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Paul McGuiness RAAF Archive
Paul McGuiness is an Australian aviation researcher and historian. Using primary sources he has assembled detailed information on the history of each plane
used by Australians and Australian forces in WWl and WW2, and on personnel involved.

This page contains many names, dates, locations. To help find the one(s) you're interested in, use our Highlighting facility.
Highlighting will ONLY find entries within this specific page.   

History of Australian Military Aviation

First World War

Armstrong Whitworth FK3

Avro 504

Bristol F2b Fighter

Fairey Aviation Model lllD Seaplane

Martinsyde G.100 G 102 Elephant

Maurice Farman S.11 Shorthorn

Royal Aircraft Factory BE2

Royal Aircraft Factory BE12

Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8

Royal Aircraft Factory SE5A Experimental Scout

Sopwith Camel B Series

Sopwith Camel C D E F Series

Sopwith Snipe

Sopwith Scout (Pup)

Sopwith 1½ Strutter

Supermarine Seagull lll

Supermarine Southampton Mk 1

Westland Wapiti


Post First World War

Bristol Bulldog

De Havilland DH.9A

Hawker Demon

Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5A

Avro 504K


Second World War

3 Sqn Gladiators 1940-1941

3 Sqn Gauntlets 1940-1941

10 Sqn Sunderlands

451 Sqn Spitfires Med 43-44 Europe 44-46

452 Sqn Spitfires Europe 41-42

455 Sqn Hampdens 1941-43

458 Sqn Wellingtons

460 Sqn Wellingtons

461 Sqn Sunderlands

462 Sqn Halifax Part 1 MTO

466 Sqn Wellingtons


Further Information:

Aces and Aviators WWl Database

Material Relating to Australia

Article XV RAAF 460 Sqd

Vickers Wellington

The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber. It was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey. Led by Vickers-Armstrongs' chief designer Rex Pierson; a key feature of the aircraft is its geodetic airframe fuselage structure, which was principally designed by Barnes Wallis. The Wellington was used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, performing as one of the principal bombers used by Bomber Command. During 1943, it started to be superseded as a bomber by the larger four-engined heavies such as the Avro Lancaster. The Wellington continued to serve throughout the war in other duties, particularly as an anti-submarine aircraft. It holds the distinction of having been the only British bomber that was produced for the duration of the war, and of having been produced in a greater quantity than any other British-built bomber. The Wellington remained as first-line equipment when the war ended, although it had been increasingly relegated to secondary roles.

Wellingtons with 460 (Australian) Sqn

Originally part of No. 8 Group RAF Bomber Command, No.460 (Australian) Squadron was an Article XV Squadron formed on 11 November 1941 from C Flight of No. 458 Squadron RAAF at RAF Station Molesworth, Cambridgeshire UK. Initial allocation was 16 Mk.IC Wellington aircraft and two Mk.IV Wellingtons but later changed to all Mk.IV Wellingtons.

The squadron did not fly any operational missions with 8 Group because in January 1942 the squadron moved to RAF Breighton, Yorkshire and joined No. 1 Group RAF where the squadron flew its first operational mission against Emden on 12March1942. The squadron only used Wellingtons for a short period as they were re-equipped with Lancaster bombers in October 1942. During the brief Wellington era from August 1941 to September 1942 the squadron is known to have operated some 49 Wellingtons and of that number 30 were Cat.E write-offs due to enemy action and accidents.

The following pages detail the histories of the 30 Wellingtons:

R1695 Z1212 Z1216 Z1249 Z1251 Z1254

Z1259 Z1290 Z1311 Z1327 Z1328 Z1335

Z1344 Z1381 Z1383 Z1385 Z1388 Z1391

Z1394 Z1399 Z1404 Z1412 Z1413 Z1422

Z1462 Z1463 Z1470Z1483 Z1485 Z1486

R1695

00Jan41 Vickers Type 416 Wellington B Mk.IC Serial R1695 was the 1st of 35 aircraft produced in the Serial Range R1695-R1729 by Vickers Armstrong Ltd. at Chester (Hawarden) to contract 124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783 kW) Bristol Pegasus XVIII nine-cylinder, single-row, air-cooled radial engines.

11Feb41 Aircraft received by 48MU at Harwarden for storage. Aircraft was converted to Mk.IV standard before issue, which entailed fitment of two 1,050 hp (783 kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines and various other modifications.

30Aug41 Allocated to No.458 (Australian) Sqn at RAF Station Holme-on-Spalding Moor, East Yorkshire

30Aug41 Taken on charge with 458Sqn and issued to B Flight as UV-R.

31Oct41 1st Operational Mission SGT J.G Bond and crew departed Holme-on-Spalding Moor at 2110hrs with three other Wellingtons to bomb the Dunkirk Docks, France. Ordnance dropped from 10000ft in two sticks of 8 x 250lb GP Bombs. Returned safely to base at 0101hrs.

31Dec41 No record of the aircraft flying any operational missions in Nov or Dec. The aircraft would have flown several non-operational flights during this period.

06Jan42 SGT J.G Bond and crew flew a successful night training mission and landed back at Holme-on-Spalding Moor just after midnight. When taxying along the runway the aircraft was struck by Wellington Z8418 of RCAF No.405 Sqn that had mistakenly landed at Holme instead of the nearby runway at RAF Pocklington.

The starboard outer plane was torn off and the starboard nacelle, engine and propeller were badly damaged as was the front turret and the forward section of the aircraft. Damage assessed as Cat.B/FA and the aircraft transported by road for repair Brooklands Engineering at Sywell.

29May42 Repairs completed and the aircraft awaiting collection.

05Jun42 Received by No.23 MU at RAF Aldergrove, Northern Island.

04Aug42 Taken on charge with No.460 Sqn RAAF at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire issued to B Flight as UV-Y.

09Aug42 1st Operational Mission. SGT P.S Isaacson and crew departed Breighton at 0008hrs with eleven other Wellingtons that joined up with 180 bombers of the main force for an attack on Osnabruck. Dropped 2x1000 and 3x500lb GP bombs on specified target.

11Aug42 2nd Operational Mission. SGT P.S Isaacson and crew departed Breighton at 2210hrs with eight other Wellingtons that joined up with 145 bombers of the main force for an attack on Mainz. Dropped 810 x 4lb Incendiary bombs on specified target.

12Aug42 3rd Operational Mission. SGT P.S Isaacson and crew departed Breighton at 2205hrs with seven other Wellingtons that joined up with 131 bombers of the main force for a follow-up attack on Mainz. Dropped 810x4lb Incendiary bombs on specified target.

27Aug42 4th Operational Mission.SGT W.H Martin and crew departed Breighton at 2008hrs with nine other Wellingtons that joined up with 306 bombers of the main force for an attack on the Henschel factory complex in Kassel. Dropped 8x90x4lb Incendiary bombs on specified target.

28Aug42 5th Operational Mission. SGT A.W Wales and crew departed Breighton at 1943hrs with four other Wellingtons that joined up with 108 bombers of the main force for an attack on Saarbrücken. Dropped 810x4lb Incendiary bombs on specified target.

31Aug42 the aircraft flew five Operational Missions and at least five non-operational flights during August.

02Sep42 6th Operational Mission. SGT W.H Martin and crew departed Breighton at 2226hrs with four other Wellingtons and joined up with 195 bombers of the main force for an attack on Karlsruhe. Dropped 540x4lb Incendiary bombs on specified target.

04Sep42 7th Operational Mission. SGT W.H Martin and crew departed Breighton at 2356hrs with five other Wellingtons and joined up with 245 bombers of the main force for an attack on Bremen. Dropped 810x4lb Incendiary bombs on specified target.

06Sep42 8th Operational Mission. SGT W.H Martin and crew departed Breighton at 0031hrs for a bombing mission to Duisburg. Intercom failed after 50min so the Captain aborted and returned to base.

07Sep42 9th Operational Mission. SGT A.W Wales and crew departed Breighton at 1931hrs with two other Wellingtons to lay mines of the approaches to La Rochelle. Strong winds forced excess fuel consumption and on the return journey the pilot landed at 0330hrs at New Zealand Farm military aerodrome in Somerset. After refuelling and a quick meal the crew returned to Breighton at 1030hrs.

10Sep42 10th Operational Mission. FSGT J.C Pearson and crew departed Breighton at 2022hrs with nine other 466Sqn machines and joined 469 bombers of the main stream for an attack on Dusseldorf. The aircraft developed engine problems and jettisoned its bomb load into the North Sea and was heading back to Breighton when at 2155hrs it crashed into the sea 15 miles north of Cromer, Norfolk. Two of the crew were rescued but the other three were never found.

30Sep42 the aircraft flew 10 Operational Missions and at least 10 non-operational flights with 460Sqn and one Operational Missions and at least three non-operational flights with 458Sqn. The aircraft flew a total of 64 hours and five minutes on active service.

RAAF pilot 404941 FSGT James Christopher Pearson (27) married of Manly Vale, in Sydney, New South Wales was KIA. He has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 111 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK. He is also commemorated on Panel 106 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

runnymede

Runnymede Memorial, UK

RAAF Observer 407735 SGT Lawrence Matthew John Evans (22) of St Leonards in Adelaide, South Australia was rescued from the crash and hospitalized for short period before returning to active service. He survived the War and was repatriated back to Australia where he discharged from the RAAF on 23Nov45 with the rank of Flying Officer.

RAAF Wireless Operator 411102 SGT Eric Cliffe Parton (28) single of Katoomba New South Wales was KIA. He has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 110 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK. He is also commemorated on Panel 106 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 406599 SGT Ronald William Lawton (31) married of Boulder City, Western Australia was rescued from the crash. He was hospitalized for short period before returning to active service. He survived the War until he discharged from 460Sqn on 05Apr45 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

RAAF Air Gunner 408194 Sgt John Howard Murphy (29) married of Sandy Bay Tasmania was KIA. He has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 113 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK. He is also commemorated on Panel 106 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT


Z1212

00Jul41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1212 was the 11th of 20 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1202 to Z1221 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.97887/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

00Aug41 Aircraft received by 48MU at RAF Harwarden for acceptance checks and storage.

00Oct1 Allocated to RAAF No.458 (Australian) Sqn at RAF Station Holme-on-Spalding Moor, East Yorkshire

26Oct41 Taken on charge with 458Sqn.

13Dec41 Aircraft was landing at Holme on Spalding Moor airfield following an air test when the starboard wing clipped a small van on the edge of the runway, damaging the pitot head. Cat.A/FA and repairable at unit.

00Dec41 Aircraft flown to a RAF MU for servicing and repair. The aircraft did not fly any Operational Missions with 458Sqn, and was only used for a few training flights

12Mar42 Allocated to No.460 (RAAF) Sqn at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire.

20Mar42 Taken on charge with 460Sqn and issued to B Flight as UV-V.

01Apr42 SGT J.P Walsh flew a two hour cross-country formation training exercise with Z1343 [PLTOFF I.F Keys and crew].

08Apr42 1st Operational Mission. PLTOFF P.A Jones and crew departed Breighton at 2300hrs with seven other Wellingtons and joined up with a further seven Wellingtons to attack harbour installations in Le Havre, France.

30Apr42 the aircraft flew four non-operational and nine Operational Missions in April.

31May42 the aircraft flew four non-operational and four Operational Missions in May.

29Jun42 SGT P.A Brittingham and crew departed Breighton at 2240hrs with six other Wellingtons for an attack on the dock yards at St Nazaire. At 0220hrs the aircraft sustained flak damage to both wings. Jettisoned 2 x 250lb bomb and headed home, reaching Base at 0630hrs.

30Jun42 the aircraft flew seven non-operational and nine Operational Missions in Jun.

31Jul42 the aircraft flew two non-operational and three Operational Missions in Jul.

27Aug42 SGT C.C Viney and crew departed Breighton loaded with 810 x 4lb Incendiaries at 2007hrs with nine other Wellingtons and joined with 296 bombers of the main force for an attack on Kassel. The aircraft failed to return and was posted as MIA.

Post War investigations showed that at 2345hrs the aircraft was attacked near Rechteren, 13 km ESE of Zwolle in Netherlands by a Bf110G-4 night fighter flown by Oberleutnant Herbert Heinrich Lütje of III/NJG 1 from Twente airfield. The aircraft crashed in flames at Dalmsholterweg near Dalfsen in the Dutch province of Overijssel. Four of the crew were killed in the attack, one baled out and was made a POW.

RAAF Pilot 408139 SGT Cyril Charles Viney (27) married of Margate in Hobart, Tasmania was KIA. He is buried in Plot 6, Row 1 Grave 2 of the Dalfsen General Cemetery, Overijssel, Netherlands. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and on Panel 110 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

dalfsen cemetery holland

Dalfsen General Cemetery, Holland

RAAF Navigator 411451 SGT Warren Wallace Jarrett (30) single of Eccleston New South Wales was KIA. He is buried in Plot 6, Row 1 Grave 5 of the Dalfsen General Cemetery, Overijssel, Netherlands. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and on Panel 54 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Wireless operator 411397 SGT Colin Hugh Mackenzie Smith (30) single of West Maitland, New South Wales was KIA. He is buried in Plot 6, Row 1 Grave 4 of the Dalfsen General Cemetery, Overijssel, Netherlands. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and on Panel 98 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Air gunner 403158 SGT Henry Turner Augustus Turner (24) married of Bendigo Victoria was KIA. He is buried in Plot 6, Row 1 Grave 3 of the Dalfsen General Cemetery, Overijssel, Netherlands. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and on Panel 109 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

ibcc canwick

IBCC Memorial, Canwick Hill UK

RAAF Bomb aimer 405133 SGT Horatio Irwin Munckton (23) single of Maryborough Queensland baled out and was captured. After initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt he was given the POW No.26873 and sent to Stalag 357. He was repatriated back to 460Sqn in September 1945 where he elected discharge on 04Oct45 with the rank of Warrant Officer.

31Aug42 While serving with 460sqn the aircraft flew 25 Operational Missions and at least 12 non-operational flights.

01Sep42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 234hrs 50min

Z1216

00May41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Z1216 was the 15th of 20 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1202 to Z1221 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.97887/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783 kW) Bristol Pegasus XVIII nine-cylinder, single-row, air-cooled radial engines. 1,050hp (783kW) engines

20Jun41 Aircraft received by 48MU at RAF Harwarden for acceptance checks and storage.

03Nov41 Allocated to 142Sqn at RAF Station Binbrook, Lincolnshire.

12Feb42 Sustained Cat.AC/FA damage in a flying accident. Reclassified as Cat.B and allocated to Brooklands Engineering at Sywell aerodrome for repair.

20Jun42 Aircraft awaiting collection

01Jul42 Received by No.18MU at RAF Dumfries, Scotland

00Jul42 Allocated to No.300 'Mazowiecki' Squadron at RAF Ingham, Lincolnshire.

11Jul42 Received by 300Sqn

06Aug42 Allocated to RAAF No.466Sqn at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire.

16Aug42 Taken on charge with 466Sqn and issued to B Flight as UV-S.

10Sep42 1st and only Operational Mission SGT J.A Bryden and crew departed Breighton at 2019hrs loaded with 810 x 4lb Incendiaries along with nine other Wellingtons and joined 469 bombers of the main stream for an operation to Dusseldorf. Z1216 failed to return and was posted as MIA.

German records indicate the aircraft was shot down at 0006hrs 11Sep42 by a German night fighter 1km NW of Bienen in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The victor was Oberleutnant Manfred Meurer flying a Bf110 G-4 of StabIII/NJG1

RAAF pilot 404601 FSGT John Alexander BRYDEN (26) single of Warwick, QLD is buried in Section 4, Grave A6 of the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 10740 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 14 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

rheniberg war cemetery

Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany

RAAF navigator 403105 SGT Albert Ernest BROWN (28) single of Wellington NEW SOUTH WALES is buried in Section 4, Grave A7 of the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 13 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF bomb aimer 404403 SGT Keith John DANKS-BROWN (26) single of Mosman, Sydney NEW SOUTH WALES is buried in Section 4, Grave A9 of the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 26 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

australian war memorial canberra

Australian War Memorial, Canberra

RAAF wireless air gunner 406453 SGT Terrence Claude HARRIS (20) single of Mosman Park, Perth WA is buried in Section 4, Grave A10 of the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 48 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF air gunner 406980 SGT James Kevin Ring (24) single of Midlands Junction, Perth WA is buried in Section 4, Grave A8 of the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 59 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

ibcc canwick hill

IBCC Canwick Hill, UK

01Oct42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 154hrs 45min

Z1249

00Jun41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1249 was the 7th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1243 to Z1292 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

25Jun41 Received by 48MU at RAF Harwarden for acceptance checks and long term storage.

00Dec41 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Molesworth, Yorkshire.

23Dec41 Ferried by ATA pilots to 460Sqn at their Satellite airfield of RAF Kimbolton because the runway at RAF Molesworth was still under construction.

27Dec41 Ferried from Kimbolton to Molesworth, taken on charge with A Flight as UV-K

05Jan42 SGT S Levitus and crew departed Molesworth to ferry the aircraft to the squadron’s new operating base at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire. However, en route the aircraft encountered a dense snowstorm and the pilot diverted to RAF Finningley. Remained overnight and flew to Finningley the following morning.

Jan-Feb42 the aircraft flew several non-operational flights.

13Mar42 1st Operational Mission SGT S Levitus and crew departed Breighton at 1932hrs with four other 460Sqn aircraft and joined 14 other Wellingtons for an attack against targets in the harbour and port area of Dunkirk, France. Dropped bombs on Docks and Shipping in Dunkirk harbour then returned safely to Base at 2332hrs.

31Mar42 the aircraft flew two non-operational and two operational flights in March.

30Apr42 the aircraft flew seven non-operational and six operational flights in March.

14May42 PLTOFF J.A Falkiner was authorised to carry out a night flying test flight, as the aircraft was being taxied from the dispersal point to the end of the runway and while it was being turned onto the perimeter track the tail wheel caught in an open drainage ditch. When the wheel was removed from the ditch the tail wheel oleo collapsed slightly damaging the tail of the aircraft. Damaged Cat.A/FA and repaired at the Unit.

31May42 the aircraft flew one non-operational and no operational flights in May.

solomon levitus

02Jun42 9th Operational Mission FSGT Solomon Levitus (left) and crew departed Breighton at 2330hrs with nine other 460Sqn machines all carrying 720 x 4lb Incendiaries and joined 195 bombers of the mainstream force for an attack on Essen. The aircraft was lost without trace and it was posted as MIA. Post-war investigations could not determine any cause for the loss. See our [ Archive Report ]

RAAF pilot 402910 FSGT Solomon Levitus (22) single of Rose Bay, Sydney New South Wales has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 111 at the Runnymede Memorial UK. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 63 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Flight Engineer 400524 FSGT Hugh Rowell Brodie (30) single of Fitzroy, Melbourne Victoria has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 111 at the Runnymede Memorial UK. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 13 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

runnymede

Runnymede Memorial UK

RAAF Air Gunner 405020 SGT James Albert Gaiter (26) single of Townsville, Queensland has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 112 at the Runnymede Memorial. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 38 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RCAF Wireless Air Gunner R/69516 SGT Robert George Dunlop Read (22) single of Scarborough, Ontario Canada has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 106 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK. He is also commemorated on Panel 88 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; and, on Page 111 of the Canadian Second World War Book of Remembrance in Ottawa, Canada.

book remembrance ottawa

Book of Remembrance, Ottawa Canada

RAFVR Wireless Air Gunner 1051659 SGT Tom Gordon Prentis Townsend (23) married of North Bierley, Yorkshire has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 95 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

00Jun42 The aircraft flew nine Operational Missions and at least 12 non-operational flights.

00Jun42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 143hrs 10min

Z1251

00Jun41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1251 was the 9th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1243 to Z1292 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

25Jul41 Received by 48MU at RAF Harwarden for acceptance checks and long term storage.

00Dec41 Allocated to RAAF 460Sqn at RAF Station Molesworth, Yorkshire.

11Dec41 Ferried by ATA pilots to 460Sqn at their Satellite airfield of RAF Kimbolton because the runway at RAF Molesworth was still under construction.

28Dec41 Ferried from Kimbolton to Molesworth.

05Jan42 Ferried from Molesworth to the new operating base at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire. The aircraft was taken on charge and issued to B Flight as UV-X.

Jan-Feb42 the aircraft flew several non-operational flights.

13Mar42 1st Operational Mission SGT J.P.D Cooney and crew departed Brighton at 1934hrs with four 460Sqn aircraft and joined 14 other Wellingtons for an attack against targets in the harbour and port area of Dunkirk, France. Dropped bombs on Docks and Shipping in Dunkirk harbour then headed home but failed to return. Declared missing and posted as MIA.

Later learned the aircraft was hit by flak when crossing the Belgian coast near the village of St Joris lez Nieuwpoort and crashed in a swamp region near the village. When would be local Belgian rescuers arrived on scene they discovered all six crewmen in the wreck but all were dead. This was the first Operational loss by 460Sqn.

RNZAF pilot NZ403951 FGST Patrick John Denis Cooney (22) single of Gore, Southland NZ is buried in Grave 10 of the St Joris (Nieuwpoort) Communal Cemetery. He is also commemorated on Panel 148 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; and, on the New Zealand Roll of Honour in the RNZAF Museum at Wigram, Christchurch NZ.

st joris belgium

St. Joris Communal Cemetery, Belgium

RAAF 2nd pilot 404688 SGT John Sivyer Turnock (28) single of Tweed River, New South Wales is buried in Grave 6 of the St Joris (Nieuwpoort) Communal Cemetery. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 109 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF observer 400413 SGT Ian Eric Hart was KIA and is buried in Grave 8 of the St Joris (Nieuwpoort) Communal Cemetery. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 46 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR 1359686 wireless air gunner SGT Jack Woodward is buried in Grave 9 of the St Joris (Nieuwpoort) Communal Cemetery. He is commemorated on Panel 119 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR air gunner 989226 SGT George Norman Winter (21) of Bradford, Yorkshire is buried in Grave 7 of the St Joris (Nieuwpoort) Communal Cemetery. He is commemorated on Panel 118 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR air gunner 1380051 SGT William Allan Pascoe (35) married of Sedgley, Staffordshire is buried in Grave 5 of the St Joris (Nieuwpoort) Communal Cemetery. He is commemorated on Panel 82 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

31Mar42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 27 hrs 50 min

Z1254

00Jun41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1254 was the 12th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1243 to Z1292 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

19Jul41 Received by 23MU at RAF Aldergrove, Belfast for acceptance checks and storage.

00Sep41 Allocated to 458Sqn at RAF Station Holme on Spalding Moor, Yorkshire.

10Sep41 Taken on charge with 458Sqn.

20Oct41 1st Operational Mission FLGOFF R.J W Leslie and crew departed Holme-on-Spalding Moor at 1810 hours with two other Wellingtons to bomb the docks in Emden, Germany. Dropped 1 x 1000lb, 4 x 250 lb and 1 x 250lb bombs on target. Slight flak damage to a mainplane aerial over Rotterdam also, the stbd engine failed on the way home but picked up again, reaching base at 0139hrs.

15Nov41 2nd Operational Mission SGT J.G Bond and crew departed Holme on Spalding Moor at 1743hrs with five other Wellingtons for an attack against German Battleships in Emden dry-docks. Dropped 8 x 500lb bombs at 0034hrs from 14000ft on what they believed was the target area and returned to base at 2219hrs.

00Nov41 the aircraft flew three non-operational and two operational missions in November.

07Dec41 3rd Operational Mission SGT J.G Bond and crew departed Holme on Spalding Moor at 2018hrs with two other Wellingtons for an attack on Calais harbour. Dropped 16 x 250lb from 10,000ft on the assigned target at 2232hrs. Sustained minor flak damage.

17Dec41 Cat.AC/FB damage repairs completed at the Unit.

18Dec41 SGT J.G Bond and crew flew with ten other Squadron machines for a Bullseye Exercise over Hull and surrounding area.

22Feb42 Allocated to RAAF 460Sqn at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire.

23Mar42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn, and issued to B Flight as UV-L.

06May42 1st Operational mission with 460Sqn. A Flight commander SQNLDR C.L Gilbert and crew departed Breighton at 2120hrs with nine other Wellingtons and joined with 85 main force bombers for an attack on Stuttgart. The crew bombed their target and headed for home but the aircraft strayed from its planned route and at 0125hrs the aircraft was caught by searchlights near Karlsruhe and engaged by heavy accurate flak. SGT Lake (tail gunner) later stated that soon after the flak started the port engine burst into flames which quickly spread to the mainplane then the fuselage. SGT Lake bailed out at 11,000ft and did not see any other parachutes before the aircraft exploded while flying straight and level. The crew remains were gathered by the Germans and initially buried at Manheim Cemetery and later reburied in the Durnbach War Cemetery.

Crew of Z1254 (L) before the Stuttgart Raid, RAF Breighton May 1942
Left to right: FSGT K Fogg (RCAF); SNQLDR C. Gilbert (RAAF); SGT R. Murphy (RAAF); SGT J Shearer (RAAF)
SGT G. Lake (RAAF); and, SGT C. Dixon (RAFVR).

The crew graves in the Durnbach War Cemetery
L to R: FSGT Fogg, SGT Murphy, SGT Shearer, SQNLDR Gilbert, SGT Dixon

RAF Pilot 39458 SQNLDR Colin Leslie Gilbert (23) married of Adelaide SA was KIA and his body was found in Mannheim, which is where he was initially buried. In 1946 his remains were moved to the war cemetery at Durnbach, Bayern, Germany, to be buried alongside his crew. Colin Gilbert is buried in Section 2, Grave G.4 of the Durnbach War Cemetery, 65km SSE of Munich, Germany. He is also commemorated on Supplementary Panel 112 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 39 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF 2nd Pilot 404705 SGT Reginald Henry Murphy (23) single of Clayfield in Brisbane, Queensland is buried in Section 2, Grave G.4 of the Durnbach War Cemetery, 65km SSE of Munich, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 77 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Observer 400335 SGT John Robert Shearer (35) married of Northcote in Melbourne, Victoria is buried in Section 2, Grave G.3 of the Durnbach War Cemetery, 65km SSE of Munich, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 96 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR wireless air gunner 1169818 SGT Christopher Norman Dixon (21) single of West Bridgford, Nottingham is buried in Section 2, Grave G.5 of the Durnbach War Cemetery, 65km SSE of Munich, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 20 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

ibcc canwick hill

IBCC Canwick Hill, UK

RCAF wireless air gunner R/56267 FSGT Kenneth Andrew Fogg (22) of Mount Royal, Quebec is buried in Section 2, Grave G.1 of the Durnbach War Cemetery, 65km SSE of Munich, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 36 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; and, on Page 73 of the Canadian Second World War Book of Remembrance in Ottawa, Canada.

RAAF Air Gunner 404421 SGT James George Lake was blown clear of the aircraft and survived. He was captured and after initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt he was given the POW No.66 and sent to Stalag Luft 6 Heydekrug. After his release in 1945 FSGT Lake made the following statement: 'The aircraft was caught in searchlight and shortly afterwards was set on fire as a result of flak, which when the front gunner reported it, it was bursting forth on the port side. After catching fire the machine was soon enveloped in flames – but no word from the Captain but second pilot went forward to let front gunner out, but had no word from any other members of the crew. In the meantime, was getting ready to bail out from turret – could not get forward because of the flames. None of the crew had left the plane before I bailed out, and believe the plane exploded shortly after I left it, giving the other members of the crew no chance to escape. Left aircraft about 11,000’ and seemed to be flying straight and level.'

30May42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 64hrs 50min

Z1259

00Jul41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1259 was the 17th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1243 to Z1292 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

06Aug41 Aircraft received by 23MU at RAF Aldergrove, Belfast for acceptance checks and storage.

10Aug41 Allocated to No.301 ‘Pomeranian’ Sqn at RAF Swinderby, Yorkshire.

18Aug41 Received by 301 Sqn and Coded GR-O

15Jan42 Aircraft was returning from a mission to Hamburg and made a forced landing near Stenigot, Lincolnshire after the engines cut out because of an airlock in the fuel system. One crewman baled out from 300ft before the aircraft force landed 2.5 miles east of Stenigot. The all Polish crew was: Flying Officer H Csliwinski, Sergeant R Sobinski, Flight Lieutenant S Sawlewicz, Sergeant S Mucha were uninjured; while Sergeant L Blach injured his knees upon landing in his parachute. Aircraft was recovered and assessed as Cat.B/FB and not repairable at the unit. [Check our Polish aircrew database: the Mielnik Memorial Archiwum ]

00Jan42 Transported to Brooklands Engineering at Sywell aerodrome for repair.

06Jun42 Aircraft awaiting collection at Brooklands.

17Jun42 Received by No.44MU at RAF Edzell in Angus, Scotland

04Aug42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire.

09Aug42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn, and issued to B Flight as UV-W. [This was a replacement aircraft for Z1422 (W) lost on 04Aug42]

16Aug42 1st Operational Mission. SGT A.W Wales and crew departed Breighton at 2056hrs with three other 460SqnWellingtons and joined five other Wellingtons to lay mines off Terschelling Island. Mines dropped in assigned area and returned to base at 0125hrs.

17Aug42 2nd Operational Mission. SGT W.T Hornby and crew departed Breighton at 2200hrs with four other Wellingtons and joined 134 bombers of the main force for an attack against Osnabruck, Germany. Dropped 810 x 4lb Incendiary bombs on target at 0100hrs then returned to base at 0427hrs.

18Aug42 3rd Operational Mission. SGT A.W Wales and crew departed Breighton at 2053hrs with two other 460Sqn Wellingtons and joined five other Wellingtons to lay mines off Terschelling Island. Mines dropped in assigned area and returned to base at 0125hrs.

27Aug42 4th Operational Mission. FLGOFF J.F Summers and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2007hrs with 10 other 460Sqn machines that joined 295 bombers of the mainstream force for an attack on Kassel. The aircraft failed to return and was posted as Missing. A Red Cross report stated the aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and the lone survivor Air Gunner SGT Tubman was a POW whilst the rest of the crew were killed. Post War the RAF Missing, Research and Enquiry Service discovered [in 1949] the aircraft had crashed at Gladbeck, which is a town about 13km north of Essen, Germany, and that all the occupants were killed instantly. The crew bodies were initially buried in the Gladbeck Cemetery but later exhumed and buried in the Reichswald Forest British Military Cemetery

RAAF pilot 403152 FLGOFF John Frederick Summers (25) single of Aylmerton, New South Wales is buried in Collective Grave 30.B 15-16 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT.

reichswald forest

Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany

RAAF pilot 406579 FLGOFF Frank Edward Parsons (24) single of West Perth, Western Australia is buried in Collective Grave 30.B 15-16 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT.

RAAF Observer 404600 SGT Noel Gordon Bass (23) single of Vaucluse, Sydney New South Wales is buried in Collective Grave 30.B 15-16 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 106 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT.

RAAF wireless air gunner 405216 SGT Robert James Munro (27) single of Indooroopilly in Brisbane, Queensland is buried in Collective Grave 30.B 15-16 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT.

australian war memorial canberra

Australian War Memorial, Canberra

RAAF wireless air gunner 403878 PLTOFF Frederick Charles Pinfold (26) married of Parramatta, New South Wales is buried in Collective Grave 30.B 15-16 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT.

RAAF Air Gunner 402683 SGT Warwick Hilliard Tubman (22) single of Wollongong, New South Wales baled out and was captured. After initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt he was given the POW No.27047 and sent to Stalag VIIIN (later called Stalag 344).

Postscript: Tubman was repatriated to Australia early in 1946 but then, according to the Canberra Times Newspaper, he hitch-hiked from Sydney to Perth, bummed a lift on a military flight to Ceylon where he persuaded the Captain of the Lancastrian aircraft on its record breaking flight from New Zealand to Britain to take him on as an extra. Reaching the UK he then turned up at the house of his fiancées parents in Hove, Sussex. They were married within 3 months, had a couple of children in England before returning to Australia where they lived in the Sydney suburb of Dundas, N.S.W. Warwick Tubman died on 24th November 1995.

31Aug42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 156hrs 50min.

Z1290

00Aug41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1290 was the 48th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1243 to Z1292 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

27Sep41 Aircraft received by 12MU at RAF Kirkbride for acceptance checks.

00Oct41 Allocated to No.458 (Australian) Sqn at RAF Station Holme-on-Spalding Moor, East Yorkshire

11Oct41 Aircraft taken on charge with 458Sqn and issued to B Flight as UV-T.

20Oct41 1st Operational Mission. SGT F.P Mather and crew departed Holme at 1827hrs to bomb an aerodrome 8km from Rotterdam. Dropped 12 x 250lb and 2 x 500lb bombs from 12,600ft and saw many hits across the airfield. The aircraft sustained light damage to the fuselage but the captain flew back to base without hassle and landed at 2337hrs. Damage was Cat.A/FB and repaired at the Unit.

27Dec41 2nd Operational Mission SGT J.A.H Sargeaunt and crew departed RAF Holme at 1738hrs with three other Wellingtons for an attack on the Docks at Boulogne, France. Dropped 15 of the 16 bombs on assigned target area from 9,000ft, several seen to burst over the dock area and on the docks.

07Jan42 3rd Operational Mission SGT J.A.H Sargeaunt and crew departed RAF Holme at 0405hrs with three other Wellingtons to bomb suspected Battleships in Brest harbour, France. Dropped 6 x 500lb bombs on estimated position of the warships, no results seen because of the 9/10th cloud cover.

10Jan42 while serving with 458Sqn the aircraft flew three Operational Missions totaling some 19hrs 54min and, several non-operational sorties.

00Feb42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire.

13Feb42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn and issued to B Flight as UV-T.

28Mar42 1st Operational Mission with 460Sqn. PLTOFF W.J Kennedy and crew departed Breighton at 1946hrs with three other Wellingtons for a Nickeling operation to Lens, France. Dropped 80 bundles on the target area and RTB at 2359hrs.

01Apr42 2nd Operational Mission WNGCDR A.L.G Hubbard and crew departed Breighton at 2311hrs with seven other Wellingtons and joined 48 bombers of the main force for an attack on the docks at Le Havre, France. Dropped 12 x 250lb bombs on target and RTB at 0334hrs.

05Apr42 3rd Operational Mission PLTOFF W.J Kennedy and crew departed Breighton at 2240hrs with four other Wellingtons and joined 261 bombers of the main force for an attack Cologne, Germany. At 0117hrs the Artificial Horizon toppled so the pilot aborted and RTB at 0610hrs.

08Apr42 4th Operational Mission PLTOFF W.J Kennedy and crew departed Breighton at 2240hrs with seven other Wellingtons and joined six further Wellingtons for an attack on the docks at Le Havre, France. Dropped 12 x 250lb bombs on target and RTB at 0215hrs.

17Apr42 5th Operational Mission PLTOFF T.H Bourke and crew departed Breighton at 2330hrs with nine other Wellingtons and joined 163 bombers of the main force for an attack on Hamburg, Germany. During take-off the stbd engine exhaust stub blew off so the pilot aborted and RTB where he flew several circuits to burn off fuel before landing at 0050hrs

24Apr42 6th Operational Mission PLTOFF C.H Burgess and crew departed Breighton at 2230hrs with two other Wellingtons and joined 124 bombers of the main force for an attack on the Heinkel factory in Rostock, Germany. Dropped 12 x 250lb bombs on target and RTB at 0205hrs.

26Apr42 7th Operational Mission PLTOFF W.J Kennedy and crew departed Breighton at 2220hrs with three other Wellingtons and joined 124 bombers of the main force for an attack on the dockyards at Le Havre, France. Dropped 6 x 8 x 30lb Incendiaries on the target area and RTB at 0555hrs.

28Apr42 8th Operational Mission FSGT L.M Shephard and crew departed Breighton at 2226hrs with six other Wellingtons and joined 82 bombers of the main force for an attack on the dockyards at Kiel, Germany. The aircraft failed to return and was posted as MIA.

Post war investigations revealed the aircraft was attacked over Bockhurst at 0310hrs on 29Apr42 by Lt Gustav Tham flying a Bf110C-7 of 8./NJG2 The aircraft crashed in farmland 10km East of Neumunster, there were no survivors. The crew were initially buried at Neumunster but after the war they were re-interred at Hamburg Cemetery.

RAAF Pilot 402885 FSGT Leslie Milton Shephard (25) of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales is buried in Section 4A, Grave E.12 of the Hamburg Cemetery, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 96 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

hamburg war cemetery

Hamburg War Cemetery, Germany

RAAF 2nd Pilot 404868 SGT John Francis Carpender (29) of Kelvin Grove in Brisbane, Queensland is buried in Section 4A, Grave E.9 of the Hamburg Cemetery, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 17 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Observer 402836 PLTOFF Ralph Bond (28) of Enoggera in Brisbane Queensland is buried in Section 4A, Grave E.10 of the Hamburg Cemetery, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 10 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 402600 SGT Trevor Hopetoun McIlveen (33) of Croydon in Sydney, New South Wales is buried in Section 4A, Grave E.13 of the Hamburg Cemetery, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 71 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 404661 SGT William Walter Perroux (26) of Townsville, Queensland is buried in Section 4A, Grave E.8 of the Hamburg Cemetery, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 84 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Air Gunner 408122 SGT John Percival Cosgrove (25) of Launceston, Tasmania is buried in Section 4A, Grave E.11 of the Hamburg Cemetery, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 149 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

29Apr42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 96 hrs 05 min

Z1311

00Sep41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1311 was the 1st of 35 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1311 to Z1345 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

29Sep41 Aircraft received by No.23MU at RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland.for acceptance checks and storage.

00Oct41 Allocated to No.142Sqn at RAF Grimsby, Lincolnshire.

16Oct41 Received by 142Sqn.

24Jan42 Damaged Cat.B while on a raid to Munster. Not repairable at the unit.

31Jan42 Received by Brooklands Engineering at Sywell aerodrome for repair.

15Apr42 Aircraft awaiting collection.

21Apr42 Received by No.12MU at RAF Kirkbride.

09May42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Breighton, Yorkshire.

20May42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn and issued to B Flight as UV-Z.

30May42 1st Operational Mission SGT J.P Walsh and crew departed Breighton at 2252hrs with 17 other Wellingtons and joined 1,046 bombers of the main force for The 1st Thousand Bomber Raid on Cologne. At 0102hrs dropped 8 x 90 x 4lb Incendiaries from 12,000ft on the target area then RTB at 0449hrs.

01Jun42 2nd Operational Mission SGT J.P Walsh and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2325hrs with 18 other 466Sqn aircraft that joined 956 bombers of the main stream to attack Essen as part of the Second 1000 Bomber Raid. Failed to return and posted MIA. Later learned that at 0234hrs 02Jun42 the aircraft was shot down by a Bf110 night fighter flown by Oberleutnant Horst Patuschka of 7/NJG3 at Venlo airfield. The flaming wreckage spiraled to earth and crashed near the village of Esinnes Au Mont, Belgium. All the crew died in the crash.

RAAF Pilot 404701 SGT John Francis Walsh (22) of Gympie Queensland is buried in Collective Grave, Row V.14-19 of the Charleroi Communal Cemetery in Hainaut, France. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 111 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

charleroi belgium

Charleroi Communal Cemetery, Belgium

RAAF 2nd Pilot 14243 SGT William Marcel Spongberg (25) of Lakemba, New South Wales is buried in Collective Grave, Row V.14-19 of the Charleroi Communal Cemetery in Hainaut, France. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 100 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Observer 403576 SGT Maurice Michael Fitzgerald (25) of Ultimo in Sydney, New South Wales is buried in Collective Grave, Row V.14-19 of the Charleroi Communal Cemetery in Hainaut, France. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 35 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.


RAAF Air Gunner 402612 SGT Wallace Hugh Sams (24) of Cremorne in Sydney, New South Wales is buried in Collective Grave, Row V.14-19 of the Charleroi Communal Cemetery in Hainaut, France. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 94 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR Bomb Aimer 1310845 SGT Thomas Lee (25) of Oldham, Lancashire is buried in Collective Grave, Row V.14-19 of the Charleroi Communal Cemetery in Hainaut, France. He is commemorated on Panel 62 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR Wireless Air Gunner 990568 SGT John Bruce Moore (23) of Detroit, Michigan USA is buried in Collective Grave, Row V.14-19 of the Charleroi Communal Cemetery in Hainaut, France. He is commemorated on Panel 75 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

06Jun42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 54 hrs 5 min

Z1325

00Oct41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1325 was the 15th of 35 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1311 to Z1345 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

16Oct41 Aircraft received by No.46MU at RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland for acceptance checks.

24Oct41 Moved to storage at No.42 Satellite Landing Ground at RAF Black Isle, Ross & Cromarty, Scotland

28Nov41 Received by No.46MU at RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland

10Dec41 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Molesworth, Yorkshire.

13Dec41 Ferried by ATA pilots to 460Sqn at their Satellite airfield of RAF Kimbolton as the runway at RAF Molesworth was still under construction. Taken on charge with A Flight as UV-H.

30Dec42 Ferried from Kimbolton to RAF Station Molesworth.

04Jan42 Ferried from Molesworth to the new operating base at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire.

25Mar42 1st Operational Mission. FLTLT H.L Oakley and crew departed Breighton at 1958hrs with two other Wellingtons and joined 235 bombers of the main force for an attack against the Bellincourt Renault Factory near Paris. Dropped bombs through smokescreen and RTB at 0114hrs.

26Apr42 8th Operational Mission. SGT D.G Kitchen and crew departed Breighton at 2255hrs with two other Wellingtons and joined 106 bombers of the main force for an attack against Rostock, Germany. At 0330hrs the crew dropped their bombs in the target area and turned for home. Over Sylt at 7,500ft, without warning, the aircraft was struck injuring the 3nd pilot and the rear gunner. Thinking he was under attack by flak the pilot took the approved evasion action unawares that he had been attacked by a Bf110 night fighter. The Bf110 made a further three attacks but the pilot managed to evade each attack without much further damage. During the engagement the Wellington's second pilot was injured in the face and thigh and the rear gunner was seriously injured.

The pilot nursed his crippled aircraft back to the UK and managed to land at Breighton at 0614hrs, where both injured crewmen were admitted to York Military Hospital. The aircraft was assessed as Cat.AC/FB and was transported to Brooklands Engineering at Sywell aerodrome, Northhamptonshire for repairs.


Damage sustained by Z1325 on 26Apr42

RAAF pilot 407534 SGT Alan Lipson Moyle (20) of Woodville, South Australia was treated and recuperated for some time before returning to active duty in May 1942. Sadly, his return to active duty did not last long as he was shot down and killed on 12 July 1942 when he was flying Wellington Z1328 on a Gardening Operation to lay mines off the Ameland Islands.

RCAF air gunner R/64718 FSGT D.A Black was hospitalised for a lengthy period and did not return to active duty.

24Jul42 Aircraft awaiting collection at Brooklands. While serving with 460Sqn the aircraft flew eight operational missions and several non-operational flights.

31Jul42 Received by 23MU at RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland.

20Aug42 Allocated to 142Sqn at RAF Station Grimsby, Lincolnshire.

31Aug42 Received by 142Sqn.

20Sep42 Aircraft allocated to No.18 Operational Training Unit at RAF Station Bramcote when 142Sqn began to replace their Mk.IV Wellingtons.

25Sep42 Received by 18OTU

08Nov42 SGT E. Bril [Polish Air Force] was flying a solo night navigation exercise when the aircraft stalled at low level and crashed near Hinckley, Leicestershire. The pilot was killed in the crash and the aircraft assessed as CatE2/FA and struck off charge.

PAF pilot P792176 SGT Eugeniusz Bril (21) of Tarnopol, Ukraine is buried in Section H, Grave 312 in the War Graves Plot of the Newark-upon-Trent Cemetery in Nottinghamshire. He is also commemorated on Panel 12 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. See Archiwum Polish Archive on this site.

newark polish cemetery

Newark Polish Cemetery UK

20Nov42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 242hrs 45min

Z1327

00Oct41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1327 was the 17th of 35 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1311 to Z1345 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

17Oct41 Aircraft received by 46MU at RAF Lossiemouth for acceptance checks and storage.

00Dec41 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Molesworth, Yorkshire.

23Dec41 Ferried by ATA pilots to 460Sqn at their Satellite airfield of RAF Kimbolton as the runway at RAF Molesworth was still under construction. Taken on charge with B Flight as UV-V.

30Dec42 Ferried from Kimbolton to RAF Station Molesworth.

05Jan42 Ferried from Molesworth to the new operating base at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire.

17Feb42 RAFVR Pilot SGT F. Dutton and crew departed Breighton at 1920hrs with Z1288 and Z1384 for a night cross-country formation exercise. The trio headed south and used Peterborough, Harwell, Pershore and Sywell as turning points. As they were making their way home SGT Dutton flew off track and inadvertently descended into rising ground near Farnley Tyas and at 2220hrs the aircraft struck a cottage and crashed into a wooded area, named Molicar Woods in Upper Agbrigg. All six airmen on board lost their lives as a result of this accident. Local residents dedicated a memorial to the crew at the crash site in 2015.

RAFVR Pilot 1006728 SGT Frederick Dutton (20) of Hoole, Chester is buried in Section F, Grave 161 of the Chester (Overleigh) Cemetery, UK. He is also commemorated on Panel 158 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

chester overleigh cemetery

Chester Overleigh Cemetery UK

RAFVR Pilot 1052270 SGT Cyril Caradoe Davies is buried in Section A, Row 8, Grave No.5 of the Llandrillo-yn-Rhos Churchyard Cemetery, Wales. He is also commemorated on Panel 153 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR Observer 1170676 SGT William Leonard Ashplant is buried in Section A, Grave 21 of the Holme-upon-Spalding Moor Churchyard Cemetery, Yorkshire. He is also commemorated on Panel 124 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 402897 SGT James Henry Ware (24) married of Sydney, New South Wales is buried in Section A, Grave 19 of the Holme-upon-Spalding Moor Churchyard Cemetery, Yorkshire. He is also commemorated on Panel 260 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire and, on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT.

holme upon spalding cemetery

Holme upon Spalding Cemetery UK

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 402894 SGT Robert Litchfield Tresidder (26) single of Coogee, Sydney New South Wales is buried in Section A, Grave 20 of the Holme-upon-Spalding Moor Churchyard Cemetery, Yorkshire. He is also commemorated on Panel 255 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire and, on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT.

RAFVR Air Gunner 1292128 SGT Cyril Raymond Dickeson is buried in Section A, Grave 18 of the Holme-upon-Spalding Moor Churchyard Cemetery, Yorkshire. He is also commemorated on Panel 155 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

23Feb42 Aircraft struck off charge. This was the first aircraft lost by 460Sqn.

Z1328

00Oct41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1328 was the 18th of 35 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1311 to Z1345 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

22Oct41 Aircraft received by No.44MU at RAF Edzell in Angus, Scotland

00Dec41 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Molesworth, Yorkshire.

13Dec41 Ferried by ATA pilots to 460Sqn at their Satellite airfield of RAF Kimbolton as the runway at RAF Molesworth was still under construction. Taken on charge with B Flight as UV-U.

28Dec42 Ferried from Kimbolton to RAF Station Molesworth.

05Jan42 Ferried from Molesworth to the new operating base at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire.

02Feb42 SGT J.H Ware and crew flew the Squadron’s first night flying program with Z1284 (SQNLDR C.L Gilbert) and Z1228 (SQNLDR A.D Frank).

05Feb42 SGT J.H Ware and crew departed Breighton for a night-flying exercise. The aircraft landed at nearby Holme on Spalding Moor airfield during this exercise and when taking off the aircraft's tail unit struck frozen snow damaging the tail unit. The aircraft then made a circuit and landed back at Holme where the damaged tail unit collapsed. No casualties were sustained and the aircraft was later repaired at Holme on Spalding Moor.

21Feb42 Returned to service with 460Sqn at RAF Breighton.

13Mar42 1st Operational Mission. SQNLDR A.D Frank and crew departed Breighton at 1938hrs with four other Wellingtons and joined fourteen bombers from the main force for an attack on the dock yards at Dunkirk, France. The crew were unable to locate the target through 10/10th cloud cover so the captain jettisoned the bombs into the sea and landed at RAF Snaith 2313hrs. RTB the following day.

31Mar42 the aircraft flew three operational missions and several non-operational flights during March.

30Apr42 the aircraft flew eight operational missions and several non-operational flights during April.

29May42 17th Operational Flight. PLTOFF W.L Brill and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2344hrs for a bombing raid on the Gnome Rhone Works in Gennevilliers, France. On the 1st run in to the target the aircraft was hit by flak in the bomb bay causing the 1000lb GP Bomb to hang up. After two more bombing runs the aircraft headed for home but was forced to land at RAF White Waltham where it was deemed as unfit for flight. Damaged Cat.Ac/FB and repaired at RAF White Waltham.

31May42 the aircraft flew six operational missions and several non-operational flights in May.

20Jun42 Returned to service with 460Sqn at RAF Breighton.

30Jun42 the aircraft flew three operational missions and several non-operational flights in June.

00Jul42 The aircraft flew four operational missions and several non-operational flights in July.

06Jul42 11th Operational Mission. SGT J.C Pearson and crew departed Breighton at 2224hrs with nine other Wellingtons and joined 32 bombers of the main force for a mine laying sortie in the approaches to Lorient, France. The crew could not identify the target so the captain aborted and headed home. At 0247hrs they saw a Bf109 fighter approaching from the port quarter, the captain immediately turned and dived under the fighter, levelling out 200-300ft above the sea. The Bf109 repositioned and approached from dead astern giving the rear gunner a good shot which he took and fired 120 rounds. Strikes were seen all over the nose of the fighter and it then rolled over and dived into the sea. Claimed 1 x Bf109 destroyed.

12Jul42 24th Operational Mission. SGT A.L Moyle and crew departed Breighton at 2235hhrs with 11 other Wellingtons for mine laying operations near Ameland Island. The aircraft failed to return and was declared Missing. Post war investigations failed to find any trace of the aircraft or crew.

RAAF Pilot 407534 SGT Alan Lipson Moyle (21) single of Erindale, Adelaide South Australia has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 113 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 12 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is also honoured on Panel 7 Third Column of the World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of South Australia on North Terrace in Adelaide.

national war memorial roll honoiur adelaide

World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of South Australia, Adelaide

RAAF Flight Engineer 404948 SGT Frederick Charles Brayne (24) single of Toowong, Brisbane Queensland has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 112 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 77 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Navigator 404950 SGT Thomas David Belford (33) of Brisbane Queensland has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 112 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 8 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

ibcc canwick hill

IBCC Canwick Hill, UK

RAAF Wireless operator 402551 SGT Raymond John Bruce Sharkey (30) of Cottesloe, Perth Western Australia has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 113 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 95 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Air Gunner 403785 SGT Ronald John Perry (24) of Hurstville in Sydney, New South Wales has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 113 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 84 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Air Gunner 407844 SGT Leonard Charles Underwood Dreyer (28) of Sydney, New South Wales has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 112 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 30 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

01Aug42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 185hrs 20min. While serving with 460Sqn the aircraft flew 24 operational missions and an unknown number of non-operational flights.

Z1335

00Nov41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1335 was the 25th of 35 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1311 to Z1345 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

27Nov41 Aircraft received by 12MU at RAF Kirkbride for acceptance checks and storage.

00May42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire.

21May42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn, and issued to A Flight as UV-C.

30May42 1st Operational Mission. PLTOFF F.J Breen and crew departed Breighton at 2245hrs with 17 other Wellingtons and joined 1,046 bombers of the main force for the first Thousand Bomber Raid on Cologne. At 0115hrs dropped 720 x 4lb Incendiaries from 15,000ft on the target area then RTB at 0434hrs.

03Jun42 4th Operational Mission. PLTOFF J. Falkiner and crew departed Breighton at 2215hrs with five other Wellingtons and joined 164 bombers of the main force for an attack on Bremen. At 0017hrs the captain aborted the mission when the radio and IFF failed. RTB without incident at 0205hrs.

30Jun42 the aircraft flew eleven operational and several non-operational flights in June.

26Jul42 16th Operational Mission. FLGOFF Breen and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2248hrs with 11 other 466 machines that joined 391 bombers of the main force for an attack on Hamburg. The aircraft crashed in Neumunster, partially demolishing a three-store apartment block. Post war investigations could not find a definitive cause for the loss but surmised the aircraft was lost to a night fighter or flak.

RAAF Pilot 402760 FLGOFF Frederick James Breen (24) single of Rockdale in Sydney, New South Wales was KIA and is buried in Section 6A Grave F5 of the Hamburg Cemetery, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 12 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Observer 403965 SGT John Storey (27) married of Bondi, Sydney New South Wales was KIA and is buried in Joint Grave 6A F1-2 of the Hamburg Cemetery, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 102 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 401865 SGT Ivan Thomas Tulloh, (21) single of Doeen, Victoria was KIA and is buried in Joint Grave 6A F1-2.of the Hamburg Cemetery, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 108 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Air Gunner 400741 SGT Archibald Edmond Tinkler (26) single of Bendigo, Victoria was KIA and is buried in Section 6A Grave F4 of the Hamburg Cemetery, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 107 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 405066 SGT Aubrey Archdale Bice (25) of Leycester, New South Wales was KIA and is buried in Section 6A Grave F1-2 of the Hamburg Cemetery, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 9 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

NOTE: Some sources list this crew as being lost in Z1483, which is incorrect.

31Jul42 the aircraft flew five operational and several non-operational flights in July. While serving with 460Sqn the aircraft flew 16 operational missions and several non-operational flights.

01Augr42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 124 hrs 40min. 

Z1343

00Oct41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1343 was the 33rd of 35 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1311 to Z1345 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

05Nov41 Aircraft received by 51MU at RAF Lichfield for acceptance checks and storage.

00Dec41 Allocated to No.460Sqn at RAF Station Molesworth, Yorkshire.

11Dec41 Ferried by ATA pilots to 460Sqn at their Satellite airfield of RAF Kimbolton as the runway at RAF Molesworth was still under construction. Taken on charge with B Flight as UV-Y.

13Dec42 Ferried from Kimbolton to RAF Station Molesworth.

05Jan42 Ferried from Molesworth to the new operating base at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire.

01Apr42 PLTOFF I.F Keys Flew a two hour cross-country formation training exercise with Z1212 [SGT J.P Walsh and crew].

08Apr42 1st Operational Mission. SQNLDR J.W Leighton and crew departed Breighton at 2230hrs with five other Wellingtons and joined 50 bombers of the main force for an attack on the docks at Le Havre, France. Dropped 12 x 250lb bombs on the dockyard area then RTB at 0225hrs.

12Apr42 2nd Operational Mission. SQNLDR J.W Leighton and crew departed Breighton at 2115hrs with three other Wellingtons and joined 247 bombers of the main force for an attack on Essen, Germany.

17Apr42 Sustained Cat.AC/FA when landing after a local training flight. Not repairable at the unit and sent away for repair.

06Jun42 Returned to service with 460Sqn.

30Jun42 the aircraft flew three operational and an unknown number of non-operational flights in June.

02Jul42 6th Operational Mission. SGT R.A Brittingham and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2339hrs with 17 other Wellingtons and joined 317 bombers of the main force for an attack on Bremen. The aircraft was hit by flak over the target area and minor damage underneath the rudder was sustained. The crew made a safe return to land at Breighton at 0459hrs.

29Jul42 12th Operational Mission. SGT R.A Brittingham and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2309hrs with 11 other Wellingtons and joined 279 bombers of the main force for an attack on Saarbrucken. They dropped 5 x 90 x 4lb and 4 x 8 x 30lb Incendiary bomblets from 10,000ft at 024hrs and saw many strikes across the target area. Soon after turning for home the aircraft was attacked by a Bf110 night fighter. The rear gunner was killed, stbd engine damaged and several other areas struck by the enemy fighter. The pilot managed to corkscrew away and lose the enemy before limping back to the UK where it landed at RAF Manston at 0420hrs.

RAAF Pilot 403160 SGT RA Brittingham was uninjured.

RAAF Bomb Aimer 401053 Sgt NH Simpson was uninured

RAAF Navigator 404496 FSGT WM Matchett sustained minor injuries

RAAF Wireless Operator 55854 FSGT RJ Rogers was uninjured

RAAF Air Gunner 402710 SGT Ronald Archie Johns (21) single of Roseville, Sydney New South Wales was KIA. He is buried in Block O, Row B, Grave 4 of the Aylesham Cemetery, Kent. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 55 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

aylesham cemetery kent

Aylesham Cemetery, Kent UK

30Jul42 Classified as Cat.B/FB and transported to Vickers Ltd at Weybridge for repairs.

31Jul42 the aircraft flew seven operational and an unknown number of non-operational flights in July. While serving with 460Sqn the aircraft flew 12 operational missions and an unknown number of non-operational flights.

03Oct42 Aircraft awaiting collection.

11Oct42 Received by No.18MU at RAF Dumfries, Scotland.

19Oct42 Allocated to No.300 (Polish) Sqn at RAF Station Ingham, Lincolnshire.

21Oct42 Received by 300Sqn and Coded BH-L.

08Nov42 Sgt S Chmielewski and crew departed Ingham at 1854hrs for a minelaying mission to Lillebaelt, Denmark. At 2150hrs the aircraft crashed into Vejle Fjord on the east coast of southern Denmark. Two crewmen were rescued by locals and one body pulled from the Fjord. No trace was ever found of the other two crewmen. See Archiwum Polish Archive on this site.

PAF Pilot 783222 SGT Stefan Tadeusz Chmielewski (21) of Rzeszow, Poland was captured and sent to Oberursel, Frankfurt for interrogation then to Stalag Luft I Barth with POW Number 783222. He was later transferred to Stalag IVB Mühlberg, to Stalag Luft VI Heydekrug ending up in Stalag 357 Thorn. He elected to remain in Poland after the War until his death in Przemysl on 11th June 2006.

PAF Air Gunner P794127 SGT Mieczysław Zdzisław Dadej (26) of Warszawa, Poland was captured and sent to Oberursel, Frankfurt for interrogation then to Stalag Luft I Barth with Gefangenen Number 879.

He was later transferred to Stalag IVB Mühlberg, to Stalag Luft VI Heydekrug ending up in Stalag 357 Thorn. He migrated to the UK where he remained until his death in Truro, Cornwall on 04December 1984.

PAF Navigator P/0586 FLGOFF Ludomir Kazimierz Borowicz (28) is buried in Grave AIII.8.5 of the Esbjerg (Fourfelt) Cemetery, Denmark. He is also commemorated on Panel 6 of the Polish War Memorial at RAF Northolt.

esbjerg denmark

Esbjerg Cemetery Denmark

PAF Wireless Operator P794066 SGT Zygmunt Ludwik Rausinski (27) has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 58 of the Polish War Memorial at RAF Northolt.

(L - R)Dadej-Borowicz-Rausinski-Cieszyński

(L - R) Dadej-Borowicz-Rausinski-Cieszyński

PAF Air Gunner 794200 SGT Jan Leszek Cieszyński-Nałęcz (29) has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 47 of the Polish War Memorial at RAF Northolt.

polish memorial northolt

Polish Memorial Northolt UK

10Nov42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 169hrs 15min.

Z1344

00Oct41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1344 was the 34th of 35 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1311 to Z1345 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

05Nov1 Aircraft received by No.51MU at RAF Lichfield for acceptance checks.

00Dec41 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Molesworth, Yorkshire.

13Dec41 Ferried by ATA pilots to 460Sqn at their Satellite airfield of RAF Kimbolton as the runway at RAF Molesworth was still under construction. Taken on charge with B Flight as UV-W.

29Dec42 Ferried from Kimbolton to RAF Station Molesworth.

05Jan42 Ferried from Molesworth to the new operating base at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire.

07Feb42 SQNLDR A.D Frank and crew flew a night formation practice flight with in SQNLDR C.L Gilbert Z1288

12Mar42 1st Operational Mission. SQNLDR A.D Frank and crew departed Breighton at 1900hrs with five other Wellingtons and joined 35 bombers of the main force for an attack on Emden. The pilot aborted the mission at 2210hrs with technical problems and landed at RAF Hornsea, Yorkshire at 0031hrs.

31Mar42 the aircraft flew two operational and several non-operational flights in March.

30apr42 the aircraft flew six operational and several non-operational flights in April.

21May42 The aircraft was undertaking a night flying test but as it gathered speed down the runway the pilot's escape hatch flew off. The pilot continued in taking off but did a circuit and immediately came in to land. The aircraft's brake pressure was limited and the aircraft was unable to be stopped before the end of the runway, fearing a collision with workmen the pilot swung it away from them and while the crew escaped injury the aircraft sustained some minor damage. Cat.A/FA and repaired at Unit.

31May42 the aircraft flew six operational and several non-operational flights in May.

30Jun42 the aircraft flew two operational and several non-operational flights in June.

01Jun42 16th Operational Mission. FLGOFF A.J Netherlands and crew departed Breighton at 2321hrs with 18 other Wellingtons and joined 956 bombers of the main stream to attack Essen as part of the 2nd 1000 Plan raid. The aircraft failed to return and was posted as MIA. On 11Dec42 information was received via the Red Cross from some of Z1344’s crewmen stating they were in captivity.

FLGOFF Netherlands post war statement said they were flying just above sea level at 0117hrs on 02Jun42 when they were hit by cannon fire from and an enemy Bf110 night fighter (flown by Oberleutnant Horst Patuschka of 7/NJG3 at Venlo airfield). The aircraft erupted in flames and within seconds crashed into the sea at the mouth of the River Schelde. The rear gunner (SGT Watkins) died in the crash and the other five crewman survived the initial crash with various injuries. However, SGT Beinke drowned in the process of rescue. The three survivors were made POW and taken to the Bergen-op-Zoom Hospital before their incarceration.

RAFVR pilot 43286 FLGOFF Alan James Netherlands (23) of Bowden, South Australia survived with a broken leg, severe cuts and abrasions. After initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt he was given the POW No.30 and sent to Stalag Luft 3 Zagan and Belaria. He was released in April 1945 and repatriated back to the UK.

RAAF 2nd pilot 406349 SGT Clifford Stanley Douglas (21) of Albany, Western Australia survived with wounds to left thigh and foot. . After initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt he was given the POW No.2508 and sent to Stalag 344 Lamsdorf until his release in March 1945. He was repatriated back to Australia where he discharged from the RAAF on 26Nov45 with the rank of Warrant Officer.

RAAF Observer 400080 SGT Arthur Patrick Dansey (21) of Malvern in Melbourne, Victoria survived with a broken leg, severe cuts and abrasions. After initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt he was given the POW No.811 and sent to Stalag Luft 6 Heydekrug until his release in April 1945. He was repatriated back to Australia where he discharged from the RAAF on 10Jan46 with the rank of Warrant Officer.

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 406136 FSGT Dudley Raymond Beinke (20) of Denial Bay, Western Australia was KIA and is buried in Grave B 27 of the Flushing (Vlissingen) Northern Cemetery, Netherlands. He is commemorated on Panel 106 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 8 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

vlissingen cemetery holland

Vlissingen Northern Cemetery, Netherlands

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 407308 FSGT Thomas Lincoln Watkins (21) of Keswick, Adelaide South Australia was KIA and is buried in Grave B 32 of the Flushing (Vlissingen) Northern Cemetery, Netherlands. He is commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 112 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF wireless air gunner 408046 SGT William Desmond Cheese (20) of Naracoopa in Tasmania was rescued and hospitalised with serious wounds to his head, chest, right leg and left ankle. He never recovered from his injuries and died from his wounds on 20Jul42. He is buried in Grave 3 D 5 in the Bergen op Zoom War Cemetery, Netherlands. He is commemorated on Panel 106 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 19 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

bergen op zoom cemetery holland

Bergen op Zoom Cemetery Netherlands

03Jun42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 154hrs 50min. 

Z1381

00Nov41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1381 was the 7th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1375 to Z1424 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

17Dec41 Aircraft received by No.23MU at RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland for acceptance checks and storage.

00Jun42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAFT Station Breighton, Yorkshire

21Jun42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn, and issued to A Flight as UV-H

25Jun42 1st Operational Mission. PLTOFF W.A Clegg and crew departed Breighton at 2322hrs with 19 other Wellingtons and joined 960 bombers of the main force for a 1,000 bomber Raid to Bremen. Target area covered by 10/10th cloud therefore the 720 x 4lb Incendiary Bomblets were dropped at 0153hrs in the general target area. Returned to base at 0547hrs.

02Jul42 2nd Operational Mission. SGT A.M Johnston and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2313hrs with 17 other Wellingtons and joined 317 bombers of the main stream for an attack on Bremen. The aircraft failed to return and was listed as Missing. Later learned the aircraft was shot down when returning from Bremen on 03Jul42 at 0223hrs by Unteroffizier Rudolph Frank of 1/NJG3 20km SW of Vetcha. See our Archive Report for Z1381

In late 1942 the Red Cross provided a statement made by Prisoner of War SGT D.A Radke that stated: “Near the Dutch border returning from the target while at about 13,000 feet, the Front Gunner reported ‘two gun flashes in front and directly in line with us’, and then almost immediately we received a major hit on the port motor or nacelle. The Pilot ordered me to open the front turret my first attempt being unsuccessful. The plane was diving all the time, seemingly uncontrollable and unresponsive to movement of control column. I handed the pilot his chute turned to see the front gunner getting out of his turret. Ordered by the Pilot to abandon which was done in this order from the port hatch – myself, front gunner, and observer. The 2nd pilot was still by the main spar when observer left and the pilot still at controls. About 9000 feet when I left. Aircraft still in dive and burning from port nacelle or wing. Rear gunner baled out independently. 2nd skipper jumped too late (at about 50 feet) and skipper was still at controls when crash occurred. Saw no chutes in the air. Made no contact with other surviving members Wyllie and Reed until 5 hours after capture. Germans showed us the other three members’ personal kit and told us – Skipper was killed when plane crashed. Dowling (2nd pilot) killed when chute failed at low altitude, Taylor was killed when caught in H.T. wires while landing by chute.”

SGT William Reed had a very interesting time as a POW. His first escape attempt ended badly when he and his two partners were discovered cutting the camp barbed wire. In April 1943 he swapped identity with an inmate called Harold Bagshaw (POW No.13884) and sent to work in a local stone quarry where they managed to escape the work detail and reach the German river port of Stettin on 20Apr43. They stowed away in a life boat on a Swedish freighter but were discovered by a German patrol four days later and handed over to the Gestapo. He was returned under guard to Stalag VIIIb after a short stint in solitary confinement.

Over the next few months he laid the groundwork for his next escape attempt by arranging to get on a railroad maintenance gang by exchanging identities once more, this time with an inmate named J. Minsky. He then traded his Red Cross food and cigarettes with Polish and Czech workers for clothes, money and information on the German rail network. On 27Jul43 he walked away from the work party and boarded a train and travelled via Berlin and Frankfurt to Stettin where he arrived on 1st August. His freedom in Stettin was cut short when he was recognised at a local check point on 5th August and arrested once more by the Gestapo. He was placed in solitary confinement before being returned to Stalag VIIIb, where he was hospitalized with malnutrition.

Reed spent many months laid up with recurring malnutrition and complications from an injured shoulder but never stopped planning his next escape. In May 1944 he changed identities with an inmate, Private Elykim Wald No.4647 and on 9th May got himself attached to a working party in a local coal mine. Two days later he saw two would be escapees shot by the German guards who immediately made a search of the remaining prisoners and located Reed’s escape kit. Undeterred Reed arranged for another escape kit to be sent to the coal mine and in the meantime used his Red Cross supplies to get money, clothes and food from local Czechs.

On 11th July he left the work party and boarded a train arriving in Stettin on 13Jul44. Once more he evaded German port patrols and stowed away onboard a Swedish freighter and on this, his 5th escape attempt, he made it to Malmo, Sweden on 17th July and contacted British authorities and friends in Australia. He arrived back in the UK on 10th August and was immediately hospitalised in Ely for proper treatment of his shoulder. As soon as his escape exploits were known to RAF Authorities he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, Gazetted on 01Dec44. After a lengthy recuperation period he was repatriated back to Australia in March 1945.

RAAF pilot 404784 FSGT Arthur Maxwell Johnston (27) of Cairns, Queensland was initially buried in the Neuer Friedhof Cemetery at Linger-Ems, Lower-Saxony Germany. He was then reburied in Plot 15 Row B, Collective Grave 9-18 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery near the German town of Kleve. He is commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 56 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

reichswald cemetery germany

Reichswald Cemetery Germany

RAAF 2nd pilot 407709 SGT Darryl Downing (20) of Lameroo, South Australia was initially buried in the Neuer Friedhof Cemetery at Linger-Ems, Lower-Saxony Germany. He was then reburied in Plot 15. Row B, Collective Grave 9-18 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery near the German town of Kleve. He is commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 30 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Air Gunner 407775 SGT William James Taylor (27) of Richmond, South Australia was initially buried in the Neuer Friedhof Cemetery at Linger-Ems, Lower-Saxony Germany. He was then reburied in Plot 15 Grave C.14 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery near the German town of Kleve. He is commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 105 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

australian war memorial canberra

Australian War Memorial, Canberra

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 405138 SGT David August Radke (23) of Hendra in Brisbane, Queensland was captured and initially taken to Dulag Luft Oberursel in Frankfurt for interrogation, assigned POW number 24980 then moved to Stalag VIIIb (Stalag 344), Lamsdorf in Upper Silesia. With the allied advance across Europe Rake was moved in February 1945 to Stalag 8a, Gorlitz in Lower Silesia and finally to Stalag 9a, Trutzhain in Ziegenhain, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. He was liberated by General Patton’s 3rd Army on 30Mar45 and repatriated back to the UK on 09Apr45. Arrived back in Sydney on 24Jul45 and was discharged from the RAAF on 21Nov45.

RAAF Air Gunner 402479 SGT William Gerald Reed (22) of Sydney New South Wales was captured and initially taken to Dulag Luft Oberursel in Frankfurt for interrogation, assigned POW number 24980 then moved to Stalag VIIIb (Stalag 344), Lamsdorf in Upper Silesia.

RAAF Observer 405001 SGT Maxwell Joseph Andrew Wyllie MID (27) was captured and made a POW in Stalag 344 Lamsdorf. He was shot while trying to escape and is buried in grave C.13 of the Kraków British Military Cemetery, Poland.

krakow british military cemetery poland

Kraków British Military Cemetery, Poland

In early April 1943 SGT Wyllie escaped with Joseph Terry from work camp E.479 at Tarnowitz, Poland. On 22April they were apprehended on a railway line between Trzebinia and Kressendorf by a German Special Security Officer and Polish railway policeman. For whatever reason the German Officer fatally shot Wyllie in the chest from close range even though the pair had given up immediately and confessed to being allied POWs. Wyllie was initially buried in Kressendorf Cemetery (Krzeszowice), Poland and his grave was attended by local people prior to the post-war war grave investigation unit locating his burial location. He was then re-buried in the British Military Cemetery in Krakow Cemetery, Poland.

03Jul42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 13.35hrs.  

Z1383

00Nov41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1383 was the 9th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1375 to Z1424 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

17Nov41 Aircraft received by No.45MU at RAF Kinloss for acceptance checks.

00Dec41 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Molesworth, Yorkshire.

09Dec41 Ferried by ATA pilots to 460Sqn at their Satellite airfield of RAF Kimbolton as the runway at RAF Molesworth was still under construction. Taken on charge with A Flight as UV-D.

28Dec42 Ferried from Kimbolton to RAF Station Molesworth.

05Jan42 Ferried from Molesworth to the new operating base at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire.

02Apr42 1st Operational Mission. FLTLT H.L Oakey and crew departed Breighton at 1946hrs with two other Wellingtons and joined 38 bombers of the main force for an attack on the Ford Motor factory in the Parisian suburb of Poissy. Dropped 1 x 1000lb and 6 x 500lb GP Bombs on the target area at 2105hrs from 11,000ft,. Returned without problem at 2303hrs.

28Apr42 6th Operational Mission. SGT D.G Kitchen and crew departed Breighton at 2300hrs with six other Wellingtons and joined 82 bombers of the main force for an attack on the dockyards at Kiel, Germany. Thirty five minutes after take-off the oxygen system failed so the pilot aborted and RTB at 0015hrs.

30Apr42 the aircraft flew six operational missions and several non-operational flights in April.

31May42 the aircraft flew three operational missions and several non-operational flights in May.

30Jun42 the aircraft flew six operational missions and several non-operational flights in Jun.

21Jun42 15th Operational Mission. FSGT R.J Buckingham and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2247hrs with 11 other Wellingtons and joined 44 bombers of the main force for minelaying missions to St Nazaire and Lorient, France. The aircraft failed to return and was posted as Missing. Investigations after the war determined that the aircraft was shot down by flak and crashed near the village of Languidic 20km ENE of Lorient. The five bodies were recovered from the crash site and were all buried in the Lorient (Kerentrech) Communal Cemetery. A stone cairn commemorating the aircrew stands at the edge of the C408 road 3.8km from Languidic.

RAAF pilot 400578 FSGT Robert John Buckingham (24) single of Glen Iris Victoria is buried in Plot 62, Row C, Joint grave 5-6 of the Lorient (Kerentrech) Communal Cemetery, France. He is commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 14 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

lorient kerentrecht france

Lorient Kerentrech Communal Cemetery, France

RAAF navigator 400333 SGT Raymond George Marafu Roget (23) married of Armadale Victoria is buried in Plot 62, Row C, Joint grave 5-6 of the Lorient (Kerentrech) Communal Cemetery. He is commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 92 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 403479 SGT Frederick Roy Martin (24) married of Claremont Western Australia is buried in Plot 62 Row C, Joint grave 7 of the Lorient (Kerentrech) Communal Cemetery. He is commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 68 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Air Gunner 403277 SGT William Stalker McQueen (22) single of Leichardt, Sydney New South Wales is buried in Plot 62 Row B, Grave 1 of the Lorient (Kerentrech) Communal Cemetery. He is commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 72 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

ibcc canwick hill

IBCC Canwick Hill UK

RAFVR Wireless Operator 798533 SGT James Willis Moores (27) single of Northern Bay Newfoundland Canada is buried in Plot 62 Row C, Grave 2 of the Lorient (Kerentrech) Communal Cemetery. He is commemorated on Panel 75 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

30Jun42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 54hrs 5min.  

Z1385

00Nov41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1385 was the 11th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1375 to Z1424 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

28Nov41 Aircraft received by No.18MU at RAF Dumfries, Scotland for acceptance checks.

00Dec41 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Molesworth, Yorkshire.

15Dec41 Ferried by ATA pilots to 460Sqn at their Satellite airfield of RAF Kimbolton as the runway at RAF Molesworth was still under construction. Taken on charge B Flight as UV-O.

28Dec41 Ferried from Kimbolton to RAF Station Molesworth.

05Jan42 Ferried from Molesworth to the new operating base at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire.

00Jan42 Allocated to No.301 Polish Sqn at RAF Station Hemswell, Lincolnshire.

00Jan42 Received by 301Sqn.

00May42 Aircraft received by No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire, where it was taken on charge with B Flight and Coded UV-Z

soloman levitus

30May42 1st Operational Mission. SGT S. Levitus (left) and crew departed Breighton at 2300hrs with 17 other Wellingtons and joined 1,046 bombers of the main force for The Thousand Bomber Raid on Cologne. The target was positively identified so the crew dropped 8 x 90 x 4lb Incendiaries from 12,000ft on the target area at 0115hrs then returned to base without problems at 0426hrs.

31May42 aircraft flew one operational mission and several non-operational flights in May.

30Jun42 aircraft flew one operational mission and several non-operational flights in June.

10Sep42 3rd Operational Mission. SGT S.A Solomons and crew departed Breighton at 2049hrs with nine other Wellingtons and joined 469 bombers of the main force for an attack on Dusseldorf, Germany. Dropped 810 x 4lb bomblets on target from 14,000ft at 2245hrs, then returned to base at 0153hrs.

13Sep42 4th Operational Mission. FSGT E.K Brasher and crew departed Breighton at 0017hrs with five other Wellingtons and joined 440 bombers of the main force for an attack on Bremen, Germany. The aircraft failed to return to base and as posted as MIA. Later investigations stated the aircraft was probably shot down by guns of the 8th Flak Division at 0359hrs near Barrien, Bremen.

This was the last 460 Squadron Wellington to be lost prior to their conversion to Lancasters.

RAAF Pilot 404949 FSGT Edward Keith Forbes Brasher (25) single of Windsor, Queensland was KIA. He is buried in Grave 11.B.9 of the Sage War Cemetery, 56km west of Bremen Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 12 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

sage cemetery

Sage War Cemetery Germany

RAAF Bomb Aimer 403139 SGT Douglas Westbury Johnson (25) single of West Maitland New South Wales was KIA. He is buried in Collective Grave 11.B.6-7 of the Sage War Cemetery, 56km west of Bremen Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 55 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Navigator 411007 SGT Allister Dalton Crowther (33) married of Wyong New South Wales was KIA. He is buried in Collective Grave 11.B.6-7 of the Sage War Cemetery, 56km west of Bremen Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 25 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

australian war memorial canberra

Australian War Memorial, Canberra

RAAF Wireless Operator Air Gunner 403793 SGT William John Carr Monk (28) of Homebush in Sydney, New South Wales was KIA. He is buried in Collective Grave 11.B.6-7 of the Sage War Cemetery, 56km west of Bremen Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 75 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Air Gunner 407992 FSGT Keith Campbell Bennett (22), single of Malvern South Australia was KIA. He is buried in Grave 17.G.19 of the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 8 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

rheinberg cemetery

Rheinberg War Cemetery Germany

15Sep42 Aircraft struck off charge.

Z1388

00Nov41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1388 was the 14th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1375 to Z1424 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

26Nov41 Aircraft received by No.45MU at RAF Kinloss for acceptance checks and storage.

00Dec41 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Molesworth, Yorkshire.

13Dec41 Ferried by ATA pilots to 460Sqn at their Satellite airfield of RAF Kimbolton as the runway at RAF Molesworth was still under construction. Taken on charge and Coded UV-J.

15Dec41 SGT P.J Cooney and crew departed Kimbolton at 1310hrs for a brief cross-country training exercise to RAF Waltam, Lincolnshire and return.

29Dec42 Ferried from Kimbolton to RAF Station Molesworth.

05Jan42 Ferried from Molesworth to the new operating base at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire.

12Mar42 1st Operational Mission. SQNLDR C.L Gilbert and crew departed Breighton at 1904hrs with five other Wellingtons and joined 35 bombers of the main force for a diversionary attack on Emden. The crew could not find the target which was covered by 10/10th cloud. The bombed what they believed was Oldenburg, another port city mid-way between Emden and Bremen. Returned to base at 0015hrs.

01Apr42 2nd Operational Mission. SQNLDR C.L Gilbert and crew departed Breighton at 0037hrs with seven other Wellingtons and joined 49 bombers of the main force for an attack on Le Havre, France. Dropped 12 x 250lb GP bombs in the target area and returned to base at 0518hrs.

02Apr42 3rd Operational Mission. SQNLDR C.L Gilbert and crew departed Breighton at 1943hrs with two other Wellingtons and joined 38 bombers of the main force for an attack on the Ford Motor factory in the Parisian suburb of Poissy. The aircraft would not climb to height and the pilot aborted and returned to base at 0118hrs without further problems.

30Apr42 the aircraft flew five operational missions and several non-operational flights in April.

06May42 7th Operational Mission. FLGOFF T.H Bourke and crew departed Breighton at 2105hrs with nine other Wellingtons and joined 87 bombers of the main force for an attack on Stuttgart, Germany. After bombing the target area they made for home but were met with heavy flak and searchlights over Gravelines, the pilot took evasive action and when they were clear of the flak the pilot called for a crew-check on the intercom. No reply came from the second pilot so the wireless operator was tasked with looking for him. He discovered that his helmet was under the rest position bed and that his parachute was missing, there was a large hole kicked through the fuselage with a nearby escape hatch having been broken open. With there being no sign of the missing airman it was assumed that he had baled out. The Wellington landed at Breighton at 05.50hrs on 7th May 1942 without further incident and the slight damage was repaired. No order to bale out had been given.

Local villages in Gravelines heard and saw a Wellington fly over in the early hours at 3,000ft and later that day they found the 2nd pilot’s body in a flax field in Pointe D’Oyelnt, Gravelines, France. The parachute had not deployed.

RAAF 2nd Pilot 404718 FSGT Henry Graham Ronaldson Corser RAAF (26) of Bundaberg, QLD is buried in Grave 7, Row C of the Pihen-les-Guines Communal Cemetery, Pihen-les-Guines, Nord Pas de Calais, France. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 148 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

pihen les guines cemetery

Pihen les Guines Community Cemetery France

29May42 8th Operational Mission. FLTLT T.H Bourke and crew departed Breighton at 2343hrs with three other Wellingtons and joined 73 bombers of the main force for an attack on the Gnome & Rhone factory in the Parisian suburb of Gennevilliers. The pilot aborted the first bomb run as he could not positively identify the target because of the heavy smoke. The rear gunner sustained a minor wound in the left thigh from flak shrapnel and for some reason he clipped his parachute on in preparation for the next run.

On the second bomb run the aircraft was at 3000ft when it was hit heavily by large calibre flak and soon after that it exploded and the rear gunner was blown out of the wreckage. The other four crewmen were either killed during the explosion or when the wreckage crashed to the ground.

RAAF Pilot 407192 FLTLT Thomas Harrison Bourke (29) of Point Piper in Sydney, New South Wales is buried in Row A. Grave 8 of the Viroflay New Communal Cemetery, 4km east of Versailles, France. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 11 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

viroflay cemetery france

Viroflay New Communal Cemetery France

RAAF Observer 404353 FLGOFF William Martin Murphy (23) of Virginia in Brisbane, Queensland is buried in Row A. Grave 7 of the Viroflay New Communal Cemetery, 4km east of Versailles, France. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 77 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 407285 FSGT Richard Paterson Davis (22) of Mornington, Victoria is buried in Row A. Grave 6 of the Viroflay New Communal Cemetery, 4km east of Versailles, France. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 27 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Air Gunner 407280 FSGT Bernard George Payn Lovelock Balleine (26) of Petershead, South Australia is buried in Row A. Grave 9 of the Viroflay New Communal Cemetery, 4km east of Versailles, France. He is also commemorated on Panel 106 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 5 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Air Gunner 402290 SGT Ian Grantley Holborow (33) of Sydney, New South Wales was blown out of the aircraft when it exploded and parachuted onto a small island in the Seine River, Paris. He was captured the following day by German Wehrmacht soldiers as he was trying to leave Paris. Incarcerated with POW Number 418 in Stalag Luft 6 Heydekrug, Stalag XX Thorn and Stalag 357 where he was liberated by British Army troops on 09Apr45 and immediately repatriated back to the UK.

Following recuperation he was returned to Australia on 09Sep45.While held as a POW Holborow received two promotions in Sep42 and May43. Warrant Officer Holborow was discharged from the RAAF on 19Nov45

30May42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 137hrs 5min

Z1391

00Nov41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1391 was the 17th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1375 to Z1424 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

30Nov41 Aircraft received by No.45MU at RAF Kinloss for acceptance checks and storage.

00Dec41 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Molesworth, Yorkshire.

26Dec41 Ferried by ATA pilots to 460Sqn at their Satellite airfield of RAF Kimbolton as the runway at RAF Molesworth was still under construction. Taken on charge with B Flight as UV-R.

28Dec42 Ferried from Kimbolton to RAF Station Molesworth.

05Jan42 Departed Molesworth for the new operating base at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire but was diverted to RAF Bottesford because of extreme poor weather. Completed the ferry the next day.

02Apr42 1st Operational Mission. PLTOFF W.J Kennedy and crew departed Breighton at 0024hrs with seven other Wellingtons and joined 48 bombers of the main force for an attack on Le Havre. Dropped 12 x 250lb GP bombs on target and returned to base at 0500hrs.

16Apr42 4th Operational Mission. PLTOFF C.H Burgess and crew departed Breighton at 2100hrs for a raid on Le Havre docks. Thirty minutes after take-off the intercom failed and the pilot aborted and returned to Base at 2210hrs.

30Apr42 aircraft flew seven operational mission and several non-operational flights in April.

29May42 FLGOFF A.P Jones and crew departed Breighton at 2342hrs with FLTLT T.H Bourke (Z1388) and joined 73 bombers of the main force for an attack on the Gnome & Rhone factory in the Parisian suburb of Gennevilliers. At 0215hrs the aircraft was hit and set on fire by Flak near the village of Dreux to the east of Paris. The aircraft eventually crashed near the Gnome Rhone Works with three of the five crew being killed with two managing to bale out.

RAAF Pilot 402967 FLGOFF Russel Allen Pera Jones (26) of Mendooran, New South Wales is buried in Row 2. Grave 11 of the Dreux Communal Cemetery, 35km north of Chartres, France. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 57 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR Wireless Air Gunner 1167148 SGT Kenneth Reginald Mellowes (21) of Northampton is buried in Row 2. Grave 9 of the Dreux Communal Cemetery, 35km north of Chartres, France. He is also commemorated on Panel 73 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR Wireless Air Gunner 1166960 SGT George Houghton (32) of Moseley, Birmingham is buried in Row 2. Grave 10 of the Dreux Communal Cemetery, 35km north of Chartres, France. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 51 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Air Gunner 404388 SGT Godfrey Hugh Loder (22) of Brisbane, Queensland baled out and was captured. After initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt he was given the POW No. 430 and sent to Stalag III then Stalag Luft 6 Heydekrug. He was released from captivity in April 1945 and repatriated to Australia. The then Warrant Officer Loder discharged from the RAAF on 18Nov1946.

RAAF Observer 400320 SGT Calton Hearn Younger (22) of Berwick, Victoria baled out and was captured. After initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt he was given the POW No.538 and sent to Stalag Luft 6 Heydekrug. He was released from captivity in April 1945 and repatriated to the UK Younger elected discharged from the RAAF on 03May1946 while serving with 460Sqn with the rank of Warrant Officer.

In June 1942 the Red Cross provided a POW statement from SGT Younger stating: “The aircraft was at 200 feet. The starboard wing was set on fire by light flak. Orders to bale out were given to me verbally and by the emergency light signal to other crew members. The Front Gunner was also informed of the order by me. The Wireless Operator was in the astrodome and probably hit and incapacitated. I baled out. The aircraft crashed near the Gnome Rhone works. I was assisted by the French people. I hid during the day and walked at night. On the 8th day I was arrested by the French police as a suspicious character and handed over to the Germans. SGT Loder also became a POW”.

29May42 aircraft flew five operational mission and several non-operational flights in May.

30May42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 163hrs 20min from 13 operational missions and an unknown number of non-operational flights.Z1392

00Nov41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1392 was the 18th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1375 to Z1424 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

03Dec41 Aircraft received by No.45MU at RAF Kinloss for acceptance checks and storage.

00Dec41 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Molesworth, Yorkshire.

13Dec41 Ferried by ATA pilots to 460Sqn at their Satellite airfield of RAF Kimbolton as the runway at RAF Molesworth was still under construction. Taken on charge with A Flight as UV-G.

27Dec42 Ferried from Kimbolton to RAF Station Molesworth.

05Jan42 Ferried from Molesworth to the new operating base at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire.

11Jan42 Sustained Cat.AC/FA damage which was repaired at the unit.

24Jan42 Returned to service following repairs.

12Mar42 1st Operational Mission. SGT P.L Hallett and crew departed Breighton at 1906hrs with five other Wellingtons and joined 35 bombers of the main force for an attack on Emden. The crew could not find the target which was covered by 10/10th cloud. They bombed what they believed was Oldenburg, another port city mid-way between Emden and Bremen. Returned to base at 2335hrs.

31Mar42 the aircraft flew two operational missions and several non-operational flights in March.

30Apr42 the aircraft flew five operational missions and several non-operational flights in April.

30May42 8th Operational Mission. SQNLDR R.B Osborn and crew departed Breighton at 2259hrs with 17 other Wellingtons and joined 1,046 bombers of the main force for the first Thousand Bomber Raid on Cologne. At 0106hrs dropped 8 x 90 x 4lb Incendiaries from 15,000ft on the centre of the old town then RTB at 0434hrs.

18Jun42 10th Operational Mission. SGT J.A Saint-Smith and crew departed Breighton at 0030hrs with 11 other Wellingtons and joined 53 bombers of the main force for a minelaying mission to the Frisian Islands. Dropped one mine from 700ft at 0250hrs and when exiting the target area was hit by flak which caused slight damage to the front turret and port wing. Damage assessed as Cat.A/FB and repaired at the Unit.

30Jun42 the aircraft flew six operational missions and several non-operational flights in June.

02Jul42 15th Operational Mission. PLTOFF V.F Keyser and crew departed Breighton at 2336hrs with 17 other Wellingtons and joined 307 bombers of the main force for an attack on Essen, Germany. They dropped their bombs from 14,000 feet at 0205hrs but the aircraft was hit by flak in the nose and the front turret was holed, three holes were also found in the bomb aimer's position. They made a safe return to base at 04.43hrs.

08Jul42 16th Operational Mission. SGT A.L Moyle and crew departed Breighton at 2336hrs with 17 other Wellingtons and joined 272 bombers of the main force for an attack on Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The aircraft made a laboured climb through thick cloud and after two hours could not climb higher than 12,000ft and was still in the clouds. The pilot aborted and RTB at 0324hrs.

31Jul42 the aircraft flew nine operational missions and several non-operational flights in July.

30Aug42 the aircraft flew three operational missions and several non-operational flights in August.

04Sep42 24th Operational Mission. SGT P.S Isaacson and crew departed Breighton at 2336hrs with five other Wellingtons and joined 202 bombers of the main force for an attack on Bremen, Germany. At 0224hrs they dropped 810 x 4lb Incendiary bomblets and soon after was hit by flak which caused damage to the port tailplane, both wings and cockpit area. Returned to base at 0544hrs without further incident. Assessed as Cat.A/FB damage and repaired at the Unit.

30Sep42 the aircraft flew three operational and several non-operational flights in September. While serving with 460Sqn the aircraft flew 27 operational missions and several non-operational flights.

14Sep42 Allocated to No.142 Sqn at RAF Station Grimsby, Yorkshire.

17Sep42 Received by 142Sqn.

02Oct43 Allocated to No.305 Polish Squadron at RAF Hemswell, Yorkshire.

06Oct43 Received by 305Sqn. Taken on charge and Coded SM-O

seredyn mieczyslaw

04Feb43 SGT Myczysław Seredyn (left) and crew departed Hemswell at 1803hrs and joined 262 bombers of the main force for an attack on Hamburg.

The aircraft failed to return and was posted as MIA. It was later learned that the crew had bombed the target and were headed home when they were attacked by a night fighter at 2137hrs. Unteroffizier Alois Ott of the 12/NJG 1, flying a Bf 110 F-4 from Leeuwarden airfield was vectored onto the Wellington and shot it down.

The Wellington crash-landed on Bosweg Road, Drogeham east of the Burgumer Mar Lake, Friesland in the Netherlands. All crew members except the pilot were killed in the crash. [See our Polish aircrew database the Archiwum Andrew Mielnik Memorial Database ]

PAF Pilot P783156 SGT Mieczyslaw Seredyn DFM (23) of Borek, Poland was injured in the crash but survived and made a POW. After the war he elected to return to Poland where he lived until his death in Oleksow on 17th June 1981.



PAF Wireless Operator P780430 FSGT Alfons Kowalski (23) of Toruń, Poland is buried in Plot B.6.7 of the Breda Polish Military Cemetery, Breda Municipality in Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. He is also commemorated on Panel 32 of the Polish War Memorial at RAF Northolt.

breda polish miitary cemetery

Breda Polish Military Cemetery Netherlands

PAF Observer P0479 FLGOFF Edward Lesisz (31) of Nadwiślanka, Poland is buried in Plot B.6.8 of the Breda Polish Military Cemetery, Breda Municipality in Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. He is also commemorated on Panel 38 of the Polish War Memorial at RAF Northolt.

PAF Bomb aimer P781188 SGT Henryk Leon Gzell (23) of Szarlej, Poland is buried in Plot B.6.9 of the Breda Polish Military Cemetery, Breda Municipality in Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. He is also commemorated on Panel 21 of the Polish War Memorial at RAF Northolt.

PAF Air gunner P794283 SGT Bernard Kozlowski (29) of Poznań, Poland is buried in the Breda Polish Military Cemetery, Breda Municipality in Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. He is also commemorated on Panel 33 of the Polish War Memorial at RAF Northolt.

polish memorial northolt

Polish Air Force Memorial Northolt UK

28Feb43 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 350hrs 25min.

Z1394

00Nov41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1394 was the 20th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1375 to Z1424 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

03Dec41 Aircraft received by No.45MU at RAF Kinloss for acceptance checks and storage.

00Dec41 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Molesworth, Yorkshire.

26Dec41 Ferried by ATA pilots to 460Sqn at their Satellite airfield of RAF Kimbolton as the runway at RAF Molesworth was still under construction. Taken on charge with B Flight as UV-Q.

30Dec42 Ferried from Kimbolton to RAF Station Molesworth.

05Jan42 Departed Molesworth for the new operating base at RAF Breighton, Yorkshire but was diverted to RAF Bottesford because of extreme poor weather. Completed the ferry the next day.

12Mar42 1st Operational Mission. PLTOFF W.J Kennedy and crew departed Breighton at 1902hrs with five other Wellingtons and joined 35 bombers of the main force for an attack on Emden. The crew could not find the target which was covered by 10/10th cloud. They bombed on what they believed was Emden then returned to base at 0025hrs.

31Mar42 the aircraft flew two operational missions and several non-operational flights in March.

30Apr42 the aircraft flew seven operational missions and several non-operational flights in April.

31May42 the aircraft flew three operational missions and several non-operational flights in May.

00Jun42 the aircraft flew two operational missions and several non-operational flights in Jun.

Z1394 UV-Q and crew at RAF Breighton April 1942
L to R: SGT H.M Hawkins, PLTOFF J.W Keene, SGT C.R Berry,
SGT D.S Butterworth, FSGT R.F Waldon and FSGT R.J Biglands

02Jun42 16th Operational Mission. FLGOFF J.W Keene and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2326hrs, loaded with 720 x 4lb Incendiaries, along with nine other 460Sqn machines and joined 185 bombers of the main stream force for an attack on Essen. The aircraft was lost without trace and it was surmised it was shot down by flak or a night fighter.

A later statement from the sole survivor, SGT Butterworth, stated they reached the target and released their bomb load then set a course for home. FLGOFF Keene had decided at the flight briefing to fly home at a very low level [100-200ft] to avoid the German night fighters. Butterworth then stated that in his opinion there was no attack or flak before the aircraft suddenly slammed into the ocean, he reasoned the aircraft crash was either due to a pilot error or instrument malfunction.

The aircraft crashed into the Western Schelde near Flushing, Netherlands. After the crash Butterworth found FGLOFF Keene and FSGT Waldon and inflated their Mae Wests, there was no sign of other two crewmen. The trio decided to swim to shore but after three hours both Keene and Waldon fell silent and drifted away, probably as a result of exposure and hyperthermia. Soon after Butterworth was picked up by two German sailors who took him to the German naval base at Flushing. The bodies of Keene, Waldon and Kendall washed up at Wissenkerke on 3rd June but SGT Bigland’s body was never found.

RAAF pilot 402742 FLGOFF John Walter Keene (25) of Randwick in Sydney, New South Wales is buried in Row 31, Grave 31 of the Flushing (Vlissingen) Northern Cemetery, Netherlands. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 58 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

vlissingen netherlands

Vlissingen Northern Cemetery Netherlands

RAAF 400894 FSGT Ronald Frederick Waldon (23) of Beechworth, Victoria is buried in Row 31, Grave 30 of the Flushing (Vlissingen) Northern Cemetery, Netherlands. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 110 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF 407282 FSGT Reginald John Biglands (28) of Kilburn South Australia has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 111 of the UK. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT and, on Panel 9 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR 1309012 SGT William Kendall (26) of Rubery, Birmingham is buried in Row 31, Grave 28 of the Flushing (Vlissingen) Northern Cemetery, Netherlands. He is commemorated on Panel 58 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF 404471 FSGT Douglas Graham Butterworth (22) of Ayr, Queensland survived the crash and was captured. After initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt he was given the POW No. 12675 and sent to Stalag VIIIB then on to Stalag 344. Liberated by British soldiers in April 1945, he was sent back to the UK before repatriation to Australia. He was discharged from the RAAF on 12Sep1945 and lived in Airlie Beach, North Queensland where he died on 21st June 2010.

30Jun42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 143hrs 40min from 16 operational missions and an unknown number of non-operational flights. 

Z1399

00Dec41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1399 was the 25th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1375 to Z1424 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

12Dec41 Aircraft received by No.45MU at RAF Kinloss for acceptance checks and storage.

03Apr42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Breighton, Yorkshire.

16Apr42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn, and issued to B Flight as UV-P.

26Apr42 1st Operational Mission. SGT N.D Frecker and crew departed Breighton at 2213hrs with two other Wellingtons and joined 193 bombers of the main force for an attack on Rostock, Germany. Dropped 480 x 30lb Incendiary bomblets in the target area and returned to base at 0600hrs without incident.

30Apr42 the aircraft flew three operational missions and several non-operational flights in April.

31May42 the aircraft flew four operational missions and several non-operational flights in May.

30Jun42 the aircraft flew seven operational missions and several non-operational flights in June.

00Jul42 the aircraft flew seven operational missions and several non-operational flights in April.

25Jul42 FLTLT C.H Burgess and crew departed RAF Breighton at 0003hrs with 14 other Wellingtons and joined 298 other main stream force bombers for an attack on Duisburg. The aircraft failed to return and was posted as MIA. No record can be found as to the circumstances of their deaths but there is a high probability it was shot down by a German night fighter over the target area. The bodies of the crew were recovered and buried by the Germans.

RAAF Pilot 406344 FLTLT Clifford Henry Burgess (22) of Nedlands in Perth, Western Australia is buried in Collective Grave 9.B 11-14 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 15 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

reichswald german

Reichswald War Cemetery Germany

RAAF Navigator 400330 FSGT William Harris Nettle (26) of Dandenong, Victoria is buried in Collective Grave 9.B.10 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 78 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Air Gunner 407298 PLTOFF David Bruce Mills (25) of Balaklava, South Australia is buried in Collective Grave 9 .B 11-14 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 74 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR Air Bomber 1109333 SGT Donald Bagley (21) of Littleborough, Lancashire is buried in Collective Grave 9 .B 11-14 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 4 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR Wireless Operator 1310076 SGT James .McPherson Milligan (20) is buried in Collective Grave 9 .B 11-14 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 74 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

01Aug42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 182hrs 10min from 21 operational missions and an unknown number of non-operational flights.

Z1404

00Dec41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1404 was the 30th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1375 to Z1424 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

21Dec41 Aircraft received by No.23MU at RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland for acceptance checks and storage.

02May42 Sustained Cat.A/GA damage, repaired at 23MU.

04May42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Breighton, Yorkshire.

13May42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn, and issued to A Flight as UV-J.

18Jun42 1st Operational Mission. SQNLDR R.B Osborn and crew departed Breighton at 0035hrs with 11 other Wellingtons and joined 53 bombers of the main force for a minelaying mission to the Frisian Islands. Dropped one mine from 700ft at 0246hrs then returned to base at0452hrs.

30Jun42 the aircraft flew five operational missions and several non-operational flights in June.

31Jul42 the aircraft flew nine operational missions and several non-operational flights in July.

12Aug42 19th Operational Mission. FLGOFF W.A Clegg departed RAF Breighton at 2208hrs with six other 466Sqn machines that joined 131 bombers of the main stream force for an attack on Mainz, but failed to return. On 02Oct42 the Red Cross informed that the Germans claimed the aircraft was shot down at 0112hrs by a Ju88G-1 night fighter from StabII./NJG.1 flown by Hauptman Hans Autenrieth. The aircraft was attacked over Venlo and crashed near the town of Eisden, Flemish Region of Belgium.

RAAF pilot 400886 FLGOFF William Alexander Clegg (26) single of Ballarat, Victoria was KIA. He is buried in Joint Grave 9.E 4-5 of the Heverlee War Cemetery, 30km East of Brussels Belgium. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 21 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Observer 405208 SGT Allen Netherlands (20) single of Gladstone, Queensland was KIA. He is buried in Grave 9.E.3 of the Heverlee War Cemetery, 30km east of Brussels Belgium. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 50 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Wireless Operator 405194 SGT Ronald David Smith (28) married of Rosalie in Brisbane, Queensland was KIA. He is buried in Grave 9.E.1 of the Heverlee War Cemetery, 30km east of Brussels Belgium. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 99 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 403942 SGT Reginald James Mayne (22) of West Maitland, New South Wales was KIA. He is buried in Joint Grave 9.E.4-5 of the Heverlee War Cemetery, 30km east of Brussels Belgium. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 69 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Air Gunner 405360 SGT Lewis Kershaw McMichael (33) married of Greenslopes in Brisbane Queensland was KIA. He is buried in Grave 9.E.2 of the Heverlee War Cemetery, 30km east of Brussels Belgium. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 72 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

31Aug42 the aircraft flew four operational missions and several non-operational flights in June.

01Sep42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 160hrs 40min from 19 operational missions and several non-operational flights.

Z1412

00Dec41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1412 was the 38th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1375 to Z1424 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

28Dec41 Aircraft received by 46MU at RAF Lossiemouth for acceptance checks and storage.

05May42 Sustained Cat.AC/GA damage while undergoing maintenance at 46MU.

07May42 Received for repair by Vickers Ltd at Weybridge.

23May42 Returned to storage with 46MU.

31May42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Breighton, Yorkshire.

02Jun42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn, and issued to B Flight as UV-W.

08Jun42 Only Operational Mission. SGT D.D Hurditch and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2314hrs with six other 460Sqn machines and joined 170 bombers of the main stream force to attack Essen. The aircraft bombed the target and headed home but at 0215hrs they were attacked by Oberleutnant Leopold Fellerer flying a JU88 from II/NJG 2.

SGT Hurditch later reported: ‘After bombing the target the aircraft was attacked by JU 88, height 13,000 feet. First attack damaged rear turret, rudder, elevator trims, hydraulics and set the aircraft on fire. Second attack at 5000 feet wounded rear gunner, navigator and wireless operator. Third attack over Netherlands at 2000 feet, U/S starboard engine and set aircraft on fire. Order given to stand by to abandon aircraft but cancelled as height insufficient. Crash landed.”

RAAF Pilot 402862 SGT Douglas David Hurditch (20) of Leeton, New South Wales was captured and after initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt he was given the POW No.328 and sent to Stalag Luft Heydekrug. Hurditch managed to escape captivity when he was being marched to another POW camp late in the war. He was repatriated back to Australia where he remained in the RAAF and attained the rank of Air-Vice Marshall. He retired from the RAAF on 19Mar75 and was farewelled at a funeral service in Canberra on 18 June 2018.

RAFVR Navigator 747961 FSGT C.D Henden was captured and after initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt he was given the POW No.322 and imprisoned in Stalag Luft Zagan & Belaria.

RAFVR Bomb Aimer 100942 SGT D Tinkler was captured and after initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt was given the POW No.39364 and imprisoned in Stalag 357 Kopernikus.

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 404448 SGT Eric Francis Maher (22) of Rosewood, Queensland was captured and after initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt was given the POW No.39666 and imprisoned in Stalag Luft Heydekrug. He was released in April 1945 and returned to 460Sqn. He resigned from the RAAF in the UK on 07Dec1945 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

RAAF Air Gunner 402436 SGT Colin Millis Campbell (20) of Quirindi, New South Wales was captured and was sent to Stalag Luft Heydekrug. Because of his wounds he was hospitalised but succumbed to his injuries on 29th August 1942. He is buried in Section 5, Grave E14 of the Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 17 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

durnback germany

Durnbach War Cemetery Germany

10Jun42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 18hrs 15min from one operational mission and several non-operational flights.

Z1413

00Dec41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1413 was the 39th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1375 to Z1424 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

01Jan42 Aircraft received by No.46MU at RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland for acceptance checks and storage.

00Mar42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Breighton, Yorkshire.

16Mar42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn, and issued to B Flight as UV-X.

08Apr42 1st Operational Mission. SGT D.D Hurditch and crew departed Breighton at 2300hrs with seven other Wellingtons and joined up with 267 bombers of the main force to attack Hamburg, Germany. Dropped 270 x 30lb incendiary bomblets before returning without incident to base at 0315hrs.

30Apr42 the aircraft flew five operational missions and several non-operational flights in April.

06May42 6th Operational Mission. FLGOFF W.J Kennedy and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2130hrs with nine other Wellingtons and joined up with 87 bombers of the mainstream to attack targets in Stuttgart. At 0250hrs the aircraft was shot down 10 miles southeast of Maubeuge, France by a Bf110 flown by Oberleutnant Reinhold Eckardt from 7/NJG3. The aircraft crashed in a wood some 15kms from the village of Eppe le Sauvage in France, near the Belgium border.

PLTOFF Train later stated: 'The aircraft was shot down at approximately 0250 hours on 7/5/1942 at a position approximately 10 miles south-east of Maubeuge. All other members of the crew left the aircraft safely. I was last out at about 1000-2000 feet with FLGOFF Kennedy still at the controls although preparing to leave. He did not say that he was then wounded although there was a hole in the perspex in front of him. When my parachute opened the aircraft was burning on the ground. The Germans picked me up about 36 hours later and took me to the scene of the crash. The remains of one of the crew was still in the wreckage. He later was told by PLTOFF Ferry that the remains were buried at Maubeuge.'

Sgt Stephenson later stated 'FLGOFF Kennedy was killed when the aircraft, of which he was Captain, crashed in a wood approximately 15kms from the village of Eppe le Sauvage in France, near the Belgium border.'

PLTOFF Ferry later stated: 'Kennedy was doing a magnificent job at the controls and this factor undoubtedly enabled the lives of the rest of the crew to be saved.' Ferry also reported '... the aircraft was attacked by an ME110 and the port engine and wing was set on fire. The Captain ordered the crew to bale out and the crew acknowledged. The Captain was unable to bale out and he crashed with the aircraft. The aircraft was at 1200 feet and in a shallow dive when I baled out. It crashed near Eppe le Sauvage, France. I was four days at large and then betrayed by a French farmer and captured by the French police.'

RAAF Pilot 402362 FLGOFF William Joseph Kennedy (26) of Kirribilli in Sydney, New South Wales is buried in Row AA. Coll. grave 5-8 of the Avesnes-Sur-Helpe Communal Cemetery. (The collective grave also contains those who died on 7 Sqn Stirling N3710 MG-M on 6 May 1942). He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 58 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

avesnes sur helpe france

Avesnes sur Helpe Communal Cemetery France

RAAF Observer 402913 PLTOFF Henry Roland Train (32) of Sydney, New South Wales was captured and after initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt was given the POW No.782 and sent to Stalag Luft 3 Zagan & Belaria. The Sqn received a Red Cross postcard on 3Jun42 from PLTOFF Train stating he was a POW in Stalag Luft III. He was sent to Oflag XXIB in Sep42 after attempting an escape, he was then returned to Stalag Luft III in Apr43. He was liberated by the British Army on 02May45 and repatriated initially to the UK the back to Australia, where he demobbed on 31Oct1945 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

RAAF 2nd Pilot 406180 PLTOFF Ian Frederick Keys (26) of West Perth WA was captured and after initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt was given the POW No.7777 and sent to Stalag Luft 3 Zagan & Belaria. The Sqn received a Red Cross postcard on 2Jun42 from PLTOFF Keys stating he was a POW in Stalag Luft III. He was released in May 1945 and returned to 460Sqn. He resigned from the RAAF on 07Jan1946 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

RNZAF Bomb Aimer 402527 SGT S H Sharp was captured and after initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt was given the POW No.881 and sent to Stalag Luft 3 Zagan & Belaria. The Sqn received an Air Ministry Signal on 3Jun42 stating SGT Sharp was POW in Stalag Luft III. He was released in May 1945 and repatriated to New Zealand.

RAAF Air Gunner 406089 PLTOFF Roderick Roland Ferry was captured and after initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt was given the POW No.768 and sent to Stalag Luft 3 Zagan & Belaria. The Sqn received an Air Ministry Signal on 3Jun42 stating FLOGOFF Ferry was a POW in and Dalag Luft II. He was released in May 1945 and repatriated to Australian where he resigned from the RAAF on 16 January1946 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 400762 SGT Jack Mitchell Stephenson was captured and after initial interrogation at the Dalag Luft Oberursel near Frankfurt was given the POW No.94 and sent to Stalag Luft 6 Heydekrug. The Sqn received a Red Cross postcard on 8Jun42 from WOFF Stephenson stating he was a POW. He was released in May 1945 and repatriated to Australian where he resigned from the RAAF on 04 January1946 with the rank of Warrant Officer.

30May42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 55hrs 50min from six operational missions and several non-operational flights.

Z1422

00Dec41 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1422 was the 48th of 50 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1375 to Z1424 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

09Jan42 Aircraft received by No.23MU at RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland for acceptance checks and storage.

00Mar42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Breighton, Yorkshire.

16Mar42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn, and issued to B Flight as UV-W.

25Jun42 1st Operational Mission. SQNLDR J.W Leighton and crew departed Breighton at 2319hrs with 19 other Wellingtons and joined 960 bombers of the main force for a 1,000 bomber Raid to Bremen. Target area covered by 9/10th cloud therefore the 720 x 4lb Incendiary Bomblets were dropped at 0148hrs in the general target area. Returned to base at 0456hrs.

29Jun42 3rd Operational Mission. SGT A.W Johnston and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2240hrs tasked with a mine laying flight off the French coast. Dropped their mines in the assigned position and set course for home. The aircraft was hit by flak which caused damage to the aircraft's main plane, rear turret and starboard engine but the pilot was able to make a safe return to base at 0545hrs.Damage assessed as Cat.A/FB ad repaired at base.

30Jun42 the aircraft flew three operational missions and several non-operational flights in June.

21Jul42 5th Operational Mission. SGT D. J Galt and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2340hrs with eleven Wellingtons and joined 279 bombers of the main force to attack Duisburg. At 1030hrs the rear turret hydraulics failed so the captain aborted the mission and returned to base at 0327hrs.

31Jul42 the aircraft flew six operational missions and several non-operational flights in July.

04Aug42 10th Operational Mission. PLTOFF A.G Grand and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2340hrs and joined up with 44 other main stream aircraft for a mine laying mission off Lorient but failed to return. No trace of the aircraft was ever found. One crewman’s body was recovered from the sea.

RAAF pilot 402948 PLTOFF Albert George Grand (22) single of Casino, New South Wales was KIA and has no known grave. He is remembered on Panel 111 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK. He is also commemorated on Panel No. 107 at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra

runnymede

Runnymede Memorial UK

RAAF Observer 405274 SGT Athole Douglas Macleod (19) of Bundaberg, Queensland was KIA and has no known grave. He is remembered on Panel 113 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK. He is also commemorated on Panel No. 108 at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra

RAAF Wireless Operator 405273 SGT Albert William Howard (29) married of Taringa Queensland was KIA and has no known grave. He is remembered on Panel 112 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK. He is commemorated on Panel No. 107 at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 404313 SGT Thomas Cunnah Hogben (21) single of Toowoomba, Queensland was KIA. His body washed ashore and he is buried in Grave 4 of the Quiberon Communal Cemetery. A Red Cross report stated the Germans shot down the aircraft over the sea and SGT Hogben’s body washed ashore on 24Aug41 near Port Ivy, Brittany. He is commemorated on Panel No. 107 at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and locally on the Toowoomba Grammar School WW2 Honour Board.

quiberon france

Quiberon Communal Cemetery France

RAAF Air Gunner 405277 SGT Colin Roderick Donald Lowis (30) single of Ipswich Queensland was KIA and has no known grave. He is remembered on Panel 112 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK. He is commemorated on Panel No. 107 at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra

01Sep42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 152hrs 35min from 10 operational missions and several non-operational flights.

Z1462

00Jan42 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1462 was the 4th of 38 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1459 to Z1496 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

17Jan42 Aircraft received by No.44MU at RAF Edzell in Angus, Scotland

28Jan42 Aircraft received by 12MU at RAF Kirkbride for storage.

16Jul42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Breighton, Yorkshire.

22Jul42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn, and issued to B Flight as UV-R.

25Jul42 Only Mission. SQNLDR J.W Leighton and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2351hrs with 14 other 466 Sqn machines and joined 298 other main stream force bombers for an attack on Duisburg The aircraft failed to return and was posted as Missing.

A POW statement from the 2nd pilot SGT Sinclair stated the aircraft was attacked twice by a night fighter when they were 10min away from the target. He said: “The aircraft was attacked by a German night fighter; on the 1st attack the stbd engine caught fire and on the 2nd attack the fuselage and stbd wing caught fire. The captain then gave the order to bale out. All acknowledged except the rear gunner.’ Sinclair then went to the rear gunner’s position and pulled SGT Sams from the turret only to discover the gunner was dead. Sinclair and the bomb aimer SGT Sherman baled out at 12,000ft and soon after they egressed the aircraft exploded and the wreckage crashed near Lingen-Ems in northern Germany, three bodies were recovered from the wreckage. The dead crewmen were buried by the Germans in the Neuer Friedhof Cemetery at Lingen-Ems, Germany. Post war the bodies were re-interred in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

Meanwhile, SGT Sinclair determined to avoid capture had started walking west toward the Zuider Zee. After three days of travel he was given food and shelter by a Dutch farmer near Ommen, Netherlands but as he slept the farmer called in the local police who took him away and handed him over to the Germans.

RAAF pilot 40053 SQNLDR John William Edward Leighton MID (25) of Hurlstone Park, Sydney New South Wales was KIA. He was buried in Grave 15 F.1 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery at Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is also commemorated on Supplementary Panel 12 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 62 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF wireless air gunner 407834 SGT Laurence James Sams (32) single of Mount Bryan, South Australia was KIA. He was buried in Grave 15 C.12 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery at Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 93 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF air gunner 6201 SGT William George Taylor (21) of Indooroopilly, Queensland was KIA. He was buried in Grave 15 E.2 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery at Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 105 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

reichswald cemetery

Reichswald Cemetery Germany

RAAF Observer 405219 SGT Clarence Frederick Sinclair (22) of Wilberforce New South Wales baled out and was captured on 29Jul42 near the Dutch town of Ommen. After being held for 10 days at Dulag Luft near Frankfurt for interrogation he was given POW number 25128 and sent to Stalag 344 Lamsdorf where he remained until his liberation. On 09Sep42 a telegram from the Red Cross advised the RAF that Sinclair had survived the crash and was a POW. During his captivity he was promoted to Warrant Officer, he was repatriated back to Australia where he discharged from the RAAF on 22Oct45.

RAAF bomb aimer 404804 SGT Raphael Sherman (32) of Brisbane QLD baled out and was captured. After interrogation he was given POW number 25094 and sent to Stalag 344 Lamsdorf where he remained until his liberation. On 09Sep42 a telegram from the Red Cross to the RAF stated that Sherman survived the crash and was a POW. He was liberated in April 1945. During his captivity he was promoted to Warrant Officer. He was repatriated back to Australia where he discharged from the RAAF.

29Jul42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 5.40hrs from one operational and two non-operational flights.

Z1463

00Jan42 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1463 was the 5th of 38 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1459 to Z1496 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

16Jan42 Aircraft received by 8MU at RAF Little Rissington for acceptance checks and storage.

00Apr42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Breighton, Yorkshire.

08May42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn, and issued to B Flight as UV-L.

30May42 1st Operational Mission PLTOFF J.F Summers and crew departed Breighton at 2251hrs with 17 other Wellingtons and joined 1,046 bombers of the main force for The 1st Thousand Bomber Raid on Cologne. They bombed the target at 0115hrs and dropping 720 x 4lb incendiary bomblets then returned to base without incident at 0455hrs.

30Jun42 the aircraft flew twelve operational missions and several non-operational flights in June.

31Jul42 the aircraft flew eight operational missions and several non-operational flights in July.

00Aug42 the aircraft flew three operational missions and several non-operational flights in August. While serving with 460Sqn the aircraft flew 24 operational missions and several non-operational flights

09Aug42 24th Operational Mission. FSGT J.A Finlay and crew departed RAF Breighton at 0010hrs with 12 other 466Sqn machines that joined 180 other mainstream force bombers for an attack on Osnabruck. The aircraft failed to return and was declared missing. It was later learned the aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed near Hengelo 12 km SE of Zutphen, Netherlands and all aboard were killed.

RAAF pilot 403175 FSGT James Alexander Finlay (29) single of Scone, New South Wales was KIA. He is buried in Grave No.1 of the Hengelo (Gelderland) General Cemetery, 22km east of Arnhem, Netherlands. He is also commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 35 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

hengelo cemetery holland

Hengelo General Cemetery Netherlands

RAAF Observer 403561 SGT Nicholas Dan (23) single of Randwick in Sydney, New South Wales was KIA. He is buried in Grave No.4 of the Hengelo (Gelderland) General Cemetery, 22km east of Arnhem, Netherlands. He is also commemorated on Panel 121 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 26 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Wireless Operator 401080 SGT Robert Allan Ponton (29) single of Warrnambool, Victoria was KIA. He is buried in Grave No.5 of the Hengelo (Gelderland) General Cemetery, 22km east of Arnhem, Netherlands. He is also commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 86 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RNZAF Wireless Air Gunner 39099 FSGT Stephen Bryan Goord (28) single of Sittingbourne, Kent UK was KIA. He is buried in Grave 2 of the Hengelo (Gelderland) General Cemetery, 22km east of Arnhem, Netherlands. He is also commemorated on Panel 41 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; and, on the New Zealand Roll of Honour in the RNZAF Museum at Wigram, Christchurch NZ.

RAAF Air Gunner 402832 FSGT Kevin Argyle Smith (27) married of Strathfield in Sydney, New South Wales was KIA. He is buried in Grave 3 of the Hengelo (Gelderland) General Cemetery, 22km east of Arnhem, Netherlands. He is also commemorated on Panel 130 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 99 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

01Sep42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 96 hrs 50 min from 24 operational missions and an unknown number of non-operational flights.

Z1464

00Jan42 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1464 was the 6th of 38 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1459 to Z1496 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

25Jan42 Aircraft received by No.44MU at RAF Edzell in Angus, Scotland

28Jan42 Aircraft received by No.12MU at RAF Kirkbride for storage.

00May42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Breighton, Yorkshire.

10Jun42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn, and issued to A Flight as UV-K.

18Jun42 1st Operational Mission. FSGT F.F Fahey and crew departed Breighton at 0016hrs with 11 other Wellingtons and joined 53 bombers of the main force for a minelaying mission to the Frisian Islands. Dropped one mine from 700ft at 0250hrs then returned to base at0530hrs.

30Jun42 the aircraft flew five operational missions and several non-operational flights in June.

30Jul42 the aircraft flew seven operational missions and several non-operational flights in July.

15Aug42 17th Operational Mission. SGT E.K Brasher and crew departed Breighton at 0002hrs with five Wellingtons that joined 126 bombers of the main force for an attack on Dusseldorf. The crew dropped their 810 x 4lb incendiary bomblets from 13,000ft at 0218hrs then set course for home. At 0230hrs the aircraft was flying at 14,000f approximately 30km NW of Dusseldorf when it was attacked by Ju88. The enemy fired a 4 second burst of cannon and machine gun scoring numerous hits along the port side amidships just aft of the astrodome. The wireless operator was standing in the astrodome and was wounded in both thighs. The captain immediately flung the Wellington into a steep dive and fortuitously placed the rear gunner in an ideal firing position. The gunner opened fire at a range of 70-100 yards and fired one long burst of seven seconds into the Ju88. The gunner saw numerous hits along the fwd fuselage and wing root before the Ju88 pitched up into a climbing turn to port. The Ju88 then stalled and fell away out of control with flames issuing from the port wing and fuselage.

The crew discovered the hydraulics had failed and the bomb doors would not shut. Two cannon shells had travelled through the aircraft severing many electrical looms and geodetic frames. Miraculously, there were no further injuries. The aircraft reached base without further incident and landed at 0156hrs. The aircraft was assessed as Cat.Ac/FB and was repaired on site by a contractor.

31Aug42 the aircraft flew five operational missions and several non-operational flights in August. While serving with 460Sqn the aircraft flew 18 operational missions and several non-operational flights

10Oct42 Returned to service with 460Sqn.

09Dec42 Allocated to No.301 Polish Squadron at RAF Hemswell, Yorkshire

18Dec42 received by 301Sqn

00Feb43 Allocated to No.305 Polish Squadron at RAF Hemswell, Yorkshire.

19Feb43 Received by 305Sqn and Coded SM-P.

21Mar43 Received by Vickers Ltd at Weybridge

01May43 Returned to 305Sqn.

00May43 Received by No.33MU at RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire.

20Aug43 Allocated to No.104 (T) Operational Training Unit at RAF Nutts Corner.

29Aug43 Received by 104OTU.

15Jan44 Received by Brooklands Aviation at Sywell aerodrome.

20Jan44 Classified as Cat.E non repairable.

08Mar44 Aircraft SOC and sold for scrap.

Z1470

00Jan42 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1470 was the 12th of 38 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1459 to Z1496 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

27Jan42 Aircraft received by No.46MU at RAF Lossiemouth for acceptance checks and storage.

00May42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Breighton, Yorkshire.

02Jun42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn, and issued to B Flight as UV-R.

06Jun42 1st Operational Mission. SGT A.G Grand and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2334hrs with 11 other 460Sqn machines and joined 222 other main stream force bombers for an attack on Emden. Dropped 910 x 4lb incendiary bomblets on the assigned target and returned to base at 0408hrs.

30Jun42 the aircraft flew six operational missions and several non-operational flights in June.

02Jul42 7th Operational Mission. SGT A.F Whittick and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2313hrs with nine other 460Sqn machines and joined 317 main stream force bombers for an attack on Bremen. At approximately 0109hrs on 3rd Jul 1942 the aircraft was shot down by Oberleutnant Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weissenfeld in a Bf110 G-4 from 5/NJG-2. Before crashing into Lake Baulaker, Ijsselmeer Netherlands the Air Gunner PLTOFF C.R Lark baled out but the remaining crew were killed in the crash.

RAAF pilot 404844 SGT Alexander Frederick Whittick (22) single of Cairns Queensland was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 113 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK; on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 115 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

runnymede

Runnymede Memorial UK

RAAF navigator 406272 FLGOFF Albert Ernest William Webb (29) single of Cottesloe Perth Western Australia was KIA has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 111 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK; on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 113 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 401237 SGT Jack Douglas Hancocks (22) single of Kew, Victoria was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 112 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK; on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 44 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Air Gunner 406444 SGT Allan Edwin McCrae (25) single of Kalgoolie Western Australia was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 112 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK; on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 70 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

australian war memorial canberra

Australian War Memorial Canberra

RAAF Air Gunner 403409 FLGOFF Charles Roland Lark (24) of Sydney, New South Wales baled out and captured. After the obligatory interrogation in Frankfurt he was given POW No.655 and sent to Oflag XVI, then Stalag Luft III. He was interviewed by the Red Cross who obtained the following report: 'During operations over enemy territory on the night of 2nd and 3rd of July 1942 we were attacked by enemy aircraft. I fell to the floor wounded and spoke into the intercom but obtained no reply.

The pilot Sgt. Whittick, navigator, P/O Webb and rear gunner Sgt. McCrea were at their usual stations. The wireless operator Sgt. Hancocks was carrying out duties about halfway down the fuselage and as far as I can tell was not wounded. Coming forward he helped me free from some entanglement, then climbed over the main spar and disappeared into the cabin.

That was the last contact I had with him of any of the crew. As I baled out, the aircraft was burning in several places and appeared to be out of control. I have since been advised that the remainder of the crew lost their lives. Please convey my deepest sympathy to the families of those concerned. I they so desire, I shall be only too glad to contact them after the war and give them my further details'

Because of his injuries Lark was repatriated back to the UK in a prisoner swap organized by the International Red Cross. Following further treatment in the UK he resigned from the RAAF on 22Sep44.

01Aug42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 64 hrs 10 min from seven operational missions and an unknown number of non-operational flights.

Z1483

00Feb42 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1483 was the 25th of 38 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1459 to Z1496 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.124362/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

18Feb42 Aircraft received by 12MU at RAF Kirkbride for acceptance checks and storage.

18Jun42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Breighton, Yorkshire.

26Jun42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn, and issued to A Flight as UV-D.

02Jul42 1st Operational Mission. SGT J.A Finlay and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2334hrs with 17 other Wellingtons and joined 317 bombers of the main stream for an attack on Bremen. Dropped 72 x 30lb incendiary bomblets on the target and returned to base 0222hrs.

25Jul42 5th Operational Mission. SGT J.A Finlay and crew departed RAF Breighton at 0007hrs with 12 other Wellingtons and joined 300 bombers of the main force for an attack on Duisburg, Germany. At 0052hrs the pilot aborted when the rear failed to fire when tested. Returned to base at 0205hrs.

26Jul42 6th Operational Mission. FLTLT V.F Keyser and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2248hrs with 11 other 466 machines and joined 391 bombers of the main stream force for an attack on Hamburg. The crew failed to return and was listed as MIA. Post War investigations established that the aircraft was hit by flak over the town of Uthlede approximately 20 miles north west of Bremen, Germany. The aircraft fell into a field about 1.5 miles south west of Uthlede and exploded on impact. The remains of the crew were found in the aircraft and were buried by the Germans.

RAAF pilot 406359 FLTLT Vernon Frank Keyser (24) single of Perth WA was KIA. He is buried in Collective Grave 12.D.12-14 of the Becklingen War Cemetery, Luneburg Heath in Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 59 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

becklingen cemetery

Becklingen War Cemetery Germany

RAAF bomb aimer 400974 PLTOFF Keith McDowell Ferguson (26) single of Echuca VIC was KIA. He is buried in Collective Grave 12.D.12-14 of the Becklingen War Cemetery, Luneburg Heath in Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 163 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 402947 SGT Garth Richard Gower (28) married of Stockton NEW SOUTH WALES was KIA. He is buried in Collective Grave 12.D.12-14 of the Becklingen War Cemetery, Luneburg Heath in Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 41 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Air Gunner 408143 FSGT Max James Foley (20) single of Launceston TAS was KIA. He is buried in Collective Grave 12.D.12-14 of the Becklingen War Cemetery, Luneburg Heath in Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 36 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR Wireless Air Gunner 1166451 SGT William Edward Horsfall (26) married of Southall Middlesex was KIA. He is buried in Collective Grave 12.D.12-14 of the Becklingen War Cemetery, Luneburg Heath in Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 51 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

30Jul42 Aircraft struck off charge with a total accumulated flight time of 60 hrs 125min from six operational missions and an unknown number of non-operational flights.

Note: Some reference sources state the crew listed below flew Z1483. However, the listed crew actually flew Z1335 which was also lost on 26/27 July 1942 on the Hamburg Operation.

FLGOFF Frederick James Breen 402760 (Pilot, RAAF),

FLGOFF John Storey 403965 (Nav, RAAF),

SGT Aubrey Archdale Bice 405066 (Bomb Aimer, RAAF),

SGT Ivan Thomas Tulloh 401865 (Wireless Op, RAAF)

SGT Archibald Edmond Tinkler 400741 (Air Gunner, RAAF)

Z1485

00Feb42 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1485 was the 27th of 38 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1459 to Z1496 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.97887/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

20Feb42 Aircraft received by 12MU at RAF Kirkbride for acceptance checks and storage.

00May42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Breighton, Yorkshire.

20May42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn, and issued to A Flight as UV-B.

30May42 1st Operational Mission. PLTOFF P. Hallett and crew departed Breighton at 2259hrs with 17 other Wellingtons and joined 1,046 bombers of the main force for The Thousand Bomber Raid on Cologne. At 0105hrs they dropped 720 x 4lb incendiary bomblets from 12,000ft on the target through 7/10th cloud. Returned to base without incident at 0418hrs.

30Jun42 aircraft flew ten operational missions and several non-operational flights in June.

08Jul42 13th Operational Mission. SGT F.R Jackson and crew departed Breighton at 2336hrs with 17 other Wellingtons and joined 272 bombers of the main force for an attack on Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The pilot aborted the mission because the crew could not find the target in the allotted time. Jettisoned bombs into the North Sea then returned to base at 0537hrs.

30Jul42 aircraft flew seven operational missions and several non-operational flights in July.

28Aug42 22nd Operational Mission. FLGOFF R.D Elrington and crew departed RAF Breighton at 1939hrs with five other 466Sqn machines and joined 107 bombers of the mainstream force for an attack on Saarbrucken. The aircraft was lost without a trace, and the aircraft or crew were never found.

RAAF pilot 403663 FLGOFF Richard Douglas Elrington (26) single of East Kempsey New South Wales was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 109 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK; on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 160 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

runnymede

Runnymede Memorial UK

RAAF Observer 401436 SGT Eric Noel Hare (20) single of Melbourne Victoria was KIA. He is commemorated on Panel 112 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK; on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 45 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Wireless Operator 411413 SGT James Arthur Smith (25) single of Lewisham, Sydney New South Wales was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 113 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK; on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 99 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 401469 FLGOFF Norman Allan Taylor (30) married of Middle Brighton Victoria was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 111 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK; on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 105 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Air Gunner 401559 FLGOFF William Dillon (23) single of Essendon, Melbourne Victoria was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 109 of the Runnymede Memorial on Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK; on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 29 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

00Aug42 aircraft flew four operational missions and several non-operational flights in August.

01Sep42 Aircraft struck off charge with total accumulated flight time of 155.00hrs from twenty-two operational missions and several non-operational flights

Z1486

00Feb42 Vickers Type 424 Wellington B Mk.IV Serial Z1486 was the 28th of 38 Mk.IV aircraft produced in the Serial Range Z1459 to Z1496 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at their Chester (Hawarden) factory to contract B.97887/40. Fitted with two 1,050 hp (783kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-45 twin-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

21Feb42 Aircraft received by 12MU at RAF Kirkbride for acceptance checks and storage.

00May42 Allocated to No.460 [Australian] Sqn at RAF Station Breighton, Yorkshire.

08May42 Aircraft taken on charge with 460Sqn, and issued to A Flight as UV-H.

19May42 1st Operational Mission. SGT D.G Kitchen and crew departed Breighton at 2215hrs with seven other Wellingtons and joined 190 bombers of the main force for an attack on Mannheim, Germany. Bombed at 0155hrs in clear skies with good visibility. Dropped 480 x 30lb incendiary bomblets on the target then returned to base without incident at 0545hrs.

00May42 aircraft flew two operational missions and several non-operational flights in May.

19Jun42 8th Operational Mission. WOFF D.G Kitchen and crew departed RAF Breighton at 2339hrs loaded with 6SBC with 90 x 4lb and 3SBC with 8 x 30lb along with 11 other 460Sqn machines and joined 184 bombers of the main force for an attack on the port city of Emden, Germany. The aircraft failed to return and was listed as MIA. Later it was learned that the aircraft crashed on a sandbank near Rysum, located seven miles west of Emden, Germany. The cause of the crash was never determined but assumed to be from flak or a night fighter.

RAAF Pilot 400805 WOFF David Gordon Kitchen (26) of Hawthorn Victoria is buried in Section 3 Grave B.16 of the Sage War Cemetery, 56km west of Bremen, Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 59 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

ibcc canwick

IBCC Memorial, Canwick Hill UK

RAAF Observer 403109 FSGT Lionel Heyman James (26) of Haymarket, Sydney New South Wales is buried in Section 3 Grave C.16 of the Sage War Cemetery, 56km west of Bremen, Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 107 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 54 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF Wireless Air Gunner 400160 SGT Geoffrey Lovell Stevens (24) of East Brighton Victoria is buried in Section 1 Grave E.14 of the Sage War Cemetery, 56km west of Bremen, Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 101 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

sage war cemetery

Sage War Cemetery Germany

RAAF Air Gunner 401408 SGT Maurice Ermini Anivitti (27) of Rose Bay, Sydney New South Wales is buried in Section 1 Grave E.15 of the Sage War Cemetery, 56km west of Bremen, Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 106 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 3 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR Wireless Air Gunner 1281960 SGT Dennis John Whelan Watson is buried in Section 3 Grave B.15 of the Sage War Cemetery, 56km west of Bremen, Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 112 of the IBCC Memorial at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

00Jun42 the aircraft flew six operational missions and several non-operational flights in June.

22Jun42 Aircraft struck off charge with total accumulated flight time of 74hrs 20min from eight operational missions and several non-operational flights

PMcG 2020-12-16

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