Operation: Kiel

Date: 13/14th December 1940 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit: No. 78 Squadron (motto: Nemo non paratus - 'Nobody unprepared') 4 Group

Type: Whitley V

Serial: N1485

Code: EY-?

Base: RAF Dishforth, Yorkshire

Location: The Wash, Norfolk

Pilot: P/O. Michael Lomax Stedman 36263 RAF Age 20. Missing - belied killed

Pilot: Sgt. Dennis Angell 754951 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Frank Thomas Allcock 929984 RAFVR Age 24. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Sidney Solomon Waldman 1255786 RAFVR Age 24. No injuries (1)

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Ernest Alfred Francis Grunsell 752233 RAFVR Age 20. No injuries (2)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 16:36 hrs. with 6 others from the squadron. 4 bombed the primary target, 1 bombed an alternative target and 1 jettisoned its bomb load in the sea, due to engine failure.

N1485 suffered engine failure on return. Two crew managed to bail out before the aircraft crashed into The War at 03:06 hrs. The body is the second pilot was recovered from the sea several days later..

P/O. Stedman has a lucky escape from Whitley P4941 whist flying as the second pilot. After returning from an operation to Cologne they were unable to find an airfield due to low-lying fog. The pilot, Canadian F/O David Robertson decided as they were dangerously low on fuel to force land the aircraft in a field. although the aircraft was badly damaged all five crew were uninjured and walked into the village of Pickering in Yorkshire.

Burial and other information:

P/O. Michael Lomax Stedman. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 10. Born on the 09th October 1920 at Eketahuna. Educated at Scots College, Wellington, On leaving school he immediately applied for a Short Service Commission in the RAF and was provisionally accepted on the 15th June 1939. Commenced training a fortnight later, his elementary training being undertaken by the Canterbury Aero Club. On the successful completion of the course, he proceeded to No. l Flying Training School, Wigram, where - on the 12th of September. Granted a temporary commission as a pilot officer. At this school, he trained on Moth, Vildebeeste, Gordon, Vincent and Avro aircraft. On the 20th November, he was awarded the flying badge. He proceeded to England late in February 1940. On arrival in England, was posted to the RAF Station at Uxbridge, Middlesex, before proceeding on the 20th of April, 1940, to No. 8 Bombing and Gunnery School, Evanton, Rossshire, where he carried out exercises on Harrow aircraft. His next posting on May 15th was to 10 Operational Training Unit at Benson, Oxfordshire, and thence, on the 29th June - to 12 Operational Training Unit, Abingdon, Berkshire, where he completed his training on Whitley aircraft. On 24th July he joined 78 Squadron at Dishforth, Yorkshire and with this squadron took part in 28 operational sorties and accrued 545 hrs. as pilot.

Son of Wing Commander Gerald Lomax Stedman (died on the 10 Dec 1971 aged 80 - Commanding Officer of RNZAF, Rongotai) and Beryl Eileen Stedman (née Townsend - died on the 03rd July 1955, age 69) of Larnachs Castle Dunedin, New Zealand.

Sgt. Dennis Angell. Golders Green Crematorium. Panel 1. Son of Robert James and Rose Angell, of West Ealing, London, England.

Sgt. Frank Thomas Allcock. Selby Cemetery. Grave 5344. Born on the 13 March 1916 in Portsmouth, Son of Joseph Frank Allcock (died 28th September 1920, age 32) Mrs. M.P. Allcock and stepson of Mr. H.E. Mallett, of Goole, Yorkshire, England.

Later:

(1) Sgt. Sidney Solomon Waldman. Kiel War Cemetery. Grave 2. J. 19. Born 1916, in Brighton, Son of Jonah Waldman, and of Lena Waldman, of Maida Vale, London and husband of Peggy Waldman. His wife was pregnant at the time of his death with his daughter Annette. Epitaph: 'Deeply Mourned By His Wife And Daughter, Mother, Sister, Brother And Relatives.

Killed on the 01st October 1942 on an operation to Flensburg. With 4 crew killed, 3 PoW. on 78 squadron, Halifax II W1036 hit by the Marine-Flak-Abteilung 211 and 221 and by light Flak of the Marine-Flak-Abteilung 251, crashed at Sehestedt, southeast of the Wittensee lake.

(2) Sgt. Ernest Alfred Francis Grunsell. Jonkerbos War Cemetery. Grave 16. C. 9. Son of Francis George Grunsell, and of Rose Grunsell, of Hounslow, Middlesex, England. Epitaph: 'In Proud And Glorious Memory Of Our Beloved Son Francis. Loved By All'.

Killed on the 27th March 1941 on an operation to Dusseldorf. With all 5 crew on 78 squadron, Whitley V Z6470. Shot down by night fighter pilot Oberfeldwebel Gerhard Herzog of the 3./NJG 1, who was flying a Bf 110 from Eindhoven airfield

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, National Archive Kew AIR-27-660-13/14. Kraccker Luftwaffe Archives.

Other sources as quoted below:

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