he was killed.

The aircraft crashed on land bordered by the canals of Kakelbrugsloot and Hornsloot, about 1 km (¾ ml) due west of Twisk and 30 km (18½ mls) SE of Den Helder.

The other two Beaufighters were NE464 and NV187 which were seen to collide and crash on land south of Den Helder:

NE464 or NV187 QM:A flown by Fg Off. Frank Paul Trautman 55811 RAF and Fg Off. Noel Evans 179138 RAFVR were KiA. Both are buried at the Wieringerwaard General Cemetery;

NV187 or NE464 QM:T flown by Fg Off. Geoffrey Dutton Warburton 173414 RAFVR and Fg Off. James Arthur Gray 154038 RAFVR were KiA. Both are buried at the Wieringerwaard General Cemetery.

Three Beaufighters from 236 Sqn failed to return:

NT912 MB:B flown by Fg Off. Roy Lewis Middlemas DFC 151691 RAFVR and WO. Jack Dugdale 1033072 RAFVR. It is believed that this Beaufighter was seen to be hit by Flak to both engines over the target, turn over and crash into the sea bursting into flames. Both of the crew are MiA and are remembered on the Runnymede Memorial;

NV326 MB:? flown by Flt Lt. Peter Sutehall 1000076 RAFVR and Fg Off. Albert Kenneth Hovey 152681 RAFVR. A second aircraft was seen to crash into the sea and by a process of elimination this is believed to be been NV326. Flt Lt. Sutehall is MiA and is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, and Fg Off. Hovey was KiA and buried at the Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery;

Note: The Beaufighter flown by Flt Lt. Sutehall on this sortie has been widely reported as being NE794. However, corroborated evidence has confirmed that this serial number was recorded in error by the Sqn Operational Record Book (ORB).

NT918 MB:D flown by Fg Off. David Winston Gaunt J87290 RCAF and Flt Sgt. Ronald Chrisp 1671259 RAFVR. A call was heard on the VHF to say that they intended to land in a field as both engines were on fire. A crashed and burnt out Beaufighter was seen on land which is believed to be NT918. Both crew survived and became PoWs.

Note: The Beaufighter flown by Fg Off. Gaunt was recorded in the Sqn Operational Record Book (ORB) as NT918. However, analysis of the ORB for later months records that NT918 was still active. Research is ongoing to determine the correct aircraft serial number flown by Fg Off. Gaunt.

(1) Flt Sgt. Radcliffe’s landing was heavy because his parachute had been torn whilst baling out. Before he scrambled to his feet twenty or so Dutch people had arrived from their nearby homes.

One Dutchman who spoke a little English told him that the Germans were minutes away and after asking him to dispose of his parachute made off towards a road about about 1¾ km (1 ml) away. After covering no more than 90 m. (100 yards) two Dutchmen cycled up and the first asked him if he was American and if he wanted to escape. Flt Sgt. Radcliffe replied “No, English” and “Yes, most certainly”.

A little further on the second Dutchman caught up and gave Flt Sgt. Radcliffe his raincoat and also his bike. Flt Sgt. Radcliffe then followed the first man, whom he later learned was a doctor named Tammes who had a brother in RAF Coastal Command, as his guide about 90 m. (100 yards) behind, in the direction of Spanbroek. He had difficulty in keeping up with his guide because he was suffering from shock and cycling was not second nature to him. They arrived at their destination at around 16:00 hrs and he was taken to a farm house, owned by Simon Laan and his family, given a fresh outfit of civilian cloths and a much needed drink of warm milk.

Note: The doctor’s brother was believed to be Flt Lt. Bruin Tammes, 1149992 RAFVR, who was initially a navigator with RAF Coastal Command.

He was hidden in a cupboard and under the floorboards whenever the German came searching for Allied airmen. Whilst being sheltered here for the next 10 days arrangements were made for his journey back to Allied lines. Simon Lann’s brother, who was the head of the underground movement in the area, visited and took Flt Sgt. Radcliffe’s name, rank and number. He also handed over his escape box and purse, and also his ‘dog tags’ which later he was told was a big mistake.

On the 25th January, the day before he moved on to his next destination, an American Fortress pilot, a Lt. Belton arrived.

2nd Lt. Cecil Kenneth ‘Tuck’ Belton O-778379 was the pilot of B-17G 44-6601 ’Lucky Lady’ which was shot down on the 20th January 1945.

On the 26th January the two airmen, doctor Tammes and a guide travelled by bicycles to Zaandam, 29 km (18 mls) as the crow flies, south of Spanbroek, where they stayed until the morning of the Sunday 28th January. At 08:00 hrs the four left for Amsterdam and whilst crossing a Noordzeekanaal bridge they met thirty to forty armed German soldiers but passed them without being challenged.

At their next contact in Amsterdam the two airmen went to separate locations and it was then that Flt Sgt. Radcliffe was told of his error in handing over his ‘dog tags’ as they provided identification for his contacts and it would be assumed to prove that he was a Allied airman should he fall into enemy hands.

On part of the journey to Amsterdam he was alone on a bike. He was given a false passport and had a label on string round his neck written in Dutch or German with words to the effect ‘I am a deaf and dumb tailor’. He recounted that the hardest thing was not reacting to sound rather than talking.

Above: His false Identity card (Courtesy of Jane Kelly)

He remained in Amsterdam for the next 12 days during which time nothing of note occurred. Around noon on the 10th February 2nd Lt. Belton re-joined him along with two new guides and they set off for Rotterdam, some 58 km to the SSW as the crow flies. Due to a heavy wind blowing and a bike puncture they stopped overnight in Alphen (Alphen ann den Rijn) about 32 km (20 mls) into their journey.

They set off again for Rotterdam the next morning and arrived at around 13:00 hrs where they remained for about 4 hrs before continuing on with another guide to Zwljndrecht, on the north bank of the river Maas and some 76 km (47 mls) SE of Rotterdam, arriving at about 19:00 hrs.

They remained at Zwljndrecht for 5 nights and on the 16th February journeyed on to Sliedrecht about 10 km (6 mls) further to east still on the north bank of the river. They would attempt a crossing that night, however, upon arriving the attempt was cancelled. The two airmen remained in hiding until the 19th February when a second attempt was made by boat, with four British paratroopers, two Dutch civilians and two guides, but failed because of the prevailing misty conditions.

Note: The identities of the four British paratroopers are unknown.

They initially returned to their hideout but during the period 20th February and 6th March they were moved between four different addresses. On the 6th March at 20:00 hrs he and 2nd Lt. Belton were taken to a prearranged rendezvous and at 21:00 hrs together with the four British paratroopers and two guides they crossed the river. They managed to pass the German sentries and watch towers, travelling a circuitous course and finally arriving safely eight hours later south of the river Maas, reaching Allied lines on the 7th March at 03:30 hrs.

Here they were met by some French Canadians soldiers and were escorted to Tilburg in Holland. From there they continued on to Brussels and then to Paris. Flt Sgt. Radcliffe had evaded capture for a period of 49 days.

Henry Kinnaird Radcliffe was born on the 20th February 1923 in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was employed as a clerk and Analytical Chemist in Glasgow prior to enlisting in the RAFVR in September 1942. Henry passed away on the 13th November 2007 in Walsall, West Midland, England.

After Henry returned to Glasgow he and his father visited with Arthur’s parents in London. During the 2000s he was in contact with Andrew Maton who was researching his uncle’s war history. All his life Henry kept in touch with Simon Laan, and the other members of the resistance via Christmas cards.

In 1995 Henry was amazed to be invited to Twisk as guests of honour at the WW2 memorial events were he was reunited with his wartime rescuers.

Above: Laying flowers on the grave of Arthur Maton in 1995. (Courtesy of Jane Kelly)

He returned alone in 2000 and his daughter took him in 2005. On each visit he laid flowers on Arthur Maton’s grave.

Above: Henry sitting in the middle and flanked by his wartime helpers at the 2005 reunion (Courtesy of Jane Kelly)

Above: Henry on the left meeting one of his wartime helpers at the 2005 reunion (Courtesy of Jane Kelly)

During his last visit in 2005 visit he was presented with a photograph of the recovered engine from his Beaufighter and also a very small part of the engine. When returning home via Schiphol Amsterdam airport it set off the metal detector. When they got it out of his pocket the officials were most sceptical of his explanation.

Above: The photograph of the Beaufighter engine along with the Aircraft Recovery Group information (Courtesy of Jane Kelly)

Above: Flt Sgt. Henry Kinnaird Radcliffe (Courtesy of Jane Kelly)

Henry Kinnaird Radcliffe (20th February 1923 - 13th November 2007)

Burial Details:

Above Grave of Flt Sgt. Maton (Courtesy of The Commonwealth War Graves)

Flt Sgt. Arthur James Maton. Twisk Churchyard Row 9, Grave 212, Netherlands. Inscription: "INTO THE MOSAIC OF VICTORY WAS LAID THIS PRECIOUS PIECE". Born in 3rd Qtr 1922 in Lambeth, London. Son of James Alfred and Edith Sarah (née Cattle) Maton of West Dulwich, London, England.

Twisk is a village and commune 20 km (12½ mls) (north of Hoorn, lying 2 km (1¼ ml)) east of the Amsterdam-Leeuwarden road. The nearest convenient centre is Hoorn, which has a railway station and hotels. The churchyard partly surrounds the church in the centre of the village. The one British grave is in the western part.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this crew (Jun 2022). Many thanks to Jane Kelly, daughter of Henry Radcliffe, for sharing the wonderful images from her family collection (Aug 2023). Reviewed and updated with additional biographical information for Henry Radcliffe (Aug 2025). Thanks to Jane Kelly for the additional photograph of her father’s reunion in 2005 (Aug 2025). Correction to Serial No. for Flt Lt. Peter Sutehall’s Beaufighter with thanks to Andy Marden (Sep 2025). Correction to Flt Sgt. R. Chrisp’s name and PoW camp (Oct 2025).

Other sources listed below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2026 Last Modified: 03 October 2025, 19:39