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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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77 Squadron crest
27/28.02.1942 No. 77 Squadron Whitley V Z9280 KN-K Sq/Ldr. Parkin D.F.C.

Operation: Wilhelmshaven (Scharnhorst)

Date: 27/28th February 1942 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit: No. 77 Squadron

Type: Whitley V

Serial: Z9280

Code: KN-K

Base: RAF Leeming, Yorkshire

Location: Northern Driesum, north east of Leeuwarden. Holland

Pilot: Sq/Ldr. Leslie Hugh William Parkin DFC 37982 RAF Age 30. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Douglas John Sandlin 655186 RAF Age 22. Killed

Obs: W/O. 'Hank' Robert Charles Hancock RAF Age 27. P.O.W. No: 24748 Camp: Stalag Kopernikus. (1)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Wilfred Whittam 993807 RAFVR Age 28. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Edmund Sidney Ayton 54793 RAF Age 26. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off from RAF Leeming, Yorkshire to attack the Scharnhorst (2) which was believed to be under repairs at Wilhelmshaven. 33 aircraft took part and the raid was considered a failure due to heavy cloud. Only 3 bombs exploded in the harbour and no damage caused.

The Luftwaffe night fighters sprang into defending the area with the result that 3 Whitley's all from 77 Squadron were shot down. 

Whitley Z9280 was shot down by Uffz. Heinz Vinke (3) 5./NJG2 at 22.58 hrs. with combat taking place over northern Driesum, north east of Leeuwarden. Holland. 

The other 77 Squadron losses this night:

Whitley V Z9148 KN-L Flown by F/O. Morris McCarthy RNZAF killed with all 5 crew members. Tragically the family of F/O. McCarthy also lost two other son's - Sq/Ldr. Ray McCarthy, 7 Squadron, killed 15th April 1943 and  L/Cpl. Robert McCarthy New Zealand Infantry killed on the 25th October 1942.

Whitley V Z6943 KN-A Flown by Fl/Lt. Donald Irving R.A.A.F. killed with all 5 crew members. 

(2) The Scharnhorst was eventually sank on 26th December 1943 at 19.45 hrs. with the loss of 1,932 crew after a total of 55 torpedoes and 2,195 shells had been fired at the battlecruiser.

                                                               

Uffz. Heinz Vinke (courtesy Rob De Visser)

(3) This was his first victory of a massive score of 52 bomber command aircraft shot down during WW2. Heinz Vinke went missing on the 28th February 1944 some 15 KM north west of Dunkirk after being shot down by two typhoons pf 198 Squadron (Fl/Lt. Cheval L'Allemand and F/O. George Hardy)

                     

Dantumadeel (Driesum) Protestant Churchyard (courtesy San van Guinicus from Putten, Netherlands) 

(1) Sadly, 'Hank' Hancock died on the 1st May 1985 after suffering a stroke some time previously.

  

Burial details:

Sq/Ldr. Leslie Hugh William Parkin D.F.C. Dantumadeel (Driesum) Protestant Churchyard Row 15. Joint grave 35. Son of Frank Leslie and Elizabeth Eleanor Parkin, of Buxton, Derbyshire, England. Awarded King's Gold Medal. H.M.S. Worcester, 1929.

Sgt. Douglas John Sandlin. Dantumadeel (Driesum) Protestant Churchyard Row 15. grave 34. Son of Frederick Finlay Sandlin and Laura Esther Sandlin, of Vicar's Cross, Cheshire, England.

Sgt. Wilfred Whittam. Dantumadeel (Driesum) Protestant Churchyard Row 15. Joint grave 35. Son of William and Ann Whittam; husband of Olwen Whittam, of Rhyl, Flintshire.

Sgt. Edmund Sidney Ayton. Dantumadeel (Driesum) Protestant Churchyard Row 15. grave 33. Son of Edmund Kaye Ayton and Hilda Annie Ayton, of Warwick, England.

Researched for the daughter of W/O. Hancock, Pat Jackson (Pat has also set up a page dedicated to her father). With thanks to the following: Grave photo's San van Guinicus from Putten, Netherlands, Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vol 3', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vol's. 1 and  2',  Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt 'Bomber Command War Diaries'. The C.W.G.C.

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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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