Operation: Scharnhorst

Date: 01/02 July 1940 (Monday/Tuesday)

Unit: No. 58 Squadron 4 Group (motto: is nocturnis - 'On the wings of the night')

Type: Whitley V

Serial: N1461

Code: GE-R

Base: RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire

Location: Düsternbrooker Gehölz, Kiel, Germany

Pilot: F/O. Laurence Herbert McFarlane 39545 RAF Age 25. Killed

2nd Pilot: P/O. Cecil John Trevelyan Jones 70805 RAF Age 19. Killed

Obs: Sgt. David Leishman 751309 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Henry Eric Archibald Craven 542430 RAF Age 24. Killed

Air/Gnr: W/O. John Primrose Caldwell 626021 RAF PoW No: 26977 Camp: Stalag Lamsdorf

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 21:00 hrs with five others from the squadron to bomb the German battleship 'Scharnhorst' which was docked at Kiel for repairs.

Weather was described as excellent with first class visibility and no flares were dropped, Ant-aircraft fire was intense but not before all the aircraft had released their bombs.

Three aircraft bombed the target with Fl/tL Frank Aikin 37490 RAF flying Whitley V P4951,reported a direct hit after dropping his bombs from between 800 and 1,500 ft at 00:12 hrs. Bursts were seen in line across the target. His aircraft was hit by flak which resulted with part of the tail being blown away and the fuselage sustaining a number of holes along with the radio being knocked out. The crew made a safe return to base and landed without further incident at 04:15hrs. They were later commended for a notable war service for their actions on this night. The observer of this aircraft (Sgt. Nicholas Palmer Simmons 580676 RAF) was later awarded the DFM for his actions on this night, after he 'held his bombing until the ship literally filled his bomb sight and then let ship and dock have it for all he was worth'. Five direct hits were confirmed by photographic reconnaissance a few hours later.

All but one aircraft bombed the target but Fl/Sgt. Moore flying Whitley N1459 failed to make a positive identity of the target so bombed the docks from between 7,000- 8,000ft, he later reported seeing large fires from over 50 miles away.

N1461 was hit by light Flak of 2. 3. and 6./-M. Flak Abt. 217 and by light Flak of Kriegsmarine vessels 'Prinz Eugen', 'Scharnhorst', 'Grille', 'U137', 'Erwin Wassner', 'Strahl' and 'Möwe', The aircraft crashed at 01:58 hrs.

All the other aircraft returned safely by 04:40 hrs at Linton-on-Ouse.

58 Squadron Whitley 'Bombing Up' at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire (Courtesy I.W.M))

Burial details:

F/O. Laurence Herbert McFarlane. Kiel War Cemetery. Grave 3.A.9. Born at Napier on the 9th August, 1914, and received his secondary education at the Otago Boys' High School, the King Edward Technical College, both in Dunedin. On leaving school he became interested in flying and joined the Otago Aero Club, gaining his pilots 'A' License in May, 1936. In August of the same year he embarked for the United Kingdom on the 'Eskdalegate' in order to join the Royal Air Force. On arrival early in Novembern1943 Laurance McFarlane was granted a short service commission in the Royal Air Force, and commenced training on the 21st December as a Pupil Pilot at the Civil Flying School, White Waltham, Berkshire, in the acting rank of Pilot Officer. This appointment was confirmed on the 21st December, 1937, when he was graded as Pilot Officer, and on the 21st July, 1939, he was further promoted to the rank of Flying Officer. Meanwhile he had been posted on the 20th March, 1937, to No. 7 Flying Training School, prior to proceeding to No. 102 Squadron on the 23rd October. From the 28th February, 1938 to the 05th March, he was attached to No. 3 School of Technical Training for a Parachute Course, returning to No. 102 Squadron until his posting on the 8th October to the Electrical and Wireless School, Cranwell, Lincolnshire, for flying duties. On the outbreak of war in September, 1939, F/O.McFarlane remained at Cranwell until the 18th December, when he proceeded to Royal Air Force Station, Abingdon for conversion to Whitley bomber aircraft prior to joining No. 78 Squadron, Linton-On-Ouse, Yorkshire, on the 18th March, 1940. From this Squadron he was attached from the 21st April to the 16th June to the School of Air Navigation, stofthan, Glamorganshire, and on completion of the course retimed to No. 78 Squadron for a short time prior to joining No. 58 Squadron Linton-On-Ouse, Yorkshire.

Son of Herbert Osborne McFarlane (died 21st October 1951, age 70) and Fanny Cathcart McFarlane (née Coote, - died 01st January 1963, age 82), of Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. (see below)

P/O. Cecil John Trevelyan Jones. Kiel War Cemetery. Collective grave 3.A.13-16. Cecil Jones (from Reserve) wass granted a short service commission as Pilot Officer on probation on the 21st Dec. 1938. No further details - are you able to assist?

Sgt. David Leishman. Kiel War Cemetery. Grave 3.A.11. Son of David and Margaret Leishman, of Louieston Terraco, Comely Park, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland. Epitaph: 'By Cool Siloam's Shady Rill How Sweet The Lily Grows!'.

Sgt. Henry Eric Archibald Craven. Kiel War Cemetery. Collective grave 3.A.13-16. Born at Burtisland, Fifeshire, Scotland, on the 1st June 1916, and accompanied his parents to New Zealand at an early age. He received his secondary education at the Otago Boys' High School, afterwards returning to the United Kingdom in 1937 for the purpose of gaining experience in wireless operating. Enlisted in the Royal Air Force at Henlow on the 21st July 1937 and was posted to No. 2 Recruit Depot at Cardington, Bedforshire, on the 30th September. After completing the course there, he proceeded on the 21st December to the Electrical and Wireless School, and finished his training before posting on the 26th October 1938, to No.58 Squadron, Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire. While with the squadron, on the 27th May 1940, he was awarded the Wireless Operator Air Gunners' badge, and promoted to sergeant.

The only son of Alberta Thomas Craven and Alice Craven, of 408 Anderson Bay Road, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.

The parents of F/O. McFarlane lost all four sons during the war:

24 year old, LAC. Maurice Francis McFarlne NZ/391840 RNZAF killed on the 15th June 1940 in an Airspeed Oxford NZ279 during a training accident, Both crew lost theirm lives whilst with 1 Service Flying Training School.

23 year old. Fl/Lt. John Osbourne McFarlane NZ/402881 RNZAF missing - believed killed on the 17th December 1943 in Warhawk NZ3175 whilst with 16 squadron.

25 year old, F/O. Laurence Herbert McFarlane 39545 RAF killed on the 02nd July 1940 in Whitley V N1461 whilst with 58 squadron. Four crew killed, one PoW.

23 year old, 2nd Lt. Donald Forrester McFarlane 2475 5 Field Park Company, New Zealand Engineers killed during the Libyan campaign on the 03rd December 1941..

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, Yorkshire Aircraft, National Archives Kew, AIR-27-543-17/18, Theo Boiten 'Nachtjagd Combat Archive - The Early Years'.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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