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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
75 (NZ) Squadron Wellington III X3867 Fl/Sgt. William Ronald Parkes

Operation: Duisburg

Date: 06/07th September 1942 (Sunday/Monday)

Unit: No. 75 (NZ) Squadron (motto: Ake ake kia kaha - 'For ever and ever be strong'). 3 Group

Type: Wellington III

Serial: X3867

Code: AA-?

Base: RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk

Location: Riel, Holland

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. William Ronald Parkes NZ/403822 RNZAF Age 31. Killed

Obs: Sgt. Henry Varley Gibb Crawford NZ/404339 RNZAF Age 28. Killed

Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Alpheus Leslie Groves 403574 RNZAF Age 30. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. George Herbert Rose NZ/391713 RNZAF Age 30. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Eric Glover Wilson NZ/403035 RNZAF Age 27. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

207 aircraft taking part on this operation, 11 were lost.

Cloud and haze were present and the bombing was not concentrated. But Duisburg reports its heaviest raid to date, with 114 buildings destroyed and 316 seriously damaged, 86 people were killed.

Taking off between 01:05 and 01:35 hrs.

During the return trip understood to have been shot down by Hptm. Walter Ehle but also claimed by Ofw. Wilhelm Beier, both of 9./NJG2 flying the Me110 over Tilburg at 04:49 hrs. The Wellington crashed at Riel beside a rail line.


(Note: the claim by Hptm. Walter Ehle was rejected by the OKL on the 17th July 1944. Nachtjagd Combat Archive Theo Boiten list the claim of Ofw. Wilhelm Beiert - with thanks to Ralph Snape for this information October 2023

All five crew killed and later buried in a collective grave at Tilburg.

The squadron lost another crew on this operation; Wellington BJ765 Flown by 27 year old, Sgt. George William SharmanNZ412746 RNZAF - all five crew killed.

Burial and personal details:

Fl/Sgt. William Ronald Parkes. Tilburg General Cemetery (Gilzerbaan). Plot A. Row 1. Coll. grave 27-28. Born on the 25th September 1910 at Ohingaiti, Mangaweka. An engineer for NS Petroleum at New Plymouth prior to service. In territorial army for four years. Obtained his 'A' licence with New Plymouth Aero Club on the 17th July 1931 and obtained 112 flying hours logged. Enlisted at New Plymouth on the 07th October 1940. Trained at No. 4 Elementary Flying Training School and No. 2 Flying Training School. Awarded his pilot badge on the 15th June 1941 and promoted to sergeant on the 25th July 1941.

Embarked for England on the 14th August 1941. Served with various units and joined 11 Operational Training Unit on the 27th October 1941. Joined 75 squadron on the 19th June 1942. Son of William David (died 14th February 1961, age 74) and Margaret May Parkes (née Martin - died 19th December 1973, age 82 - both buried at Eltham Cemetery, Taranaki) brother of Archibald William, AlanGraham and Isabel Ngalo, of Eltham, South Taranaki, New Zealand. A total of 536 flying hours logged and on his 21st operational sortie.

Sgt. Henry Varley Gibb Crawford. Tilburg General Cemetery (Gilzerbaan). Plot A. Row 1. Coll. grave 27-28. Born on the 29th January 1914 at Pahiatua, North Island. Worked as a warehouseman for Kempthorne Prosser and Company at Auckland prior to service (drug and fertiliser manufacturer). Enlisted at Levin on the 24th November 1940. Trained at No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School but pilot training and remastered as observer on the 17th February 1941. Embarked for Canada on the 27th March 1941. Air observer badge and promoted to sergeant on the 18th August 1941.

Embarked for England on the 06th October 1941. Served with various units and joined 11 Operational Training Unit on the 25th November 1941. Joined 75 squadron on the 19th June 1942. Son of Matthew Henry (died 16th February 1952, age 78) and Annie Crawford Crawford (died15th January 1962, age 80 - both buried at Otahuhu Public Cemetery, Auckland), of Mount Albert, Auckland City, New Zealand, A total of 355 flying hours logged and on his 21st operational sortie.

Fl/Sgt. Alpheus Leslie Groves. Tilburg General Cemetery (Gilzerbaan). Plot A. Row 1. Coll. grave 27-28. Born on the 22nd September 1911 at Dunedin. Worked as a labourer for Public Works Department at Dunedin prior to service. Enlisted at Levin own the 29th September 1940. Embarked for Canada on the 05th November 1940. Air gunner badge and promoted to sergeant on the 26th May 1941.

Embarked for England on the 14th June 1941. Served with various units and joined 11 Operational Training Unit on the 26th October 1941. Joined 75 squadron on the 19th June 1942. Son of Joseph and Jane Groves (née Alexander), of Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. A total of 277 flying hours logged and on his 19th operational sortie.

Sgt. George Herbert Rose. Tilburg General Cemetery (Gilzerbaan). Plot A. Row 1. Coll. grave 27-28. Born on the 27th March 1912 at Auckland. Worked as a telegraphist for P and t Department at Tirau prior to service. Served three years in the territorial army. Enlisted at Wigram on the 08th December 1939.

Embarked for England on the 25th July 1940. Joined 11 Operational Training Unit on the 09th September 1940. After serving with various units awarded air gunner badge and promoted to sergeant on the 04th October 1941. Rejoined 11 Operational Training Unit on the 26th October 1941. Joined 75 squadron on the 19th June 1942. Son of Herbert Stanley Rose and Louise Lavinia Rose (née Whitley), of Auckland City, New Zealand. A total of 266 flying hours logged and on his 17th operational sortie.

Sgt. Eric Glover Wilson.Tilburg General Cemetery (Gilzerbaan). Plot A. Row 1. Coll. grave 27-28. Born on the 09th May 1915 at Dunedin. Worked as a clerk for NZ Breweries at Dunedin prior to service. Enlisted on the 01st September 1940 at Levin. Embarked for Canada on the 05th December 1940. Awarded air gunner badge and promoted to sergeant on the 23rd June 1941.

Embarked for England on the 06th July 1941. Served with various units and joined 11 Operational Training Unit on the 25th November 1941. Joined 75 squadron on the 19th June 1942. Son of Arthur James Wilson and Noreen Myrtle Wilson (née Griffiths), of Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. A total of 257 flying hours logged and on his 18th operational sortie.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot 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 01-10-2021

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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 Captain 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', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, 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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