Operation: Rover patrol

Date: 29th January 1945 (Monday)

Unit No:489 (NZ) Squadron (motto: Whakatanagata kia kaha - 'Acquit yourselves like men, be strong'), 18 Group

Type: Beaufighter TF.X

Serial: NE538

Code: PL:E

Base: RAF Dallachy, Morayshire

Location: Solheim Nord, Norway

Pilot: Flt Lt. Lloyd Robert Stuchbery 412761 RNZAF Age 26. MiA (1)

Nav: Fg Off. Rex Stewart Ebert 413840 RAAF Age 30. PoW No: 8149 * (2)

* Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang, today situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 19:46 hrs. one of five leaving at intervals on a Rover patrol off Bommel Fjord near Haugesund.

Note: NE538 may have been 'borrowed' from 144 Squadron so the code was probably PL:E

Two crews failed to return, the other Beaufighter TF.X NE779 P6-A flown by WO. Raymond William Gibson Leslie 415702 RNZAF with his navigator Fg Off. Neville Alexander Heffernan 423665 RNZAF.

NE538 was lost after the wing tip clipped the water and crashed, killing the pilot. His navigator, Fg Off. Ebert surfaced shortly after and rescued by 4 young boys in long boats before being handed over to the Germans to be able to treat his injuries. Fractured left shoulder, abrasions to legs and hands.

(1) Lloyd Robert Stuchber worked as entomologist for the Cawthrorne Institute in Nelson prior to service. Enlisted on the 4th May 1941 at Levin. Initial training with No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS). Embarked for Canada on the 14th August 1941. Trained at No. 2 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) in Uplands joining on the 2nd September 1941.

Awarded his pilots wings and was appointed to a commission on the 21st November 1941. Attached to 31 School of General Reconnaissance on the 1st December 1941 at Prince Edward Island. Attached to 32 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at Patricia Bay on the 5th February 1942 flying the Beaufort. Flew a Hudson via Newfoundland to England on the 10th September 1942. Attached to 9 (C) OTU on the 22nd December 1942. Further training with Torpedo Training Unit on the 6th February 1943.

Attached to 306 Ferry Training Unit on the 12th March 1943. Attached to No. 1 Overseas Delivery Unit (ODU) and flew a Beaufort to Egypt via Gibraltar, Algiers and Libya 17-24 April 1943. Flew a Beaufort to India via Bahrein arriving on the 24th September 1943, flew by air to UK, via Egypt, Algeria and Gibraltar arriving 16th October 1943. Attached to No. 9 (C) OTU on the 14th February 1944. Joined 236 squadron on the 10th May 1944. Joining 489 Squadron on the 6th July 1944.

A total of 606 flying hours logged and completed in excess of 32 operational sorties.

(2) Fg Off. Ebert suffered a fractured left shoulder, abrasions to legs and hands. He was treated at Military Field Hospital, south of Bergen from 29th January 1945 - 9th February 1945. Dulag Luft, Wetzlar 9th February 1945 - 29th April 1945, Stalag Luft 1 - released 12th May 1945.

Fg Off. Ebert survived the war. Born on the 17th June 1914 at Broken Hill NSW (died 21st January 1978, age 64). Husband of Therese Catherine (nee Granger) Ebert (died 6th December 2002, age 96) of 53 Casey Street Orange, New South Wales and 99 Victoria Street, Kings Cross, New South Wales. Also 25 Station Street, Griffith, New South Wales Married 10th June 1939. Engineers chainman prior to service for Water Conservation and Irrigation at Griffith.

Rex Stewart Ebert enlisted on the 6th June 1941 and attached to No. 2 Initial Training School (ITS) on the 13th September 1941. Embarked for England 2nd November 1942. Attached to No. 9 Operational Training Unit (OTU) 14th February 1944. Joined 489 squadron 6th July 1944 from 236 squadron when he joined on the 10th March 1944. Pilot Officer 21st August 1944. Flying Officer 21st February 1945.

A total of 128 flying hours logged and 34 operational sorties

Burial details:

Flt Lt. Lloyd Robert Stuchbery. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 284. Born on the 8th July 1918 at Wyndham, Nelson College. Son of James Andrew and Georgina Alexandrina (née Wilson) Stuchbery of Ruby Bay near Upper Moutere, Nelson, New Zealand.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, National Archives Australia, Weekly News of New Zealand (Sep 2021). Thanks to Antonio McDonald for the Squadron code (Jun 2025)

Other sources listed below:

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