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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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75
29/30th December 1940 75 Squadron Wellington IC R3211 P/O. Newman

Operation: Hamm

Date: 29/30th December 1940 (Sunday/Monday

Unit: No. 75 Squadron (motto: Ake ake kia kaha - 'For ever and ever be strong')/

Type: Wellington IC

Serial: R3211

Code: AA-J

Base: RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk

Location: Goudswaard, Netherlands

Pilot: P/O. Herbert Douglas Newman 36271, NZ/2508 RAF/RNZAF PoW No. 459 Stalag Luft Barth Vogelsang and Stalag Luft Sagan

Pilot: Sgt. John Middleton Garrett NZ/391349 RNZAF PoW No. 597 Stalag Luft Barth Vogelsang, Stalag Luft Sagan, Stalag Kopernikus and Stalag Luft Heydekrug

Obs: P/O Robert Garth Stark NZ/40631 RNZAF PoW No. 414 Stalag Luft Barth Vogelsang, Stalag Luft Sagan

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Sidney Lawrence Spittle 968421 RAFVR PoW No. 447 Stalag Luft Barth Vogelsang, Stalag Luft Heydekrug

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Manville Charles Fenn 909269 RAFVR PoW No. 429 Stalag Luft Barth Vogelsang, Stalag Luft Heydekrug and Stalag Kopernikus

Air/Gnr: Sgt. David Garrick Branscombe Protheroe NZ401231 RNZAF PoW No. 446 Stalag Luft Barth Vogelsang, Stalag Luft Sagan and Stalag Kopernikus

REASON FOR LOSS:

Weather was not good, 10/10 cloud being experienced over whole of route and in target areas.

Three Wellington aircraft of 75 squadron were detailed to carry out individual bombing attacks against the marshalling yards at Hamm. A mixed bomb load with 500 lb.. bombs fused N.D.T., 500 lb. bombs delayed action and containers of incendiaries.

Understood to have encountered strong headwinds on their return leg and ran out of fuel. They crash landed at Goudswaard at 02:25 hrs. All crew were taken PoW

P/O. Newman awarded a MiD for services whilst a PoW. His brother, F/O. Andrew George Patterson Newman killed piloting a Spitfire on the 18th January 1945. More details here. Herbert Newman passed away in 1974. Sgt. Garratt was awarded the MBE for services whilst a PoW. P/O. Stark also awarded MBE on the 28th December 1945 and Bronze Star (USA) on the 5th July 1946 for his services while PoW. Sgt. Protheroe died 27th September 1986, age 66 at Haapi, Tonga.

Burial details:

None - all survived the war.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 24-10-2021

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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