Operation: Konigsberg

Date: 26th/27th August 1944 (Saturday/Sunday)

Unit No: 57 Squadron. 5 Group (motto: Corpus non animum muto - 'I change my body not my spirit")

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: LM232

Code: DX:F

Base: RAF East Kirkby, Lincolnshire

Location: Off the east coast of Denmark near Dorf

Pilot: Fg Off. Alfred Gordon Russell 424524 RNZAF Age 28. MiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Peter William Lewis Moore 1235401 RAFVR Age 22. MiA

Nav: Fg Off. Gavin Keith Henry Christensen 425027 RNZAF Age 21. MiA

Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. James Gordon Cahir 427479 RNZAF Age 24. MiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. Poraumati O'Callaghan 425403 RNZAF Age 20. MiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. David Young 1825411 RAFVFR Age? MiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Arthur Watton 2220664 RAFVR Age 19. MiA

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 20:13 hrs from RAF East Kirkby in Lincolnshire carrying a 2000 High capacity bomb and incendiaries.

174 Lancasters of No 5 Group to Königsberg, which was an important supply port for the German Eastern Front. The route to the target was 950 miles from the No 5 Group bases.

Photographic reconnaissance showed that the bombing fell in the eastern part of the town but no report is available from the target, now Kaliningrad in Lithuania. 4 Lancasters lost.

LM232 was claimed by Fw Otto Hiller, his 1st Abschuss, from 12./NJG5 - Dorf (village) Neuhof: 4,500-3,000m (Zusarb Flak) at 01:11 hrs. Victory achieved in co-operation with Flak. Victory for Fw. Hiller confirmed by OKL on 17th October 1944. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (24 July 1944 - 15 October 1944) Part 4 - Theo Boiten).

Burial details:

Fg Off. Alfred Gordon Russell. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 263. Born on the 11th October 1915 at Pahialua the son of Richard William and Alice Russell (née Taylor), of Hastings, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand and husband of Joan Margaret Russell (née Horton - later Godberth), of Hastings. A farmer for W. Crombe prior to service. A total of 542 flying hours logged and completed 3 operational sorties.

Sgt. Peter William Lewis Moore. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 234. Son of William Robert Moore and of Eryl Eva Mary Moore (née Lewis), of Hove, Sussex, England. Thought to have completed at least 11 operational sorties.

Fg Off. Gavin Keith Henry Christensen. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 262. Born on the 6th March 1923 at Te Kuiti, the son of Hans Henry and Ada (née Norman) Christensen , of Brooklyn, Wellington, New Zealand. Worked for the Wellington City Corporation as an electrician before joining. A total of 311 flying hours logged and completed 3 operational sorties.

Fg Off. James Gordon Cahi. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 262. Born on the 1st January 1920 at Hamilton, the son of Francis Reginald and Edna May Cahir ((nee Winter), of Rotorua, Auckland, New Zealand. Prior to service worked as a carpenter for Boon, Sullivan and Luke Ltd. A total of 358 flying hours logged and thought to have completed 3 operational sorties.

Flt Sgt. Poraumati O'Callaghanr. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 264. Born on the 4th February 1924 at Te Puke, the son of Tai and Wikitoria O'Callaghan (née Poraumati), of Bay of Plenty, Auckland, New Zealand. Worked on his father's farm before joining. A total of 317 flying hours logged and completed 5 operational sorties.

Sgt. David Young. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 241. No further details - are you able to assist?

Sgt. Arthur Watton. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 240. Son of Charles Henry and Elizabeth Watton, of Lower Gornal, Staffordshire, England.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) (Aug 2019) and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand. Thanks to John Jones for the update to the German fighter claim (Oct 2022). Updated map and crash location (Nov 2023).

Other sources listed below:

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