Operation: Berlin, Germany

Date: 2nd/3rd April 1945 (Monday/Tuesday)

Unit No: 139 (Jamaica) Squadron, 8 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Mosquito XX

Serial: KB185

Code: XD:R

Base: RAF Upwood, Cambridgeshire

Location: Unknown

Pilot: Flt Lt. Geoffrey Amos Nicholls DFC, 115343 RAFVR Age 24. MiA

Nav: Flt Lt. Jack Evelyn Dawes DFC, 148397 RAFVR Age 26. MiA

We are anxious to try and place a location to the crash site of Mosquito KB185 - relatives would like to visit the area

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 22:35hrs from base at RAF Upwood, Cambridgeshire. A total of 54 Mosquitoes sent to bomb Berlin. This was the only allied casualty of the operation and sadly listed as lost without a trace. The route shown on the map below is according to the night fighter tracking on the night.

KB185 was the only Mosquito lost on this operation. The only claim for a Mosquito on the night of the 2nd/3rd April 1945 was from the Me 262 unit, 10./NGJ11 Sonder (Kdo) Welter.

The book “Nachtjagd Combat Archive (1 January 1945 - 3 May 1945) Part 6 by Theo Boiten” documents that it was Ofw. Heinrich von Stade that claimed KB185 this night. It was also noted that Ofw. Stade reportedly collided with the Mosquito and crashed to his death near Berlin and KB185 was posted lost without trace.

It is probable that both aircraft fell into what was to become the Soviet Zone after the war. Allied forces had great difficulty it accessing the Soviet Zone in order to search for lost aircraft and crew so it is likely that it was not possible to search for the location of the aircraft and the remains of the crew.

No information relating to the location of the crash of KB185 has come to light. What is known is that 10./NGJ11 flew out of the airfield at Burg bei Magdeburg which was 20 km (12½ mls) NE of Magdeburg and 4 km (2½ mls) ESE of Burg, and some 105 km (65¼ mls) WSW of Berlin.

The general range of the Me 262 is given as 1050 km (650 mls) so the loss of KB185 could be anywhere in a 360 degree radius out to 525 km (325 mls) from Burg bei Magdeburg.

(1) Flt Lt. Nicholls was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) whilst with 139 Sqn and promulgated in the London Gazette on the 22nd May 1945.

He had completed 65 operations.

(2) Jack Evelyn Dawes attended Tottenham grammar school and excelled in all branches of mathematics, continuing to higher maths until leaving school when he was sixteen (16). A small, slim boy who was very sporty, enjoying gymnastics and all forms of sports as well as fly fishing, he abhorred any form of bullying and moral aggression, a stance which inspired him to seek his fathers permission to join the RAFVR after leaving his job as a clerk to a firm of solicitors in the City.

He started his Observer training on the 29th of November 1939 and qualifying as a Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) on the 4th May 1940. He started his flying duties on Wellingtons.

On one occasion the aircraft suffered a shell burst ripping the fabric from the side of the plane and spinning it in a spiral, leaving him floating weightless inside and trying to catch his charts and instruments. As the aircraft settled down, Flt Sgt. Dawes went to assist the pilot and managed to bring the plane home using his knowledge of the stars and remembering the route of the outward flight, aiming to cross the coast at Bournemouth. He was some six (6) miles out from base but remembered an American base to the North of Bournemouth and managing to keep on course they incredibly managed an emergency touchdown.

Warrant Office (WO) 755310 Dawes was appointed to a commission and promoted to 755310 Plt Off. on the 12th May 1943 (London Gazette 24th August 1943). Promoted to Fg Off. on the 21st November 1943 (London Gazette 23rd November 1943).

After a period of being stood down, he attended No. 10 Bombing and Gunnery School under Sqn Ldr. G.E. Macdonald but returned to flying duties with the Pathfinders and then onto the Mosquito on the 20th of July 1944. His first operation was on the 6th of August 1944 to Essen.

His total flying hours including operations were 157:32 hours.

Family legend has it that he had already completed two full tours of duty and only volunteered for his final mission because his Pilot Flt Lt. Nicholls DFC had two missions left before he to completed his two full tours. Apparently Jack said “Why break up a good team now?”

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) whilst with 139 Sqn which was promulgated in the London Gazette on the 13th of April 1945. His mother attended Buckingham Palace to receive his DFC.

Burial details:

Flt Lt. Geoffrey Amos Nicholls DFC. Runnymede Memorial Panel 265. Born in the 2nd Qtr of 1920 in Kent. Son of George Henry and Elizabeth (née Amos) Nicholls. Husband of Nancy (née Robson) Nicholls of Gillingham, Kent, England.

Flt Lt. Jack Evelyn Dawes DFC. Runnymede Memorial Panel 265. Born on the 23rd of August 1918 in Wood Green, Greater London. Son of Victor Stanley and Dorothy (née Webb) Dawes of Wood Green, Middlesex, England.

Researched by: Linda Ibrom for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to relatives of this crew. Special thanks to Ray Dawes (brother), Hazel Dawes (sister) for the information and photographs of Flt Lt. Dawes. Also to Robin Fewster, who's mother was the only daughter of the pilot - contacted us in February 2016. Reviewed and updated by Aircrew Remembered (Jul 2025).

Other sources listed below:

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