Operation: SOE ‘Halter 6’, Norway

Date: 2nd/3rd November 1944 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit No: 295 (SD) Squadron, 38 Group

Type: Stirling IV ‘Shooting Star’

Serial: LK171

Code: WE:S

Base: RAF Rivenhall, Essex

Location: Near Rjukan on Skarfjell in Norway

Pilot: Gp Capt. Wilfred Edward Surplice DSO, DFC, AC, MiD 37026 RAFO Age 30. KiA (1)

Flt Eng: Fg Off. William Frederick Mesley 157189 RAFVR Age 34. PoW No. 6566 * (2)

Nav: Sqn Ldr. Kenneth James Bolton DFC, MiD 45525 RAF Age 29. Evader (3 & 4)

Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. Frederick Russell Morrow J25700 RCAF Age 26. PoW * (2)

WOp/Air Gnr: WO. Robert Dalton 1074412 RAFVR Age 22. Evader (3)

Air Gnr (Rear): Plt Off. Robert Lynwood ‘Red’ Chapin 179237 RAFVR Age 22. Evader (3)

SOE Liaison Officer: Lt. Michael ‘Mike’ Hicks British Army Age? Evader (3)

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

Above: Gp Capt. Surplice DSO, DFC and crew stand by their Stirling ‘Shooting Stars’ (Halvor Sperbund and courtesy of Norma Browne)

From left to right: Gp Capt. Surplice and Sqn Ldr. Bolton. The remaining four have not been identified, however, 3rd from the left may have been Fg Off. Morrow (from what appears to be his distinctive “O” Observer Brevet). Four of the six have also been awarded the Pathfinder ‘Eagle’ Badge

REASON FOR LOSS:

Above: After resupply, Short Stirling Mk IV LK171 returns to RAF Harwell (Courtesy of strijdbewijs.nl - Pieter Jutte)

On the 2nd November 1944 Gp Capt. Surplice DSO, DFC gathered together a crew all of whom had completed recent tours and were fulfilling ground appointments at RAF Rivenhall in Essex.

After taking off from RAF Rivenhall at 18:56 hrs Stirling IV LK171 they headed for the dropping zone in the Telemark region of southern Norway to drop supplies to detachment 16.1 of the Milorg.

Milorg was the abbreviation of militær organisasjon (military organization) which was the main Norwegian resistance movement during WW2.

At about 23:15 hrs the aircraft began to ice-up and some 20 minutes later the 18 containers of arms and ammunition that they were carrying were jettisoned, but 3 packages remained aboard the aircraft. At 23:45 hrs the aircraft went into a steep dive and the pilot gave the order to bale out.

Above: Clipping announcing that Gp Capt. Wilfred Edward Surplice DSO, DFC was missing. (Courtesy of the Liverpool Daily Post, dated 6th March 1945)

(1) Gp Capt. Surplice DSO, DFC was the station commander of RAF Rivenhall in Essex. Stirling LK171 was his personal aircraft and WE:S were his initials. The aircraft was not actually assigned to 295 (SD) Squadron despite some publications incorrectly stating that the Sqn/Aircraft code was 8Z:WES.

Not only was the Stirling emblazoned with the name ‘Shooting Stars’ the names of the crew had also been added to the nose art.

Flt Lt. Surplice was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for gallant and distinguished service in Waziristan during the period 16th December 1937 to 31st December 1938. London Gazette 17th October 1939.

Wg Cdr. Surplice was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) whilst with 226 Sqn for a mission to Dieppe on the 19th August 1942.

Citation reads: “ Wing Commander Wilfred Edward SURPLICE, DFC (37026), Reserve of Air Force Officers, No. 226 Squadron. Distinguished Flying Cross. Flying Officer Renton Stewart RUTHERFORD (404573), Royal New Zealand Air Force, No. 226 Squadron. On 19th August, 1942, Wing Commander Surplice and Flying Officer Rutherford were pilot and navigator respectively of the leading aircraft of a formation of bombers detailed to release smoke bombs to screen the landing of troops on the beaches near Dieppe. On the accuracy of this, the first smoke sortie, depended not only the success of the subsequent smoke laying operations by following aircraft but, in a great measure, the safety of the entire combined operation. Fully aware of the importance of his mission Wing Commander Surplice, skilfully guided by Flying Officer Rutherford, flew in to the target at a low level and, defying an intense barrage from the unhampered ground defences, dropped his smoke bombs with, precise accuracy. Both these officers displayed the highest standard of courage, skill and devotion to duty in the successful accomplishment of a most vital and dangerous task. Wing Commander Surplice planned the details of all the smoke laying operations allotted to the Squadron”.

Above left to right: Unnamed Cpl. Ground Crew, Plt Off. Leonard James Longhurst DFC 49544 RAF; Wg Cdr. Surplice DSO, DFC; Fg Off. Renton Stewart Rutherford DFC 404573 RNZAF and two unnamed Airmen Ground Crew. They are standing in front of 226 Sqn, Boston III, Z2281, MQ:B (Courtesy of Norma Browne).

The DFC was awarded to Plt Off. Longhurst for the same mission:

Citation reads: "Pilot Officer Leonard James LONGHURST (49544) No. 226 Squadron. On the 19th August, 1942, this officer was air gunner in an aircraft detailed to attack gun positions during the combined operations, at Dieppe. Intensive anti-aircraft fire was encountered, which caused the destruction of the foresight of his guns. Despite this, he continued firing. Later, when withdrawing from the target, his aircraft was engaged by a Focke Wulf 190. As he was unable to sight, his guns accurately, Pilot Officer Longhurst coolly withheld his fire until the attacker, was in close range; he then delivered a most effective burst at the enemy aircraft which broke away and when last seen, it was falling towards the sea with smoke pouring from it. This officer has invariably displayed skill, courage and resource in action".

Above and below: Gp Capt. Surplice DSO, DFC greeting Major General Eisenhower, who commanded the Allied Expeditionary Forces in the Normandy invasion. From the content of General Eisenhower’s letter it can be determined that the visit was to RAF Harwell on the 22nd April 1944 (Courtesy of Norma Browne).

Gp Capt. Surplice DSO, DFC, MiD was also awarded the Dutch equivalent to a DFC, which was the Airman’s Cross.

The Airman’s Cross is awarded to members of the Dutch military who display initiative, courage, and perseverance against the enemy or during hostile actions during one or more flights. The Airman’s Cross is also awarded to allied pilots whose actions were of high importance to the Netherlands.

The citation for the award of the Airman's Cross was notified to his wife by the Air Ministry by the following letter (Courtesy of Norma Browne):

Gp Capt. Surplice DSO, DFC was Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) which was promulgated in the London Gazette on the 1st January 1945.

Above: Notification for the Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) (Courtesy of Norma Browne)

Above: Wg Cdr. Wilfred Edward Surplice DSO, DFC and right with his wife Cicely and son Roy (Courtesy of Norma Browne)

Wilfred’s brother, Flt Lt. Victor Henry Surplice DFC, was posted MiA on the night of the 20th/21st January 1944 as the pilot of 77 Sqn Halifax II HR946 on a mission to Berlin (7 MiA, 1 PoW).

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

(2) Fg Offs. Mesley and Morrows landed further south than the other crew who had baled out and walked to a place called Strengen. They then walked onto Kalhovd where they were captured on the 5th November, about 60 km (37¼ mls) NE of Rjukan, Norway. Fg Off. Morrow had suffered a cracked jawbone in baling out and both of men had suffered from frozen feet and ankles.

Above: Reporting that Fg Off. Morrow was missing (Courtesy of The Province, dated 20th November 1944)

Fg Off. Mesley:

Fg Off. Mesley spent the night of the 6th/7th November at Rjukan. He was then transported to Oslo arriving there on the 8th November where he was held in solitary confinement until the 1st December.He then started his journey to Germany via the port of Moss, across to Denmark on a troopship, and then by train through Denmark, into Germany.

He spent the night in Hamburg, where he had to take shelter from an air-raid. He eventually arrived at Frankfurt am Main on the 1st December and was taken by tram to Dulag Luft, Oberursel. He was stripped, searched and photographed after which he spent the night in a cell. On the 16th December he was transferred to the transit camp at Wetzlar a short distance from Oberursel.

Fg Off. Morrows:

On the morning of the 24th November Fg Off. Morrows left Oslo aboard a train for the short journey to the docks. He was boarded on a boat and noted that it was named ‘Jupiter’ which was bound for Denmark. He was held in the ship’s hold for the passage and noted that the boat was transporting Wehrmacht troops heading for Germany.

To counter the possible threat from British Submarines operating in the Skagerrak the boat’s course was alternated every 20 to 30 seconds and also heaved-to with engines cut before getting underway again.

Later that day the boat arrived at the docks in Frederikshavn on the NE coast of Jutland, Denmark. From there he and his heavy guard boarded a train to Ålborg. Arriving there he was taken to a German barracks where he was provided with a meal. Later that day he and his guard boarded a train which arrived that night at Flensburg in Germany about 7 km (4 mls) from the Danish border. He and his guard boarded a troop train to Hamburg in Germany where he spent the night in a jail.

The next morning, on the 28th November, he and his guard boarded a train to Frankfurt am Main. Arriving there that night he was taken to Dulag Luft, Oberursel. Here he was interrogated by Gestapo and Luftwaffe personnel. On the 8th December he was transferred to the transit camp at Wetzlar a short distance from Oberursel.

On the 16th December both Fg Off. Mesley and Fg Off. Morrows and thirty (30) other Air force PoWs were transported to at Stalag Luft 1 at Barth-Vogelsang arriving there on the 19th December 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 early in 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.

Both Fg Off. Mesley and Morrow were interviewed on the 11th May 1945.

William Frederick Mesley was born on the 13th October 1910 in Epsom, Surrey. He was a Carpenter & Joiner in Stanmore, Middlesex prior to enlisting in the RAFVR in May 1939. William passed away on the 4th March 1994 in Windsor, Berkshire.

Frederick Russell Morrow was born on the 1st September 1918 in Toronto, Canada. He was employed as an Importer and Agent prior to enlisting in the RCAF on the 3rd February 1942.

(3) After the crew baled out Sqn Ldr. Bolton, Fg Off. Chapin and WO. Dalton landed close together south of Grytefjorden (Geitebufjorden) about 1½ km (1 ml) north of the crash site. He hid his harness, carried his parachute but kept his Mae West on and started walking in a north-easterly direction. About 20 mins later he met Fg Off. Chapin and WO. Dalton

They discussed the origin of the light which they had all seen whilst descending and decided to investigate as they thought that it might be another member of the crew using a torch. Shortly thereafter they came across Lt. Hicks coming from the opposite direction. He had lost his flying boots when he had baled out and had bound his feet with strips cut from his parachute. The four then decided to continue seek out the source of the light as they hoped it might be their skipper. After about an hour they had not located anything and, as it was bitterly cold and very stormy, they decided to seek shelter.

They headed off in a north-westerly direction into a valley and at about 06:00 hrs they rested in the lee of a large rock for about 1½ hrs. The used the rubber inflaters from Lt. Hicks’ Mae West to make a covering for the strips of parachute on his feet and then discarded the remnants of his parachute and Mae West in the snow.

They then headed along the valley and about 10:15 hrs they arrived at what they thought was the north-western shore of the Mår lake which was not frozen. They were mistaken and had actually reached Grytefjorden (Geitebufjorden) where they saw a hut on the opposite shore. They decided to try and walk round to it, however, their progress was hampered by waterfalls and as they had not reached the hut by 15:00 hrs it was decided to return to their starting point because had spotted some rough timber which they thought might be useful to construct a shelter.

By about 16:30 hrs Sqn Ldr. Bolton and Plt Off. Chapin had fallen behind and became separated from the other two. They wandered around trying to catch up but at 22:00 hrs they rested for about 30 mins before carrying on with their search. At about 04:00 hrs the next morning, 4th November, they decided to seek shelter and rested until 06:00 hrs before setting off again.

At about 11:00 hrs they reached a hut where they found a small quantity of dry wood, some dried fish, coffee beans and a dozen potatoes so they lit a fire and cooked a meal. About an hour later Lt. Hicks and WO. Dalton turned up and they shared the meal. A search of the hut found a pair rubber goloshes which were gratefully received by Lt. Hicks. They also found a small quantity of flour, barley, semolina and oatmeal. There was also newspaper published in Rjukan which gave them an idea of their approximate position.

They remained in the hut until a bad snowstorm blew over and on the 6th November at 08:00 hrs they began walking East along the Southern edge of the lake but made slow progress because of snowdrifts. At about 16:00 hrs they saw a light in the distance but they were too exhausted to travel any further so they cut down a few saplings using an axe, which they had brought with them, and constructed a makeshift shelter with one of their parachutes. They stayed there until 06:00 hrs the next morning when they dismantled the shelter and used the saplings to light a fire and boiled some water for coffee. About 90 mins later they continued walking East and arrived at a hut on the shore of the lake at about 11:00 hrs which turned out to be a Cappelen hytta (cottage).

They broke into the cottage and light a fire which unbeknown to them was seen by people at Kalhovd and contacted a Mr. Prytz. The evaders later spotted a small boat coming across the lake towards them. When it arrived one of the men hailed them, believed to be Mr. Prytz, in English asking them if they were English to which they confirmed that they were. He then asked for the senior man to approach and the other three to go back into the hut.

Sqn Ldr. Bolton approached the boat and the man informed him that on the previous day, the 6th November, Fg Off. Morrow and Fg Off. Mesley had arrived at his home in a very exhausted condition and both were slightly injured. He had given them food but the Germans had arrived soon afterwards and they were taken away. His explanation for the arrival of the Germans was that the two had been seen by foreign forced labourers and their presence was reported to the Germans. They had arrived at his home because it was the only occupied house in the area after the area had been compulsorily evacuated by the Germans six month earlier.

The man brought with him bread, margarine and died milk, and said that he would send more food later. He advised that the four of them should remain in the hut and that he would signal by torch from the opposite shore of the lake at 19:00 hrs. He would signal “D” if a German patrol was near and “OK” if the area was clear he would return for them.

At about 13:00 hrs the second man from the boat returned alone with venison, potatoes, bread, dried milk and margarine. He did not speak any English but brought a typewritten sheet of questions and instructions, written in English. It stated that they must not light a fire or move about outside the hut and that someone would come to us as soon as possible. They answered the various questions on the form and gave it back to the man who then left.

They remained in the hut until 19:00 hrs and when they saw the “OK” signal they lit a fire and cooked themselves a meal. At about 20:00 hrs the English-speaking Norwegian arrived again and was accompanied by a member the Milorg. The man was to escort them to a barn where they would remain pending further arrangements. At 22:30 hrs the six men crossed the lake and arrived at the barn at 04:00 hrs on the 8th November. The farmer who owned the barn provided them with food during their stay.

At 13:30 hrs on the 10th November the man returned to the barn and provided a sketch map of the road from the barn to a small town which Fg Off. Morrow called Tinnoset but was actually Atraa just to the north of Gransherad.He instructed them to arrive at the bridge on the outskirts of the town at between 01:30 hrs and 02:00 hrs the following morning. They left the barn at 22:45 hrs and arrived at the bridge at about 02:10 hrs.

Their escape story from this point forward has been comprehensively researched by Air Commodore Graham Pitchfork MBE, BA, FRAeS in his book “Shot Down and On the Run: The RCAF and Commonwealth Aircrews Who Got Home from Behind Enemy Lines, 1940-1945.”

The following is a summary of the chapter – “Winter Escape From Telemark pp.136-139”

They were met by three Norwegians who took them to a remote hut in the hills where they remained until the 16th November. Here they met the leader of the Telemark Milorg who was keen to recover the jettisoned containers of arms and ammunition and who also undertook to search for the aircraft and Gp Capt. Surplice. He also contacted another group responsible for the escape routes to Sweden.

On the 16th November the four evaders were collected and driven to Gransherad. Here they were due to meet another contact who was late but eventually turned up in a wood-burning car. After an eventful journey they arrived at a safe house where each of the them had a hot bath and their first shave since arriving in Norway.

The next morning they continued their journey south by horse-drawn sledges and spent that night in some woods. The next day they continued on in a commandeered taxi to a remote area and stayed in a hut on an island in the middle of a lake to await the plans for the next stage of their evasion.

On the 23rd November they were taken by road to the small town of where they were handed over to the next local Milorg group and were taken to a camp in some woods where they stayed in tents and huts for a few days. They then set off heading south towards the coast on foot and by small boats to cross a number of lakes sheltering at farms and summer chalets.

They arrived at the coast on the 30th November where they boarded a motorboat to Fossingfjord. Three days later they were transferred to Schweigårdsholmen, a remote island in the Kragerø archipelago where they were sheltered for the next week. This was where Norwegian refugees were taken to Sweden across a hazardous 60 miles of the Skagerrak.

At the beginning of December 20 Norwegians had been gathered for the next trip aboard the newly acquired fishing boat Augusta. On the 10th December the four evaders were taken by boat to Kragerø to join the Augusta. On account of bad weather it was not until 17th December that the conditions had improved enough to sail although once out of the shelter of land and on the open sea the weather deteriorated. This coupled with the need to keep a lookout for mines, engine failures and a fouled propeller forced them to accept a tow into the port of Sandefjord to seek repairs.

Eventually in the early hours of the 21st December they put to sea and 6 hrs later the Swedish coast was sighted. At 11:45 hrs the Augusta anchored in the small fishing port of Gräbbestad from where the four airmen were taken to Stockholm for a few days to recover. They were then flown from Bromma airfield to RAF Leuchers on the 2nd January 1945 aboard an aircraft from the British Airways Overseas Corporation (BAOC).

Aircrew Remembered has been advised that the aircraft may have been:

Either Dakota I G-AGFX (Built as C-47A: 42-5635 for USAAF. Transferred to the RAF as Dakota I FD769 on the 11th February 1943. To civil registry as G-AGFX and BAOC on the 12th February 1943, operated with RAF colours and code ‘ODZBK’)

or Dakota I G-AGGA (Built as C-47A: 42-5653 for the USAAF. Transferred to the RAF as Dakota I FD777 on the 11th March 1943. To civil registry as G-AGGA and BOAC on the 11th March 1943, operated with RAF colours with code ‘ODZDK’)

Above: Recovered section of the rear port side fuselage showing the roundel and the part of the squadron/aircraft code “WE:S” which is displayed at the Norwegian Airforce Museum (Courtesy of the Museum and Hans-Roar Solbakken)

Robert Lynwood ‘Red’ Chaplin was born on the 8th March 1922. He was a student prior to enlisting the RAFVR on the 28th November 1940.

Robert Dalton was born on the 22nd November 1921 in Middlesborough. He was a Dairy Worker prior to enlisted in the RAFVR on the 10th October 1940. Robert passed away during on the 6th November 1994 in Cleveland.

Both WO. Dalton and Plt Off. Chapin, as Sgt and Flt Sgt. respectively, served with 296 Sqn on the same crew in the African theatre of operations. During Operation ‘Fustain’ their Albermarle I P1437 was hit by Flak forcing them to ditch the damaged aircraft. The crew were uninjured and were picked up by a Royal Navy Destroyer.

On another occasion shortly after returning to the Sqn their Albermarle I P1440 crashed on take off. The crew was uninjured but the aircraft was written off.

(4) Sqn Ldr. Bolton was a two times evader. His first was when he was a Fg Off. aboard 102 (Ceylon) Sqn, Halifax HR663, lost over Belgium on the 16th/17th April 1943 (1 KiA, 2 PoW, 4 Evd). He was Comet escaper No. 101.

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) whilst with 102 Sqn (London Gazette 6th July 1943) and was Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) as an acting Sqn Ldr. which was promulgated in the London Gazette on 1st January 1945.

Kenneth James Bolton was born on the 26th May 1915 in Gloucestershire. He was a School Teacher prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 26th November 1939. Kenneth passed away on the 6th November 1994 in Kings Lynn, Norfolk.

Above: Obituary for Kenneth Bolton (Courtesy of The Daily Telegraph, dated 8th November 1994)

Burial details:

Above: Oslo Western Civil Cemetery (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC))

Above: Grave marker for Gp Capt. Wilfred Edward Surplice DSO, DFC, AC, MiD (Courtesy of The War Graves Photographic Project (TWGPP))

Gp Capt. Wilfred Edward Surplice DSO, DFC, AC, MiD. Oslo Western Civil Cemetery 1.C.6. Grave inscription: ‘IN PROUD AND LOVING MEMORY. "THERE'S A GLORY THAT SHINES UPON OUR TEARS"’. Born on the 6th July 1914 in Wood Green, London. Son of Herbert ‘Henry’ Wilson Edward and Florence Mary (née Bartlett) Surplice of Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex. Husband of Cicely Wilson (née Cruddas) Surplice of Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, England.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this crew (Oct 2024). Thanks to Norma Browne, a cousin to Wilfred and Victor Surplice for the images of Wilfred Edward Surplice his family and numerous other images. (Oct 2024). Thanks to the Norwegian Airforce Museum and Hans-Roar Solbakken for the photograph of the recovered portion of LK171 (Oct 2024). Thanks to Espen Randby Thronsen for the corrections to the journey of the evaders (Dec 2024). Many thanks to Jan of Motstandsbevegelsen i Norge 1940-1945 for the additional information. Re: Fg Offs. Mesley and Morrows (May 2025).

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

Other sources listed below:

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