Operation: Berlin, Germany

Date: 20th/21st January 1944 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit No: 77 Squadron, 4 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Halifax II

Serial: HR946

Code: KN:X

Base: RAF Elvington, Yorkshire

Location: Falkenberger, Lichtenberg in Berlin

Pilot: Flt Lt. Victor Henry Surplice DFC, 60792 RAFVR Age 24. MiA (1)

2nd Pilot: Sgt. Leo Ashton 1459213 RAFVR Age 21. MiA (2)

Flt Eng: Sgt. Arthur Alec Timson 1620951 RAFVR Age 21. MiA

Nav: Sgt. James Laurence Duffy DFM, 431692 RAFVR Age 27. PoW No. 2544 * (3)

Bomb Aimer: Sgt. Herbert Peter Hopkins 1337740 RAFVR Age 19. MiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Thomas King DFM, 1148328 RAFVR Age 33. MiA (4)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Kenneth Emeny 1438270 RAFVR Age 24. MiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Flt Sgt. Baden Henry Stevens 422312 RAAF Age 26. MiA

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

Above: Flt Sgt. Baden Henry Stevens from his service record.

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the night of the 20th/21st January 1944 77 Squadron detailed twenty-four (24) aircraft for operations. The were to join a force of seven-hundred and sixty-nine (769) aircraft to bomb Berlin in Germany.

One (1) aircraft, Halifax LL128 swung on take-off and crashed with no injuries, eight (8) of the remaining returned early due to loss of ‘Gee’ equipment/Navigation equipment and engine failures. Two (2) failed to take-off for unknown reasons.

HR946 was claimed by Oblt. Helmut Schulte, his 2nd Abschuss, from Stab II./NJG5 over Berlin- Falkenberg at 19:47 hrs. (Ref .1 p 44).

Hptm. Schulte survived the war and was credited with nineteen (19) confirmed Abschüsse with five (5) awaiting confirmation. (Ref 2. p 90).

According to some captured German records the aircraft crashed at 19:30 hrs in the Falkenberger Rieselfelder Schlag 174 a locality in the district of Lichtenberg of Berlin.

Falkenberger Rieselfelder Schlag 174 translates to Falkenberger Irrigation Fields, Plot 174. Today the Falkenberger Rieselfelder is a 88.1 hectares (217 acres) nature reserve.

Sgt. Duffy later confirmed that the German authorities informed him that the other members of his crew had perished.

(1) Flt Lt. Surplice was awarded the Distinguished Fling Cross (DFC) whilst with 77 Sqn. (London Gazette 9th November 1943).

His brother, Grp Capt. Surplice DSO, DFC, AC, MiD was KiA on the 2nd/3rd November 1944 on an SOE operation to Norway, when his Stirling IV LK171 ‘Shooting Star’ was lost due to icing conditions (1 KiA, 2 PoWs, 4 Evaders).

(2) Sgt. Ashton was attached from 663 Communications Unit.

(3) Sgt. Duffy was awarded an immediate Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) whilst with 77 Sqn. (London Gazette 21st January 1944).

The following was the recommendation for the award of the DFM:

‘On the night of 29th December, 1943, Sergeant J.L. Duffy was the Navigator of a Halifax aircraft detailed to attack Berlin. Shortly after leaving England his Gee went u/s. The Captain, confident in his Navigator's ability, decided to carry on with the result that, by accurate dead reckoning navigation, the target was duly attacked. On the leg home, the aircraft in company with the main bomber stream was somewhat South of track. Then at 21.00 hours (52°42' North, 10°49' East) it was engaged by heavy flak which put the ailerons, hydraulics and W/T set u/s; the bomb doors also remained open all the way home. On yet two more occasions, the aircraft encountered heavy flak. The sum of the resultant evasive action by an aircraft which was sluggish, unmanoeuvreable and could not keep straight and level courses put the aircraft still further off track. Sergeant Duffy, however, had the situation in hand displaying high navigational skill and inspiring coolness (his parachute affixed, he had been warned he might have to bail out at a moments notice if further trouble developed) and keeping his air plot, he obtained astro-shots, the accuracy of which were confirmed by M/F fix at 22.30 hours by which time the Wireless Operator had made the W/T set serviceable. It being obvious that the aircraft could not regain the main bomber stream, Sergeant Duffy then selected a course home which not only avoided defended areas but, to conserve petrol, entailed a minimum mileage. In fact, the aircraft would otherwise in all probability not have regained the English coast for, when it eventually landed at an emergency aerodrome at Woodbridge, there was relatively little petrol left. Sergeant Duffy has twice previously accurately navigated his aircraft back when shot-up; on one occasion (Peenemünde) when five petrol tanks were holed, it was only his very accurate navigation that got his aircraft back, there being but ten minutes petrol left on landing. It is considered that this N.C.O.'s especially high navigational ability and resourcefulness and devotion to duty, which not only enabled the target to be attacked but later extricated his aircraft and crew from a perilous situation, fully merit the immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Medal’.

Sgt. Duffy baled out and landed uninjured and was captured the following morning. He was then transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel arriving there on the 25th January 1944. After the statutory solitary confinement and interrogation he was transferred to Stalag Luft 1 in Barth-Vogelsang arriving there on the 8th February 1944.

On the 30th April 1945, the prisoners were ordered to evacuate the camp in the face of the advancing Soviet Red Army, but the Senior American Officer (SAO), Col. Hubert Zemke, refused to give the order. After negotiations between Zemke and Commandant Oberst (Col) Gustav Warnstedt, it was agreed that to avoid useless bloodshed the guards would go, leaving the PoWs behind. The next day, the first Soviet troops arrived.

The Western Allied prisoners took over the camp into self-administration on the 1st May 1945. After protracted negotiations between the Western Allies and the Soviet leadership, the evacuation of the 8,498 inmates of Stalag Luft 1 finally took place between the 12th and 14th May 1945. The former PoWs had repaired a runway at the Barth Air Base and aircraft of the 8th Air Force undertook a massive airlift called "Operation Revival". Hundreds of PoWs had meanwhile made their own way west.

RAF PoWs were flown back to England and the American PoWs were flown to Camp Lucky Strike in Le Havre, France, where they were processed and waited for a liberty ship to return to the United States.

Sgt. Duffy was interviewed on the 11th May 1945.

James Laurence Duffy was born on the 23rd April 1916 in Glenroan, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. He served as a Police Officer in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 18th August 1941. James passed away on the 22nd July 2003 in Shankill, County Dublin, Northern Ireland.

(4) Sgt. King was awarded an immediate Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) whilst with 77 Sqn. (London Gazette 21st January 1944).

The following was the recommendation for the award of the DFM:

‘On the night of 29th December, 1943, Sergeant T. King was Wireless Operator of a Halifax aircraft. The target (Berlin) was attacked but on the leg home, the aircraft got off track. Then at 21.00 hours (position 52°42' North, 10°49' East) heavy flak put the ailerons, hydraulics and W/T set u/s; in addition, the bomb doors remained open all the way home. Twice the aircraft met heavy flak. Sluggish, unmanoeuvreable and unable to keep straight and level course, the sum total of evasive action put the aircraft still further off track. "Gee" too had been u/s shortly after leaving England . What was sorely needed now was an M/F fix. Sergeant King rose to the occasion displaying exceptional skill, determination and cool-headedness (parachute on, standing up an warned that he might have to bail out at a moments notice if the aircraft encountered further trouble. By 21.53 hours, he had succeeded in making his W/T set serviceable. Still well over 400 miles from the English coast, he nevertheless commenced attempts to make W/T contact, first without success but, with dogged determination, he persevered with the result that at 22.30 hours at extreme range (some 350 miles) he obtained his first S.O.S. fix. This was the inspiring turning point for the aircraft and crew. Thereafter, Sergeant King kept W/T contact all the way home. As the direct result of his fixes and also receipt of the broadcast winds, the Navigator was enabled to select a course home which not only avoided further defended areas but, to conserve petrol, entailed a minimum of mileage; in fact the aircraft would otherwise in all probability not have regained the English coast for, on landing at the emergency acrodrome at Woodbridge, there was relatively little petrol left. It is considered that this N.C.O.'s exceptional skill, devotion to duty and inspiring cool-headedness which contributed in so large a measure to extricate his aircraft and crew from a perilous situation fully merit the immediate award of the D.F.M’.

Burial details:

Despite exhaustive post-war searches and enquiries by the Missing Research and Enquiry Service (MRES) it was not possible to locate the graves of the seven (7) crew members who perished.

Above: The Runnymede Memorial (Courtesy of the CWGC)

Above: Runnymede Memorial Panel 203 for Flt Lt. Victor Henry Surplice DFC (Courtesy of The War Graves Photographic Project (TWGPP))

Flt Lt. Victor Henry Surplice DFC. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 203. Born on the 2nd November 1919 in Edmonton, London. Son of Herbert Edward and Florence Mary (née Bartlett) Surplice of Kingston upon Thames, London, England.

Sgt. Leo Ashton. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 224. Son of James and Margaret Ashton of Blackpool, Lancashire, England.

Sgt. Arthur Alec Timson. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 239. Birth registered in the 3rd Qtr of 1923 in Ipswich, Suffolk. Son of Ernest Leonard and Edith Kate May (née Coates) Timson of Ipswich, Suffolk. Husband of Ida Joy Irene (née Pratt) Timson of Ipswich, England.

Sgt. Herbert Peter Hopkins. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 231. Born on the 10th October 1923 in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. Son of William Gilbert and Mabel (née David) Hopkins of Penarth, Glamorgan, Wales.

Sgt. Thomas King DFM. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 232. Son of Robert and Hannah (née Richardson) King. Husband of Victoria (née Hester) King of Acton, Middlesex, England.

Sgt. Kenneth Emeny. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 229. Born on the 28th September 1919 in Sheffield, Yorkshire. Son of Louis William Samuel and Kate Eliza (née Bagshaw - deceased in January 1933) Emeny and stepson of Nellie (née Smith) Emeny of Whiston, Yorkshire, England.

Flt Sgt. Baden Henry Stevens. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 261. Born on the 25th June 1917 in Neutral Bay, NSW, Australia. Son of Frederick Lewis and Bertha Elvira (née Callaghan) Stevens. Husband of Alice Irene (née Hamerton) Stevens of Abbotsford, New South Wales, Australia.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the crew and their relatives. (Jul 2026).

Thanks to ‘The War Graves Photographic Project’ for their great work.

Other sources listed below:

References:

1. Nachtjagd Combat Archive (1 January 1944 - 15 March 1944) Part 1 - Theo Boiten.
2. Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies - Theo Boiten.

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