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Operation: Essen
Date: 12/13th December 1944 (Tuesday/Wednesday)
Unit: No. 77 Squadron
Type: Halifax III
Serial: MZ470
Code: KN-F
Base: RAF Full Sutton, Yorkshire
Location: At airfield, RAF Full Sutton
Pilot: F/O. Mons Edwin Murrell NZ/39774 RNZAF Survived, uninjured (1)
Fl/Eng: Sgt. A. Baker RAFVR Survived uninjured
Nav: F/O. William Roderick McPherson AUS/414155 RAAF Age 22. Survived uninjured (2)
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. ‘Hill’ Hilary James Connolly AUS/424977 RAAF Survived uninjured
W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. John William Bishop AUS/426510 RAAF Survived uninjured
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. H. Hughes RAFVR Survived uninjured
Air/Gnr: P/O. ‘Ted’ H.E. Smith RAFVR Survived uninjured
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off at 16:25 hrs from RAF Full Sutton to bomb Essen - for the last time of the war. 512 Lancasters and Halifaxes together with 28 Mosquitoes. The attack taking place between 18:15 hrs and 19:55 hrs.
MZ470 With flight and ground crew (courtesy Rod McPherson -December 2016).
The bombers crossed France and then turned North East towards Deelen - when there they turned South East to Essen climbing to commence their bombing run. Due to the Mandrel screening and the radio signals silence the Luftwaffe were fooled as to the target. Even with that the very poor light with visibility spoilt by cloud up to 6,000 mtrs the Luftwaffe failed to intercept the stream until they reached the target.
Above - “Mons Mob” Front L-R: P/O. ‘Ted’ Smith, F/O. ‘Mons’ Murrell. Rear: F/O. William McPherson, Fl/Sgt. Hilary Connolly, P/O. John Bishop (courtesy Rod McPherson -December 2016).
Halifax MZ470 returned to base at 22:12 hrs making a crash landing from which all the crew managed to escape uninjured.
No further details on this or any other details of the members of this crew - we welcome any contact form others who are able to contribute. We understand that this was the crew's final operational tour.
(2) Notes as supplied by his son: F/O. William McPherson was born on the 26th June 1922 in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Enlisted in Brisbane. Married in 1944 and was father to 7 children. He returned to Australia in 1946 with his wife joining him a few weeks later. In 1949 they returned to the UK were he did various jobs before becoming a master driller on oil wells etc. He worked abroad for much of his career and eventually became a senior purchasing officer for a major civil engineering company which took him to Iraq and Argentina. Sadly he died of a brain tumour at the age of only 62, a short but an active and exciting life.
Dad was a bit of an odd one. He refused to wear sheepskin flying boots (see crew photo) and on trying to get the bomber command campaign bar a couple of years ago I was informed that he had not collected his medals. These were supplied, engraved, in presentation cases with pins and spare ribbons. The Australian Government were very helpful and couldn't do enough, in complete contrast to the MOD who I first contacted as instructed.
Dad's journey was similar to ‘Mons'. He joined the reserves in Townsville in March 1941 and enlisted in Brisbane in August. He left Australia in April 1942 and arrived in Canada in May 1942 via the west coast of USA and train to Canada. He joined No. 5 Air Observer School (Winnipeg) on Ansons. Sailing for the UK from Halifax in October 1942 he completed his navigation training at RAF Wigtown up to April 1943. He went to 21 OTU at Moreton-in-Marsh in May 1943 but his training was interrupted. He resumed in Jan 44 but in the meantime his crew (Fl/Sgt. T Payne) was lost in a take-off accident. He first flew with his final crew (Mons Murrell) in Feb 1944 and was at 21 OTU until Mar 1944. In May they moved to 1652 HCU at Marston Moor until June 1944 and finally to 77 Squadron at Full Sutton. In January 1945 he became a ground lecturer on radar at 21 OTU and returned to Australia, arriving on 2/2/46. He left the service on 8/4/46 having signed on as a reserve.
Left: For Your Tomorrow A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied services since 1915 - 3 volumes of comprehensive research by Errol Martyn.
Burial details:
None - all crew survived and understood to have lived through the remainder of the war. Further details follow on others who served with F/O. McPherson, who sadly were killed. (28 year old, Fl/Sgt. Thomas Harold Payne AUS/413418 RAAF and 20 year old, Fl/Sgt. Geoffrey Maurice Connell AUS/420377 RAAF together with 27 year old, Sq/Ldr. John Noel Wilmot Kerr 43101 RAF)
December 12th 2016 - details now added.
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Rod McPherson, son of the navigator F/O. William McPherson who contacted us in December 2016. Also many thanks to Errol W. Martyn for additional details on F/O. Murrell.
KTY - 11.12.2016
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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