Operation: Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Date: 25th/26th June 1943 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit No: 100 Squadron, 1 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: ED988

Code: HW:J

Base: RAF Grimsby, Lincolnshire

Location: Westbeenster, Netherlands

Pilot: Flt Sgt. Leslie Jack Naile 415174 RAAF Age 27. MiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Cyril Connah 1005899 RAFVR Age 22. MiA

Nav: Sgt. Ronald William Mepsted 1387214 RAFVR Age 20. KiA

Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. Charles Pharaoh Reynolds 132095 RAFVR Age 21. MiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. John Dillon 1126212 RAFVR Age 22. MiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Flt Sgt. Lawrence George Porritt 416016 RNZAF Age 21. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Leonard Bennett 650929 RAF Age 29. KiA

Above: Thought to be crew photo in front of Lancaster ED988 (courtesy Greg Harrison)

Above: Sgt. Leonard Bennett and unknown family members. His uniform shows no Air Gunner Brevet and his forage cap has no aircrew band so it is assumed that this were taken whilst he was a recruit. (Courtesy Nicholas Bennett)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Grimsby, Lincolnshire at 23:23 hrs on an operation to bomb Gelsenkirchen with another 217 Lancasters, 190 Halifaxes and 10 Mosquitoes. The raid was not at all as had been hoped. Weather was cloudy with no moon until about 03:00 hrs.

Equipment failure in half of the Mosquitoes and another dropping target markers 10 miles off target. The bombing as a result of this made the Germans think that the raid was actually on Bochum. However some industrial targets were hit in the town.

100 Squadron had sent 15 aircraft on this operation, 2 returned early one with a technical failure another with navigation failure. 3 aircraft returned with flak damage. In all the allies lost 33 aircraft this night.

ED988 was intercepted and shot down en-route to the target by Ofw. Karl-Heinz Scherfling. The aircraft crashed at 00:54 hrs. The Germans removed three (3) bodies of the crew before the full bomb load exploded at around 03:50 hrs. Six (6) Germans suffered various degrees of injuries from the explosion, none fatal.

Above : Ofw. Karl-Heinz Scherfling and crew.

Ofw. Scherfling from 10./NJG1 was already an ace at this time with 14 victories. He was killed after 31 confirmed night victories when on the 20th/21st July 1944 he crashed following an interception by a Mosquito NT113 from 169 Sqn flown by Wg Cdr. Bromley OBE. DFC. and Flt Lt. Truscott DFC, both of whom were KiA on the 6th September 1944 after their Mosquito VI PZ230 exploded in the air during a bomber support operation.

Burial details:

Memorial placed to the crew in 2018 (courtesy Peter Hakze)

Flt Sgt. Leslie Jack Naile. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 193. Born on the 6th November 1916 in Bath, England. Son of Arthur Edward and Bessie Naile. Husband of Phyllis Alison Naile, of Subiaco, Western Australia.

Sgt. Cyril Connah. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 145. Son of Thomas and Hilda Connah, of Pontblyddyn, Flintshire, Wales.

Grave marker for Sgt. Ronald W. Mepsted (Courtesy Robbie Pearson - FindAGrave)

Sgt. Ronald William Mepsted Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. Plot 69. Row B. Collective grave 19. Son of Horace William and Kathleen Mepsted, of Edmonton, Middlesex, England.

Fg.Off. Charles Pharaoh Reynolds Runnymede Memorial. Panel 129. Son of Charles and Jane Reynolds, of Netherton, Cumberland, England.

Sgt. John Dillon. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 147. Son of Thomas George and Mary Jane Dillon, of Belfast, Northern Ireland.

(Grave marker Courtesy Robbie Pearson - FindAGrave)

Flt Sgt. Lawrence George Porritt. Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. Plot 69. Row B. Collective grave 19. Born on the 23rd April 1922 at Auckland. Son of George Lupton and Linda Elizabeth (née Lawrence) Porritt of Henry Street, Avondale, Auckland, New Zealand.

Prior to joining the RNZAF he worked as a dental mechanic for W.D. Pardy. 180 flying hours logged and on his 9th operational sortie.

Newspaper cutting and Telegram for Sgt. Bennett (Courtesy Nicholas Bennett)

Above: Joint grave marker for Sgt. Bennett, Plt Off. Jospeh Horrace Addison C16683, RCAF who was the Rear Gunner from 103 Sqn, Lancaster I, W4827 (Courtesy Robbie Pearson - FindAGrave)

Sgt. Leonard Bennett. Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. Plot 69. Row B. Collective grave 19. Son to Mr and Mrs H. Bennett of Haworth, Bradford. Husband to Mrs L. Bennet of Coventry, Warwickshire, England.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire Thanks to Nicholas Bennett, the grandson of Sgt. Bennett for the photographs and other information.

Other sources listed below:

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