Operation: Serrate Patrol

Date: 24th February 1944 (Thursday)

Unit: 141 (Special Duties) Squadron

Type: Mosquito NF.II

Serial: HJ943

Code: TW:A

Base: RAF West Raynham, Norfolk, England

Location: Garrelsweer, Netherlands.

Pilot: Plt Off. Desmon 'Des' Byrne Snape 420071 RAAF Age 20. KiA

Nav/Radar Op: Fg Off. Ian 'Rusty’ Hamilton Fowler J20406 RCAF Age 22. PoW Number 3603 * (1)

* Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Mosquito HJ943 took off with full operational equipment from RAF West Raynham at 17.58 hrs on the 24th February 1944 on a Serrate patrol to Kiel, Kattegat and Little Belt.

Serret was the code name for an airborne intercept (AI) receiver designed to detect radar emissions from German Lichtenstein AI-series radars fitted to German night fighters.

At 21:00 hours at a position about 16 km (10 mls) ENE of Den Helder in the Netherlands, this aircraft was heard by Plt Off. H.E. White DFC and Fg Off. M.S. Allen, DFC flying Mosquito NFII, HJ712, TW:R of 141 Sqn to give a "Mayday" to "Manlove" twice but no acknowledgment was heard. Except for this nothing further was heard from either the crew or aircraft.

The aircraft was reported to have crashed near to Garrelsweer, 16 km (10 mls) NE of Groningen at 21:48 hrs.

The following statement was made by Fg Off. Fowler through the International Red Cross Committee and describes the circumstances of the aircraft loss and the death of Plt Off. Snape:

"We noticed that the temperature of the Starboard engine was going up and about fifteen minutes later it began to seize up, and the airscrew was feathered. About an hour later the Port engine began to vibrate very badly. The pilot ordered me to abandon and whilst descending on my parachute I heard the aircraft crash and saw the flames. The following day the Germans took me to a place and showed me Plt Off. Snape’s body. His parachute was unopened."

German records originally reported that Maj. Sayn-Wittgenstein’s Ju-88 was shot down by Plt Off. Snape and Fg Off. Fowler on the 21st/22nd January 1944. However, modern day research has established that Maj. Sayn-Wittgenstein was in fact shot down by his fifth aircraft claim that night and was attributed to Flt Lt. T.R. Thompson, the rear gunner, aboard 156 Sqn Lancaster JA912. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (1 January - 15 March 1944) Part 1 - Theo Boiten).

Lancaster III JA912, GT:-O from 156 Sqn was on a mission to bomb Magdeburg. Flt Lt. Leslie Kilvington DFC, RAAF and his crew survived and became PoWs.

The Sqn Operational Record Book (ORB) for the 21st January 1944 reported that whilst on patrol flying Mosquito NF.II DZ303 at 21:15 hrs, south of Brandenburg at 20,000ft an airborne intercept (AI) contact was received above and 20 degrees to the Port. A chase ensued lasting 3/4 mins on AI only resulting in a visual at about 200 yards closing. It appeared to be a Ju88 with navigation lights on. Combat ensued with Flt Sgt. Snape’s aircraft receiving damage to the aft of the cabin. He fired a 4/5 second burst at the enemy aircraft but made no claim pending examinations of gun camera film. The rest of the patrol was uneventful and they landed back at base at 01:20 hrs.

(1) Fg Off. Fowler was captured the next day near Groningen, some 17 km (10½ mls) SW of the crash location.

After the statuary processing at Dulag Luft Oberursel he was transferred to Stalag Luft 3 arriving there on the 26th March 1944.

Fg Off. Fowler was promoted to Flt Lt. whilst being held as a PoW.

On the night of the 27th January 1945, with Soviet troops only 26 km (16 mls) away, orders were received to evacuate the PoWs to Spremberg which is to the West in Germany. The PoW’s were informed of the evacuation, which was on foot, at about 22:00 hrs the same night and were given 30 mins to pack and prepare everything for the March. The weather conditions were very difficult, with freezing temperatures, and it was snowing accompanied by strong winds. There was 15 cm (6 in) of snow and 2000 PoWs were assigned to clear the road ahead of the main groups.

After a 55 km (34 mls) march, the PoWs arrived in Bad Muskau where they rested for 30 hours. The PoWs were then marched the remaining 26 km (16 mls) to Spremberg where they were housed in empty garages, storerooms and in military barracks. There they were provided with warm soup and bread.

During next days, PoWs were divided up according to Compounds, and they were led to railway sidings and loaded into tightly packed carriages.

He was amongst the North, East and remaining West compound PoWs that were sent to Marlag und Milag Nord at Westertimke on the 2nd February.

Marlag is an acronym for Marinelager (naval prisoner of war camp), Milag is short for Marine-Internierten-Lager(naval internment camp), and Nord is German for ‘north’.

On the 2nd April 1945 the Commandant announced that he had received orders to leave the camp with most of his guards, leaving only a small detachment behind to hand over the camp to Allied forces, who were already in Bremen.

However, that afternoon a detachment of over a hundred SS-Feldgendarmerie entered the camp, mustered over 3,000 men and marched them out, heading east. It is not known if Flt Lt. Fowler was one of those mustered or he was amonst those that hid in the campo or in the surrounding countryside.

The next day, at around at 10:00 hrs the column was strafed by RAF aircraft, and two PoWs were killed. Over the next few days the column was attacked from the air several times. Finally the Senior British Naval Officer (SBNO), who was later killed in a strafing attack by RAF aircraft, offered the Germans the PoW’s parole, in return for being allowed to rest during the day and march at night. The Germans agreed.

On the 9th April 1945 the guards at Marlag-Milag moved out and were replaced by older men, presumably local Volkssturm. Meanwhile, the column slowly headed east, finally crossing the River Elbe, north of Hamburg, on the 18th April.

On the 27th April the camps were liberated by elements of the British Guards Armoured Division.

The next day, the 28th April, the column finally arrived at Lübeck on the Baltic coast. They were liberated by the British 11th Armoured Division on the 1st May 1945.

Flt Lt. Fowler was interviewed on the 3rd May 1945.

Ian 'Rusty’ Hamilton Fowler was born on the 11th June 1921 in Alberta. Prior to enlisting in the RCAF on the 9th January 1942 Ian was a student in Alberta, Canada. Ian 'Rusty’ Hamilton Fowler passed away on the 4th August 2014 in Calgary, Alberta, aged 93.

His Obituary reads:

“Ian spent his youth in Brooks, Alberta where he earned his King Scout. During WWII, Ian was a Flight Lieutenant navigating a small mosquito plane until he was shot down and became a Prisoner of War. Upon returning to Canada, he married Dorothy and proceeded to study and graduate from the University of Alberta with Distinction in Chemical Engineering. Spanning 37 years, he had a diverse and exciting career with Imperial Oil. Work opportunities took him to Montreal, Edmonton, Dartmouth, Regina and Calgary. As well, there were international postings in Argentina, Uruguay and Asia. He loved to hike, cross country ski and garden. Ian was president of the Esso Annuitants in Calgary and was active with the POW and Air Crew Associations in Calgary. He enjoyed the arts, playing bridge, bowling and reading. Ian was an active member of the United Church of Canada. He and Dorothy travelled the world, danced, and made many friends. He gave the best hugs, always had an encouraging word and truly cared for those around him.

He is survived by his daughter Carlann Thomas, son-in-law Gary Thomas, grandchildren Neil and Heather and nephew Greg Madsen (Suzie) of Vancouver. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of almost 68 years, Dorothy Martina (nee Pemberton)”.

Photograph and Obituary courtesy of Mcinnis & Holloway Funeral Homes

In living memory of Ian Fowler, a tree was planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by Mcinnis & Holloway Funeral Homes

Burial details:

(Credit: Laurinlaurin Espie and TWGPP)

Plt Off. Desmon Byrne Snape. Loppersum General Cemetery, Plot B, Row 11, Grave 10. Plt Off Snape is the only CWGC grave in Loppersum. Born on the 4th May 1923 in Abbotsford, NSW, Australia. Son of Claude Manning and Doris Mary (née Bermingham) Snape of Abbotsford, New South Wales, Australia.

Flt Sgt. Snape was posted to 141 Sqn on the 14th September 1943 and was appointed to a commission with effect from the 27th December 1943.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this Pilot (Feb 2020). Thanks to The War Graves Photograph Project (TWGPP). Updated by Aircrew Remembered (Dec 2020). PoW information updated by Aircrew Remembered (Sep 2023). Thanks to Kelvin Youngs for the photograph and Obituary notice (Jan 2025). Further updates by Aircrew Remembered (Jan 2025).

Other sources listed below:

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