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Operation: Milan
Date: 24/25th October 1942 (Saturday/Sunday)
Unit: No. 142 Squadron
Type: Wellington III
Serial: X3455
Code: QT-D
Base: RAF Grimsby, Lincolnshire
Location: North Sea off Goeree
Pilot: Sgt. Bartlett Parker Shaddick DFM. AUS/406682 RAAF Age 21. Killed
Obs: Sgt. Frank Bernard Hough 1074122 RAFVR Age 28. Killed
Air/Bmr: Sgt. Eric Watcham 656472 RAFVR Age 40. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Edwin Cuthbert Woolard 1376622 RAFVR Age 29. Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Gerald Thomas Reyburn R/126898 RCAF Age 20. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off from RAF Grimsby in Lincolnshire at 19:25 hrs on a night operation to Milan, Italy following a daylight operation earlier on the City. 71 aircraft taking part.
The aircraft is thought to have been shot down by Hptm. Dr. Horst Patuschka of 4./NGJ2 at 03:10 hrs. Although Naval flak from the Marine Aritllerie Abteilung 2./202 claimed that they shot it down with a burst of 60 2 cm flak shells when the aircraft flew some 1800 mtrs. from the unit at a very low height of 40 mts. - heading our to sea. The unit claimed to have seen the Wellington hit several times before catching fire and crashing into the sea. The time is exactly that as claimed by the Luftwaffe ace.
Right: Hptm. Dr. Horst Patuschka - went on to claim to have a confirmed total of between 23 and 25 kills before he was killed on the 6/7th March 1943 at Moggendorf - 10 miles South West of Bayreuth in an air combat. (courtesy Kracker archives on this site)
Also lost from the Squadron Wellington BK385 QT-N Flown by Sgt. Joseph Harvey Young 1368840 RAFVR from Galashiels, Selkirkshire, Scotland - missing, believed killed along with all his other 4 other crew.
Note: Just a few days earlier on the 16th October this same crew were hit by flak returning from an operation to Köln. The pilot nursed the aircraft and managed to land Wellington DF642 QT-J. However the aircraft collided with a parked Hudson EW918 belonging to 320 Squadron. All the crew emerged unscathed from the Wellington which was written off, the Hudson was salvaged.
The Citation for the immediate award of the DFM to Sgt Shaddick:
“Sgt B P Shaddick (RAAF) was Captain of a Wellington bomber detailed to attack Cologne on the night of 15th October 1942. On the way to the target, his aircraft was engaged by anti-aircraft guns working in conjunction with searchlights and was hit in the starboard wing. Immediately afterwards, Sgt Shaddick smelt petrol and on inspection his gauges noticed that petrol from his starboard wing tanks was being lost at an alarming rate. Undaunted, he turned off the port tank and ran both engines on the starboard tanks until they were dry. While adjusting the fuel supply in this manner and although forced down several thousand feet, he carried on through heavy defences to his target which he bombed with success. The aircraft was hit in the port engine when over the target area, but, owing to his skilful piloting and sound judgement, he brought it home on one engine and crash-landed at Manston without injury to his crew. I recommend that his extreme devotion to duty and sterling determination in that he carried on to bomb his target, although seriously damaged on the outward journey and then flew the crippled aircraft home without loss to his crew is recognised by an immediate award of the DFM.“
Remarks by Station Commander: "Sgt Shaddick showed great determination in carrying on to attack the target in a damaged Aircraft and considerable skill in bringing the aircraft and crew safely home. Sgt Shaddick is a most enthusiastic young Australian who has instilled a high morale and cheerful spirit of dash into his crew.”
The immediate was promulgated in the London Gazette on 3 November 1942.![]()
Burial details:
Sgt. Bartlett Parker Shaddick DFM. The Hague General Cemetery (Westduin). Allied Plot. Row 2. Grave 38. Born on the 24th August 1921 the son of Stephen Parker Shaddick and Mary Catherine Shaddick, of East Pingelly, Western Australia.
Sgt. Frank Bernard Hough. Bergen-Op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery. Grave 6.H.10. Son of Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Hough and husband of Mrs. F.B. Hough, of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Sgt. Eric Watcham. Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. Plot 69. Row D. Joint grave 18. Son of George and Mary Annie Watcham, of Shildon, Co. Durham, England.
Sgt. Edwin Cuthbert Woolard. Monster General Cemetery. Row B. Grave 24. Son of Izaac and Madeline Woollard and husband of Florence Maud Woollard, of Coulsdon, Surrey, England.
Fl/Sgt. Gerald Thomas Reyburn. Rockanje General Cemetery (Zeeweg). Plot 3. Joint grave 33. From Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
Thanks to John Jones for the citation for the DFM awarded to Sgt. Shaddick. For further details our thanks to the following sources shown below.
RS 08.09.2019 - Addition of DFM citation
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