Operation: Dusseldorf

Date: 10/11th September 1942 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit: No. 11 Operational Training Unit 91 Group

Type: Wellington Ic

Serial: DV930

Code: TX-O

Base: RAF Bassingbourne - Steeple Morden - satellite dispersal airfield

Location: Herne Hill Farm, Chediston, Suffolk

Pilot: Sgt. Thomas Fraser Munro NZ/415005 RNZAF Age 31. Killed

Obs: Sgt. Jack Foden Stanley NZ/41553 RNZAF Age 20. Killed

Air/Bmr Sgt. Andrew Scott Renwick 1552246 RAFVR Age 20. Injured (1)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Kenneth Hamilton Vigers 1151773 RAFVR Age 24. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Robert Walter Freeman 1334858 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 21:03 hrs to bomb Düsseldorf. A huge force took off - a total of 479 aircraft mad up with 242 Wellingtons, 89 Lancasters, 59 Halifaxes, 47 Stirlings, 28 Hampdens and 14 Whitleys.

The pathfinders marked the target area successfully using the "Pink Pansies" (2) in converted 4,000 lb. bomb casings. The city was hit in all areas apart from the north, also hit was the neighbouring town of Neuss.

Reports are that 39 industrial firms in Düsseldorf and a further 13 in Neuss were damaged to the extent that no production could take place for various periods, 8 public buildings were destroyed and 67 damaged. 911 houses were also destroyed, 1,506 seriously damaged and another 8,340 lightly damaged.

On the ground 132 people were killed, made up of 120 in Düsseldorf and 12 in Neuss. A further 11 people were classed as "missing" 2 days after the raid. 19,427 people were made homeless.

The raid took it's toll on the allies though with 33 aircraft lost. (20 Wellingtons, 5 Lancasters. 4 Stirlings, 3 Halifaxes and 1 Hampden) 60 crewmen were killed, 1 injured and 13 made PoW.

It is thought probable (based on timings) that they were forced to return. During this the aircraft came down at location described at 23:50 hrs.

Another 11 OTU crew were also lost during this operation. The mainly New Zealand crew flying Wellington Ic DV890 flown by Sgt. Norman John Rowe NZ/414344 RNZAF was killed with all his other four crew, buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. (All also on on their 1st operational sortie)

(1) Sgt. Renwick did survive the crash but succumbed to his injuries the following day.

(2) "Pink Pansies" an incendiary bomb - 2,800 lb.'s. - used as a target marker made up from Benzol, rubber and phosphorous)

L-R: Rear; Allan Thomas Condon NZ/414962 died 01st July 2007, age 83, G.W Honey, Patrick Montague Boyle NZ/414955 died 05th April 1999, age 80, Thomas Fraser Munro NZ/415005 RNZAF - Killed on the 10th September 1942 whilst with 11 Operational Training Unit returning from an operation to Dusseldorf Wellington IC DV930 Crashed in Suffolk on return, G.H Myers, Charles Millard Tapper NZ/415038 died 29th January 2003 age 81.

Centre; Laurence John Kirkpatrick NZ/414990 RNZAF - Killed on the 23rd September 1943 whilst with 75 Squadron during an operation to Mannheim, Ian Roderick McKenzie NZ/426335 died 09th May 1983 age 73, Henry James Bennett NZ/414722 - Killed 03rd February 1945 whilst with 22 squadron on a Rhubarb operation in Burma, Beaufighter TF.X NE445, Kenneth George Edgington NZ/414969 , John Basil Martyn NZ/415001 - killed on the 30th March 1943 with 428 squadron on Wellington X HE175 on an operation to Bochum, A NZ/, David Ross Scrymgeour NZ/414687 - killed with 13 squadron flying Blenheim V BA727 on the 19th April 1943 off Tunisia,.Owen Henry Glengarry NZ/404358 killed on the 03rd September 1941, flying Master W8539 during a training exercise, R.H Nimmo.

Front; Murray Archer Legg NZ/415071 RNZAF - Killed on the 24th January 1943 whilst with 58 Squadron, Halifax II DT684 during a transit flight., Lawrence Alfred Idle NZ/415191, Athol George Greentree NZ/414974 RNZAF - Killed on the 12th November 1943 whilst with 42 Squadron Beaufighter TF.X LX912 during a torpedo strike off Crete., Allan Henderson Smith NZ/411947 died 01st June 2004 age 83, Francis Henry James Pheloung NZ/415012, Peter Sydney Watt tt NZ/415046 - Killed on the 02nd January 1944

Burial details:

A brass memorial plaque is inlace at St. Mary's Church, Chediton as well as a poppy memorial made by the granddaughter of the pilot, Fiona Woodberry of Victoria, Australia.

Sgt. Thomas Fraser Munro. Ipswich Old Cemetery. Sec. C. Div. 31. Grave 35. Born on the 13th December 1910 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Son of George(died 13th February 1936, age 61) and Angusina Munro (née Fraser - died 22nd March 1944, age 65) of Edinburgh, Scotland. Husband of Dorothy M. Munro, of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. A publican prior to service. 308 flying hours logged and on his first operational sortie. The family also lost his brother, 25 year old, Cpl. Iain Frasern Munro 18079 of the 25th Infantry Battalion. Killed on the 25 April 1943 and buried in Enfidaville War Cemetery, Tunisia. Grave VII. D. 28.

Further information courtesy relatives vis Medals Reunited of New Zealand:

George Munro was born at Oldshoremore, Eddrachillis in 1875. He was a policeman at Leith, Edinburgh after being in the Black Watch Regiment, serving in India and Boer War. While in South Africa George had had his bagpipes silver mounted and they have passed down through the family as an heirloom. George married Angusina Fraser who was born in Achlyness (both George and Angusina went to Achlyness School). Angusina moved to Edinburgh to be near George. Their son Thomas Fraser Munro was born in Edinburgh plus three other children. Eventually George and Angusina decided that the families future lay in New Zealand. George went out there while Angusina took her children home to Achleyness to await word from George that they could sail to their new home. Finally, in 1912, Angusina and her young family left Scotland for New Zealand and her husband.

Tom was a champion piper, along with his father George Munro winning many awards. Tom's bagpipes were his father George's. He played them in the Black Watch in South Africa and Scotland. They were Henderson bagpipes made of African Blackwood mounted with silver in South Africa for 22 Pounds when he bought them. Tom's son George played the same bagpipes at St. Andrews College in Christchurch and in the Temuka Pipe Band, in South Canterbury.

Right: Thomas with his father, George in the 1920's

Sadly Tom's brother, Iain, who was born in New Zealand, also lost his life in the same war. Two sons left for war - none returned.

During the Second World War young Thomas, who had previously been a publican in New Zealand, joined the Forces - claiming to be older than he was - and eventually found himself on leave in Britain when he was able to visit his Fraser relations at Achlyness. It is known that he received a Fraser family history during this trip but sadly this has never been seen. The family guessed that the ship that carried that mail home was torpedoed as so many were. What the family do have is Tom’s war time diary which gives a great description of his short wartime life.

Sgt. Jack Foden Stanley. Ipswich Old Cemetery Sec. C. Div. 31. Grave 34. Son of Thomas Armitage Stanley and of Florence Hilda Stanley (nee Lancaster), of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. 228 flying hours logged and on his first operational sortie.

Sgt. Andrew Scott Renwick. Camelon Cemetery. Sec. 12. Grave 421. Born on the 14th June 1922 at Wigtownshire, the son of William Montgomery Renwick and of Elsie A. Renwick (née Scott), of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Sgt. Kenneth Hamilton Vigers. Little Stukeley Churchyard (St. Martin). Son of the Revd. Edgar Hall Vigers, M.A. (died 07th September 1954, age 77) and Marjorie Constance Vigers (née Eccles - died 30th November 1964, age 80), of Abbots Ripton, Cambridgeshire, England. Grave inscription reads: 'An Inspiration To Us All'.Sgt. Robert Walter Freeman. Englefield Green Cemetery. Plot 10. Grave 1164. Son of William Harold and Eliza Freeman, of Egham, Surrey, England. Grave inscription reads: 'Accepted In The Beloved." Ephesians I.6'.

In 2025 Medals Reunited of New Zealand facilitated the return of Sgt Munro medals to the family

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, to Ian Martyn of “Medals Reunited”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand, with thanks to Geoffrey Gillon and George Evans for grave photographs, other sources as quoted below:

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