Operation: Kassel

Date: 3rd/4th October 1943 (Sunday/Monday)

Unit: 623 Squadron

Type: Stirling III

Serial: EH994

Code: IC:P

Base: RAF Downham Market, Norfolk

Location: Harleshausen, Kassel,

Pilot: Plt.Off Thomas James Muir J21330 RCAF Age 23. Killed.

Flt.Eng: Sgt. Islwyn Jenkins 1129497 RAFVR Age? Killed.

Nav: Sgt. Ashley William Frederick Notman 1321158 RAFVR Age 21. Killed.

Air Bmr: Sgt. Lloyd Webster Moore RCAF Age 23. PoW No: 259890, Stalag Mühlberg-Elbe (1)

W Op/Air Gnr: Sgt. John Dawson 1386587 RAFVR Age 20. Killed.

Air Gnr: Sgt. Thomas McPhaile Martin R184683 RCAF Age 19. Killed.

Air Gnr: Sgt. Roy Vincent Bernard Knox R179319 RCAF Age 19. Killed.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Stirlings in formation

Took-off at 19.04 hrs from RAF Downham Market. Shot down by a night-fighter flown crashing at 22.27 hrs at Harleshausen, Kassel. Those who died were buried locally, since when their bodies have been brought to Hannover Cemetery.

At first point of research we placed it at Haste with the Luftwaffe pilot as Lt Hans-Heinz Augenstein of 7./NJG1 but it is now thought probable that he shot down the other 623 Squadron Stirling EF158 lost on this same raid. Stirling EF158 IC-S was flown by Plt.Off. Keith Shaw from New Zealand, who was killed, along with 5 other crew members - 2 made PoW.

EH994 was claimed by Maj. Helmut Lent (Left), his 76th Abschuss (71st at night, 78th overall but anerkannt as his 76th confirmed victory), from Stab NJG3 over Harleshausen at 6.300 m at 22:27 hrs. (Maj. Lent, the Kommodore of NJG3, was flying with his regular Funker (Radio Operator) Ofw. Kubisch in Bf110 G-4 D5+AA.

EH994 was also coned by 4./Flakscheinw Abt. 328 and 1. & 2./Flakscheinw Abt. 367, also claimed by Flak of battery Lohberg 2. & 3./schw. Flak Abt. 392, 1., 2. & 7./schw. Flak Abt. 393, and 2., 6. & 8./lei. Flak Abt. 986 ('Stirling Harleshausen 5000-700 m at 22:25 hrs'). The victory was credited to Maj. Lent. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (23 September - 31 December) 1943 Part 3 - Theo Boiten)

On 5th October 1944 he flew his Ju88 into a high voltage cable and lost the port engine. The aircraft stalled and plunged into the ground at Paderborn. He died following complications from a leg amputation two days later. He was posthumously promoted to Oberst (Col.) and was the first Luftwaffe pilot to confirm 100 night fighter victories and had 111 confirmed victories. (Luftwaffe Aces, Biographies and Victory Claims - Mathews and Foreman). Walter Kubisch (radio operator) and Hermann Klöss (2nd radio operator) died the same day, Werner Kark (War correspondent and Air/Gnr) died the following morning.

(1) Left: Mr. Lloyd Moore, pictured in 1982. Mr. Lloyd Moore sadly died in 1986 of cancer. His son, David, sent us a selection of his poems written whilst a PoW. Our poetry section shows these.

(Right) He was born Lloyd Webster Moore on August 19th 1923 in Saint John New Brunswick. Grew up in Saint John and attended local schools.

Burial details:

Plt.Off. Thomas James Muir. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 1.H.4. Born on the 15th June 1921 in Montreal, Quebec. Son of Thos Lindsay and Ethel Robina (née Griffin) Muir from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. His mother predeceased him in 1911.

Sgt. Islwyn Jenkins. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 1.H.1. NoK details currently not available - are you able to assist completion of these and any other information?

Sgt. Ashley William Frederick Notman. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 1.H.3. Born Islington in the March 1922 Qtr, he was the son of William and Susannah (née Hoy) Notman of Islington, Middlesex, England. His father predeceased him in January 1934.

Sgt. John Dawson. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 1.H.2. Inscription reads "DAYS ARE PASSING YEARS ROLL BY MEMORIES OF JOHN WILL NEVER DIE. MUM AND DAD". Born in 1923. Son of John Henry and Marie Dawson, of Bognor Regis, Sussex, England.

Sgt. Thomas McPhaile Martin. Hannover War Cemetery. Grave 1.H.5. Born in May 1922 in Port Arthur, Ontario. Son of Thomas McPhail and Phyllis (née Waller) Martin from Englehart, Ontario.

Flt.Sgt. Roy Vincent Bernard Knox. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 1.H.6. Born 24 February 1924 in Montreal, Quebec. Son of Joseph Gordon and Frances Lillian (née Kelly) Fox. His parents were separated but both lived in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Sgt. Knox was promoted to Flt.Sgt. one day before the mission on the 2nd October 1943.

Researched for relatives of the crew including, David Moore, John Shorrocks, Deborah Martin Arrand. For further details our thanks to Dave Champion for crew details and further information and photographs (May 2019). Thanks to Deborah Marjorie Arrand, the niece of Sgt. 'Tommy' Martin, for the images and telegram (Nov 2020). Other research and updates by Aircrew Remembered (Nov 2020).

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