Operation: Dortmund

Date: 15/16th April 1942 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit: No. 101 Squadron

Type: Wellington III

Serial: X3694

Code: SR-U

Base: RAF Bourn, Cambridgeshire

Location: Lutrebois (Luxembourg)

Pilot: Sgt. James Festubert Nesbitt 1064494 RAFVR Age 25. Killed

Pilot 2: Sgt John Howard Hunt 1191011 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Obs: Sgt. Thomas Hubert Beament 1166172 RAFVR Age 30. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Arthur Richard Langston 1283289 RAFVR Age 31. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Basil Norman Burnett 1259335 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt Arthur William Holman 1317897 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 23:55 hrs from RAF Bourn in Cambridgeshire to join 151 aircraft to bomb Dortmund. Thick cloud and icing were encountered by the Bomber stream.

A total of 88 of these aircraft put in claims to have bombed the city. The reports state that 1 house was destroyed and a further 12 seriously damage with 2 people on the ground killed and 6 injured. The amount of bombs dropped on the city turned out to be the equivalent of 8 aircraft loads.

During this raid 3 Wellingtons and a Stirling were lost.

All 26 aircrew were killed. It is thought probable that flak shot down two Wellingtons and the Stirling.

The other Wellington from 214 Squadron Z8951 was claimed by Uffz. Walter Schienbein of 2./NJG1 at 03:30 hrs.

Charleroi Communal Cemetery

(courtesy C.W.G.C.)

Burial details:

Sgt. James Festubert Nesbitt. Charleroi Communal Cemetery Row U. Grave 6. Son of William James Nesbitt and Mary Nesbitt, South Shields, County Durham, England.

Sgt John Howard Hunt. Charleroi Communal Cemetery Row U. Grave ID. Son of Frederick Sydney and Jessie Hunt, of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England.

Sgt. Thomas Hubert Beament. Charleroi Communal Cemetery Row U. Grave I8. Son of William Hollingshead Beament and Harriet Ann Beament; husband of Gwendoline Janette Beament, of Cowley, Oxford, England.

Sgt. Arthur Richard Langston. Charleroi Communal Cemetery Row U. Grave IC. Son of Thomas Edward and Annie Langston; husband of Ida Louise Langston, of South Chingford, Essex, England.

Sgt. Basil Norman Burnett. Charleroi Communal Cemetery Row U. Grave IE. Son of Norman and Mavis Burnett, of Hampstead, London, England.

Sgt Arthur William Holman. Charleroi Communal Cemetery Row U. Grave IF. Son of John Holman, and of Effie Susan Holman, of Cross Park, Saltash, Cornwall, England.

Researched for the nephew (Mike Nesbitt) of the pilot Sgt. Nesbitt

Acknowledgments: With thanks to the following: Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses", Theo Boiten - "German Nightfighter War Diaries", Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt "Bomber Command War Diaries", the C.W.G.C.

We would like to hear from any reader regarding further information on this crew / aircraft.

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