Operation: Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Date: 22nd February 1945 (Thursday)

Unit No: 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron, 3 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: NG450

Code: HA:B

Base: RAF Chedburgh, Suffolk

Location: Near Westerholt, Herten, 8 km (5 mls) north of the target

Pilot: Fg Off. John Edward George Muschamp 153175 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. John Simpson 1568568 RAFVR Age 22. PoW * (1)

Nav: Sgt. William Porter 1584314 RAFVR Age 31. PoW * (2)

Bomb Aimer: Sgt. James Halsall 1699656 RAFVR Age 21. PoW * (3)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Douglas Robert White 3000605 RAFVR Age 19. PoW * (4)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. George Hogg 1829950 RAFVR Age 20. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Thomas Foster ‘Paddy’ Darragh 1902840 RAFVR Age 20. KiA

* Stalag 7A, Moosburg, Bavaria

Note: The Squadron was officially adopted by his Excellency the Governor of the Gold Coast and the peoples of the Gold Coast territories during Oct 1941.

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 22nd February 1945 the squadron detailed fourteen (14) aircraft to join a force of eighty-two (82) bombers for a day-time operation to bomb the Oil Installations at Gelsenkirchen in Germany.

• This was the crew’s first operation and Fg Off. Muschamp’s first operation as captain.

No German fighter opposition was apparent inbound to or from the target but along the route and over the target the formation encountered heavy accurate Flak.

From the squadron two (2) aborted, one because a crew member fell ill and the second from hydraulic failure resulting in the undercarriage dropping.  Eleven (11) bombed the target with NG450 from the squadron being the only aircraft from the bomber steam that failed to return.

NG450 failed to follow the briefed leader which was HA:H (NF955) and instead followed HA:U (PD223) who saw NG450 jettison its bombs close to the target after being bracketed by Flak bursts.  NG450 was seen to dive steeply to port with white smoke or vapour issuing from one of its engines.  Whilst return to base PD439 XH:J heard another aircraft calling “B, Can I help you” but no reply was heard.

It is believed that the aircraft crashed near to Westerholt, Herten which is about 8 km (5 mls) north of the target and near to where the crew that perished were initially buried.

Flt Sgt. Simpson later recalled:

• ‘Our aircraft was hit around 15:30 while at 18,000 feet, we were over the target area with our bomb doors open and we were first hit immediately behind the mid-upper turret.  It must have been a type of incendiary shell as the aircraft was immediately consumed by fire. Being the flight engineer I crabbed a fire extinguisher to fight the fire, but there was no hope.  It became apparent that the controls to the tail plane had been severed as the pilot had virtually lost all control and ordered the crew to bail out.  The pilot gave the command ‘Emergency - Jump - Emergency - Jump-Jump’ followed by the words “Good luck chaps”.   We were hit again in the port wing just I left the aircraft, which was in a steep dive.  From the moment of the first hit I heard nothing from the two gunners, but the wireless operator said the mid-upper was right behind him when the aircraft blew up.  I was very low when the chute opened and although second out, I was first on the ground.  I landed in the middle of a field when some Germans from a local AA Battery found me.  They were elated at getting us, and I was initially treated well.  I had received some facial burns, broken ribs and a broken ankle from my heavy landing.  Later when we were all rounded up, we were knocked about by a Gestapo Officer. We were then transferred to a police cell when another Gestapo Officer showed up with the ID Cards of our pilot and two gunners and they were kaput.  After a couple of days in the Police cells in Gelsenkirchen, we met up with a US Liberator crew who had been shot down nearly the same day.  We were transferred to Dortmund where we were housed in a bombed-out cellar of a Luftwaffe barrack block.  We stayed here for about a fortnight.  We were then housed in a sweat box at the interrogation centre at Frankfurt.  After a fortnight’s solitary confinement were transferred to Wetzlar.  As the Allies were getting nearer, we were transferred to Stalag XXD near Nuremburg, and about a fortnight later to Stalag VIIA Moosburg.  While on the route to Mooseburg we were strafed by yanks and bombed by the RAF.  We were at the point of being transferred to Berchtesgaden when General Patton’s 3rd Army liberated us on the 29th April at 12 noon.  I have always had nothing for admiration for Muschamp our skipper, for he must have  known there was little chance of getting out himself in time.  However, he tried his utmost to hold the plane while we bailed out’. (Ref 1, p199).

• Note:  The B-24 crew Sgt. Simpson mentioned may have been from B-24L 44-49500 which was shot down by a night-fighter on the night of the 21st/22nd February 1945.  The aircraft crashed at 22:30 hrs about 11 miles SW of Krefeld which is to the SW of Gelsenkirchen.  Two (2) of the crew were KiA and eight became (8) PoWs.  Further research will be required to positively confirm or otherwise that this was the crew.

• Note: No investigation files regarding the assault by the Gestapo upon the four (4) PoWs has been found.

From the ‘General Questionnaire for British/American Ex-PoWs’ for each of the four (4) PoWs they arrived at Stalag 13D Nürnberg on the 20th March were they join the British and American PoWs who were force-marched from Stalag Luft 3.

They were amongst the PoWs who, between the 2nd and 12th April 1945, were force-marched to Stalag 7A, Moosburg in Bavaria arriving there on the 17th April 1945.  The camp was liberated on the 29th April 1945 by elements of the US 14th Armoured Division

Two (2) of the crew were interviewed on the 12th May 1945 and other two (2) on the 17th May 1945.

(1)  John Simpson was born on the 21st February 1923 in Edinburgh, Scotland.  He was an Apprentice Insurance Clerk prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 30th November 1942. John passed away on the 2nd October 2022 in Edinburgh, Scotland.

(2)  William Porter was born on the 29th January 1914 in Birmingham, West Midlands. He was employed as a Draughtsman prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 14th December 1942. William’s death was registered in the 3rd Qtr of 1992 in Birmingham, West Midlands, England.

(3)  James Halsall was born on the 19th August 1923 in Hemsworth, Yorkshire (West Riding).  He was a Schoolteacher prior to enlisting in the RAFVR.  After returning to England James returned to teaching as an Elementary School Teacher.  Sadly he succumbed to a rare form of cancer and died at home on the 20th August 1949 in South Kirby, Yorkshire (West Riding), England, aged just 26.

(4) Douglas Robert White was born on the 30th August 1925 in Lambeth, Greater London.  Prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 1st November 1943 he was employed as an Engineer.  Douglas passed away on the 20th November 2009 in Sittingbourne, Kent, England.

Burial details:

The three (3) crew who perished were initially buried at the Westerholt Cemetery and reinterred at the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery on the 23rd April 1947.

Above: Reichswald Forest War Cemetery (Courtesy of the CWGC)

Fg Off. John Edward George Muschamp.  Reichswald Forest War Cemetery 17.B.16. Grave inscription: "IN THAT RICH EARTH A RICHER DUST CONCEALED; A DUST WHOM ENGLAND BORE...".  Born in the 1st Qtr of 1924 in Cambridge.  Son of Group Captain George Allen Rodolphe Muschamp, George Cross (GC), RAF, and Louise Henriette Helene (née Ghysen) Muschamp, of Wendover, Buckinghamshire, England.

Sgt. George Hogg. Reichswald  Forest War Cemetery 17.B.15.  Grave inscription: “TREASURED MEMORIES”.  Son of Henry James Waugh and Charlotte Weir Hogg, of Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, Scotland.

• Also remembered on the Roll of Honour at the Scottish National War Memorial.

Flt Sgt. Thomas Foster Darragh.  Reichswald Forest War Cemetery 17.B.17.  Grave inscription: "THOU WILT KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE, WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON THEE”.  Son of Robert and Elizabeth Mary Darragh, of Ballymagorry, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the crew and their families (Sep 2026)

Other sources listed below:

References:

1.       IN TIME - 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron 1944-45: Steve Smith – ISBN: 9 781911 255406.