Operation: Königsberg (1)

Date: 29/30th August 1944 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit: No. 630 Squadron 5 Group (motto: Nocturna Mors - 'Death by night')

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: ND982

Code: LE-Y

Base: RAF East Kirby, Lincolnshire

Location: Osokin, Russia

Pilot: Fl/Lt 'Mac' (2) Douglas George Twidle NZ/42819 RNZAF Age 24. Missing - believed killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Charles William Garner 1295076 RAFVR Age 31. Missing - believed killed

Nav: Sgt. John Archer Akers 1397504 RAFVR Age ? Missing - believed killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Samuel Stanton 1580213 RAFVR Age 21. Missing - believed killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Leonard Prior 1334363 RAFVR Age ? Missing - believed killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Edward John Walton 1631566 RAFVR Age ? Missing - believed killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Harold Walter Wickenden 1892800 RAFVR Age 19. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 20:15 hrs together with 15 others from the squadron on this operation which was the extremest limit for the Lancaster.

Bomber Command carried out a devastating carpet-bombing raid on Königsberg (1) East Prussia, following a previous attack just days earlier. This raid, conducted by 189 Lancaster, dropped 480 tons of high explosive and incendiary bombs, destroying significant portions of the city, including the historic centre, the castle, and the university. The bombing caused widespread destruction, with 41% of all buildings and 20% of industrial buildings being destroyed, and resulted in an estimated 4,500 casualties.

Lancaster ND982 was shot down at 01:48 hrs by Fw, Schäfer (3), flying a Ju 88 of NJG-102, over Osokin

(1) Kaliningrad is a Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea, sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania, and separated from mainland

Above Königsberg after the bombing and civilians evacuate.

Russia. It was formerly the German city of Königsberg, becoming part of the Soviet Union after World War II. Today, Kaliningrad is a significant Russian military outpost and a strategic flashpoint due to its heavily militarised status, deployment of advanced weapon systems, and location within NATO territory.

(3) Fw. Schäfer - Two known victories, both Lancasters, one at Gross Haferbeck, the other near Königsberg, on 30th August, 1944

Burial details:

Initially buried in a local cemetery close to the crash site. However after hostiles ended the area was inside Soviet territory and they refused permission for the bodies to be moved to a CWGC cemetery so they are remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.

Fl/Lt Douglas George Twidle. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 263. Born inHavelock on the 08th April 1920. Son of William George Thornhill Twidle (died 28th September 1960, age 73) and Constance Bingham Twidle (née Pickering - died 02nd August 1967, age 81); husband of Isobel Violet Twidle (née Selb, later Boyd) , later Boyd married 1942 in New Zealand - died 16 July 1997, age 76 in Richmond, Tasman, New Zealand ), of Inangahua Junction, Nelson, New Zealand.

(2) Douglas was named 'Mac' after his uncle Pvt. Cecil Frank Twidle of the Canterbury Infantry Battalion who was killed by a Turkish sniper at Gallipoli, Turkey on the 19th June 1915. Cecil is buried in Canterbury Cemetery. Eceabat İlçesi, Türkiye.. Grave 1.C.4.
Born on the 1th April 189 in Havelock. Son of William Twidle (died on the 07th June 1939, age 73) and Harriett Twidle (née Pop - died on the 03rd August 1949, age 80). Parents buried in Havelock Cemetery, New Zealand.

Sgt. Charles William Garner. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 229. Son of William and Annie Garner; husband of Sadie Jane Garner, of Tottenham, Middlesex, England.

Sgt. John Archer Akers. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 223. No further details - are you able to assist?

Right: Runnymede Memorial

Sgt. Samuel Stanton. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 238. Son of Samuel Edward and Lily Stanton, of Portobello, Staffordshire, England.

Fl/Sgt. Leonard Prior. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 221. No further details - are you able to assist?

Sgt. Edward John Walton. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 239.Born in Chelmsford in 1922. Son of Richard Mark and Alberta Edith Walton, of Fire Station House, Market Road, Chelmsford, Essex, England

Sgt. Harold Walter Wickenden. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 240. Son of Frederick and Florence Emily Wickenden, of Sevenoaks, Kent, England.

Above L-R: Rear; Clark, Hill, Beaufoy, Martin, Cole, Okeby, Morley, Sparrow, Rutherford
Centre; Maddaford, Klitscher, Mercer, Tinker, Liddle, McKay, Millar, Wise, Randelly, Odgers.
Front; Twidle, Aitken, McCartney, Barker, MacDonald, Hall, Hogg, Austin, J Herbert, Herbert.
(Courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand - see link belo)

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, Friends of Kants and Konigsberg, National Archives Kew AIR-27-2152-19/20. Also to Jennifer Lemaire of New Zealand for bringing this loss to our attention. Kracker Luftwaffe Archives. National Archives Kew, AIR-27-2152-19/20.

Other sources as quoted below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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