Operation: Kamen

Date: 24th February 1945 (Saturday)

Unit: No. 415 Squadron (RCAF)

Type: Halifax III

Serial: NP936

Code: 6U-P

Base: RAF East Moor, Yorkshire

Location: Target area?

Pilot: P/O. Lewis Alexander Russell J/94268 RCAF Age 22. Killed

Fl/Eng: Fl/Sgt. Lawrence Trowsdale 1540203 RAFVR Age ? Killed

Nav: P/O. James Gallagher J/95305 RCAF Age 21. Killed

Air/Bmr: F/O. Paul Pokryfka J/39383 RCAF Age 22. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. Charles Cleghorn Brockie Craigie J/95231 RCAF Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr: P/O. Raymond Clifford Brown J/95211 RCAF Age 20. Killed

Air/Gnr: P/O. William Harvey Jones J/95347 RCAF Age 19. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 13:09 hrs from RAF East Moor. Daylight raid on the synthetic oil works at Kamen in the Bergkamen district.

340 aircraft took part in this operation during which the target was covered in cloud - reports state that heavy damage was incurred in several places of the town. It seems that the main damage however, was caused in the centre of Kamen with most of the churches destroyed and also a hospital was hit.

232 people were killed on the ground - Halifax NP936 was the only aircraft lost. No confirmation on how, but recorded in another 415 squadron logbook to have been hit by another aircraft's bomb load!

Burial details:

P/O. Lewis Alexander Russell. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery Coll. Grave 18. G.2-4. From Brussells, Ontario, Canada. Next of kin details unavailable - are you able to assist?

Fl/Sgt. Lawrence Trowsdale. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery Coll. Grave 18.G. 2-4. No further details as yet - are you able to assist?

P/O. James Gallagher. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery Grave 18.G. 1. From Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada. Next of kin details unavailable - are you able to assist?

F/O. Paul Pokryfka. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery Grave 18.G. 5. Born on the 21st November 1921 at Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Son of Frank (originally from Galicia, Austria) and Katherine of 79 Strange Street, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. (courtesy John Jones - May 2018)

P/O. Charles Cleghorn Brockie Craigie. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery Grave 18.G. 2-4. Son of Charles N. Craigie, and of Elizabeth C. Craigie, of Ludlow, Massachusetts, USA. Pictured left (courtesy Roberta Cye via Mike Harrison)

P/O. Raymond Clifford Brown. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery Grave 18.G. 2-4. Born on the 25th March 1925 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Son of Clifford and Olga Brown (originally from Vienna, Austria) of 474 Elgin Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Husband of Helen Brown. (courtesy John Jones - May 2018)

P/O. William Harvey Jones. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery Grave 18.G. 2-4. Son of Henry John and Elizabeth Jones, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Researched for relatives / friends of the crew. With thanks to sources as quoted below. Also to John Jones for detailed information - May 2018

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