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Operation: Schweinfurt
Date: 24/25th February 1944 (Thursday/Friday)
Unit: 408 (Goose) Squadron, RCAF
Type: Lancaster II
Serial: DS844
Code: EQ-X
Base: RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire.
Location: Schweinfurt
Pilot: Plt.Off. Harry Sherlock DFC 162517 RAFVR Age 24. Missing
Nav (Pilot): Fg.Off. James Gordon Hillman J/21914 RCAF Age 27. Missing (1)
Flt.Eng: Sgt. Henry George Basten 1399763 RAFVR Age 21. Killed
Air/Bmr: Plt.Off. Henry Norman Cunliffe 168961 RAFVR Age 20. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Flt.Sgt. Reginald Sydney Nurse 1496525 RAFVR Age 23. Missing (note)
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Armour John Emerson R/192677 RCAF Age 21. Killed (2)
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Walter Walker 960863 RAFVR Age 23. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS
DS844 took off from Linton-on-Ouse at 20:48 hours, part of a major raid consisting of 734 aircraft destined for the ball bearing factories at Schweinfurt. The weather for this time of the year was clear and enabled the crew to identify the targets visually on the banks of the River Main. In addition, the targets were indicated by Pathfinders which in some cases were still burning from a US AAF daylight raid the previous day.
Claimed by Lt Hans Raum 9/NJG3 - City area Schweinfurt: 7,200m at 01:15 hrs. The aircraft was coned by 1&2/Flakscheinw Abt 708. Also claimed by Flak of 3-5/schw Flak Abt 639, 4&6/schw Flak Abt 482 and 4/schw Flak Abt 263 (Eisb) (“Lancaster Bergheinfeld 01:18”) Lt Raum credited with victory on 19 June 1944. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (1 January - 15 March 1944) Part 1 - Theo Boiten))
This aircraft DS844, a Hercules powered Lancaster, was transferred to 408 Squadron from 432 Squadron after which it participated in raids on Berlin and Leipzig before being lost.
Plt.Off. Sherlock's DFC was gazetted April 1944. The citation reads:
Pilot Officer Harry Sherlock (162517), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 408 (RCAF) Squadron. This officer has displayed skill, courage and resolution of a high order. He has completed many sorties and throughout has shown the utmost determination to press home his attacks His fine record includes 12 attacks on the capital of the German Reich.
Crew pictures (courtesy William Hillman)
Grave photographs kindly supplied to us by David Franklin. Any relative requiring a higher definition of these please don't hesitate to contact us.
(2) Emerson Creek in British Columbia, is named after Sgt. Armour Emerson
Note: Flt.Sgt. Reginald Sydney Nurse had previously escaped injured on Halifax II HR754. Further details can be found here.
Plt.Off. Harry Sherlock DFC. Runnymede Memorial Panel 212. Son of William Edward and Emma Pallister Sherlock, of West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England.
Sgt. Henry George Basten. Durnbach War Cemetery Durnbach, Germany. Grave 7.A.13. Son of Henry and Ellon A. Basten, of Peckham, London, England.
Plt.Off. Henry Norman Cunliffe. Durnbach War Cemetery Durnbach, Germany. Grave 7.A.14. Son of Stanley G. Cunliffe and Laura A. Cunliffe, of Llangollen, Denbighshire, Wales.
Fg.Off. James Gordon Hillman. Runnymede Memorial Panel 246. Son of Robert Boswell Hillman and Jane Hillman, of Elrose, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Flt.Sgt. Reginald Sydney Nurse. Runnymede Memorial Panel 221. Son of Sidney Alfred and Elsie Kate Nurse, of Swinton, Lancashire, England.
Sgt. Armour John Emerson. Durnbach War Cemetery Durnbach, Germany. Grave 7.A.16. Son of P.B. Emerson and Mary Louise Emerson, of Smithers, British Columbia, Canada.
Sgt. Walter Walker. Durnbach War Cemetery Durnbach, Germany. Grave 7.A.15 Son of Richard Henry and Mary Walker, of Nottingham, husband of Irene Elizabeth Walker, of Nottingham, England.
Researched by William Hillman, relative of Fg.Off. James Gordon Hillman. Article prepared by Colin Bamford. With thanks to David Franklin, Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vol. 5' 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', Tom Kracker - 'Kracker Luftwaffe Archives'. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
CHB 23.03.2011
RS 21.01.2020 - Addition of night fighter claim and editorial changes
CB Unknown date
RS 21.01.2020 - Addition of night fighter claim and editorial changes
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