Operation: Berlin, Germany

Date: 7th/8th September 1941 (Sunday/Monday)

Unit No: 15 Squadron, 3 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Stirling I

Serial: N6045

Code: LS:U

Base: RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire

Location: Between Steenderen and Hengelo, Holland

Pilot: Flt Lt. Richard Patrick Wallace-Tarry 39011 RAF Age 28. PoW * (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. Robert Harper 1057680 RAF Age 21. PoW No: 9649 ** (2)

Nav: Sgt. Richard Bernard ‘Ginger’ Pape RAFVR Age 29. PoW No: 24463 (3)

Bomb Aimer: Sgt. William Craig ‘Jock’ Moir 540438 RAFVR Age 29. PoW No: 9662 ** (4)

Air Gnr (Front): Sgt. Robert David ‘Bobby’ Hooley 751071 RAFVR Age 20. PoW No: 9587 *** (5)

WOp/ Air Gnr: Sgt. Cyril Stanley Aynsley 986897 RAFVR Age 28. PoW No: 9585 ** (6)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Herbert John Dunnett 958518 RAFVR Age 24. PoW No. 9853 ** (7)

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. John Edward Dodd 1168327 RAFVR Age 21. PoW No: 9584 * (8)

* Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland.

** Stalag Luft 6, Heydekrug, Memelland (now Šilutė in Lithuania).

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

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the night of the 7th/8th September 1941 N6045 was one (1) of four (4) Stirlings that took-off from RAF Wyton mid-evening to join a force of 197 aircraft on an operation to bomb Berlin.

Reports state that four (4) war-industry factories were hit, ten (10) transport, thirteen (13) public utilities damaged. As well as a zoo, sixteen (16) farms and 260 dwellings. Ground casualties amounted to thirty-six (36) killed, 212 injured with some 2,873 bombed out of their homes.

Twenty-one (21) aircraft were lost either over the target or returning home. Some fifty-seven (57) aircrew killed, forty-two (42) injured with five (5) others interned in Sweden.

It is believed that Stirling N6045 had been hit by Flak and eventually crash-landed between Steenderen and Hengelo in Holland. All the crew survived as PoWs.

They were helped in evading the enemy for sixteen (16) days. On the night of the 25th September 1941 at Leiden, which is some 120 km (74½ mls) west of Steenderen, a man in plain clothes, who said he was a Dutchman, took them to the German authorities and they were arrested.

Andreas Boessenkool contact Aircrew Remembered in Nov 2025 and described how his father helped Sgt. Pape and Sgt. Moir:

“Richard Pape came into our house in Amsterdam, together with his colleague Jock Moir, in October or November 1941. They had crash-landed in eastern Netherlands after a bombing raid on Berlin. I was just over six months old.

The two were being helped to get back to the UK by a group of resistance people but there was a traitor in that group who briefed the Germans about the escape plans. The entire group was arrested by the occupying German authorities.

Among the arrested was my father, Frederik Boessenkool, who after a long process was convicted by the German court martial of the crime of helping the enemy. He was incarcerated in German prisons during the entire duration of the war and repatriated in June 1945. At that time I was 4 years old.

In 1946 or 1947 he re-visited the Netherlands to come and thank all who helped him in the aftermath of his crash landing. He was dismayed to hear that many of his helpers had been executed or imprisoned by the Germans”.

(1) Whilst being transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel he jumped from the train window on the 20th September near Hannover together with Flt Lt. Hall, RAAF. They evaded and reached Sierck-les-Bains (Alsace) just over the German/French border on the 26th September when they were captured by police

Flt Lt. Clive Major Hall was the 2nd pilot from 7 Squadron Stirling I N6046 MG:Y which was shot down by a German night-fighter on the night of the 7th/8th September 1941 (7 PoWs).

Flt Lt. Wallace-Tarry had sustained a severe head injury and spent six (6) weeks in a Hannover hospital and was repatriated in May 1944.

He was promoted to Sqn Ldr. on the 29th June 1940 (London Gazette 7th January 1944). He resigned his commission retaining the rank of Flt Lt. on the 2nd December 1946 (London Gazette 10th January 1947).

He was then appointed to a commission in the RAF Reserve of Officers, General Duties Branch as a Flt Lt. on the 13th April 1951 for a period of 5 years. (London Gazette 10th July 1951). He relinquished his commission on the 15th April 1956. (London Gazette 13th April 1956)

Richard Patrick Wallace-Tarry was born on the 12th May 1913 in Tavistock, Devon. Richard passed away in June 1990 in Eastbourne, East Sussex.

(2) After the statutory transfer to and interrogation at Dulag Luft, Oberursel Sgt. Harper was transferred to Stalag 8B, Lamsdorf, now called Łambinowice in Silesia arriving there on the 20th September.

On the 15th May 1942 he was transferred to Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Germany. On the 1st June 1943 he was transferred to Stalag Luft 6, Heydekrug, Memelland.

In June 1943 became a Stalag for enlisted men, when British and Canadian NCOs (non-commissioned officers) arrived at the camp from Stalag Luft 1 and Stalag Luft 3.

In early 1944 the Russian Army were advancing into the Baltic States from the North and the East preparation for evacuating the camp was being made. On the 20th June 1944 he was amongst the PoWs from Stalag Luft 6 were in the "northern route" of the force-marches, and were transported to Stalag 20A by train in July 1944, and from there took part in the forced-march. The forced-march went to Stalag Luft 4 at Groß-Tychow, Pomerania then via Stettin to Stalag 9B and Stalag 357, Kopernikus at Thorn (Toruń) in Poland.

On the 1st September 1944 the was amongst the PoWs were force-marched from Thorn (Toruń) in Poland to the site of the former Stalag 11D, with construction being carried out by the Italian PoW from Stalag 11B. The camp was commonly known as Stalag 357, Fallingbostal but officially the designation was Stalag 357, Oerbke.

In early April 1945 the PoWs were informed by the Commandant Oberst Hermann Ostmann that 12,000 British PoWs were being evacuated from the camp in the face of the Allied advance. The men marched from the camp in columns of 2,000.

It appears the now Warrant Officer (WO) Harper remained at the camp which was liberated on the 16th April 1945 by British troops from B Squadron 11th Hussars and the Reconnaissance Troop of the 8th Hussars. They were met at the main gate of Stalag 357 by a guard of Airborne troops, impeccably attired and led by RSM Lord. WO. Harper was interviewed on the 23rd April 1945.

Robert Harper was born on 5th January 1920 in Canada. He was a Farm Dairy worker prior to enlisting in the RAFVR in June 1940. Robert passed away on the 29th October 1992 in Kendal, Westmorland, Lancashire.

(3) Sgt. Pape, with the help of the Dutch resistance, initially evaded capture but was eventually captured by the Germans and was apparently sent to Stalag 8B. However, no records documenting Sgt. Pape’s PoW camps(s) has been found. He escaped twice but was caught on both times. He was tortured by the Gestapo on the second and was repatriated in September 1944 on health grounds.

Warrant Officer (WO) Pape was awarded the Military Medal (MM) which was promulgated in the London Gazette on the 29th August 1947. However, in June 1965, he returned his Military Medal (MM) to the Queen in protest at “The Beatles” being awarded the MBE.

He related his war time experiences in his book “Boldness Be My Friend”: ISBN: 978-0755316267: Published by Headline Press 2008.

Richard Pape was born on the 28th April 1912. Richard passed away in Canberra, Australia on the 19th June 1995.

(4) Sgt. Moir’s PoW story is the same as that for Sgt. Harper at Ser.2 above.

William Craig Moir was born on the 28th July 1912 in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was a Fitter prior to enlisting in the RAF on the 5th May 1934. William passed away on the 5th October 1988 in Kettering, Northamptonshire, England.

(5) Sgt. Hooley’s PoW story is the same as that for Sgt. Harper at Ser.2 above.

Robert David Hooley was born on the 15th November 1920 in Leicester, Leicestershire. He was employed as a salesman prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 27th May 1939. Richard passed away in October 1989 in Scarborough, North Yorkshire.

(6) Sgt. Aynsley’s PoW story is the same as that for Sgt. Harper at Ser.2 above.

Cyril Stanley Aynsley was born on the 14th April 1913 in Stanley, Durham. He was a Newspaper Reporter prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 10th March 1940. Cyril passed away on the 30th December 1992 in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

(7) Sgt. Dunnett’s PoW story is the same as that for Sgt. Harper at Ser.2 above.

Herbert John Dunnett was born on the 6th December 1916 in Otley, Woodbridge, Suffolk. He was employed as a Cashier for the Petroleum Board prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 21st June 1940. Herbert passed away in September 1977 in Birmingham, West Midlands.

(8) After the statutory transfer to and interrogation at Dulag Luft, Oberursel Sgt. Dodd was transferred to Stalag 8B, Lamsdorf, now called Łambinowice in Silesia arriving there on the 14th September.

He was then transferred Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland, arriving there on the 3rd May 1942.

On the night of the 27th January 1945, with Soviet troops only 26 km (16 mls) away, orders were received to evacuate the PoWs to Spremberg which is to the West in Germany. The now Warrant Officer (WO) Dodd was amongst the PoW’s who were informed of the evacuation, which was on foot, at about 22:00 hrs the same night and were given 30 mins to pack and prepare everything for the March. The weather conditions were very difficult, with freezing temperatures, and it was snowing accompanied by strong winds. There was 15 cm (6 in) of snow and 2000 PoWs were assigned to clear the road ahead of the main groups.

After a 55 km (34 mls) march, the PoWs arrived in Bad Muskau where they rested for 30 hours. The PoWs were then marched the remaining 26 km (16 mls) to Spremberg where they were housed in empty garages, storerooms and in military barracks. There they were provided with warm soup and bread.

During next days, PoWs were divided up according to Compounds, and they were led to railway sidings and loaded into tightly packed carriages.

On the 2nd February 1945 he was amongst the PoWs who were sent to Marlag und Milag Nord at Westertimke.

Marlag is an acronym for Marinelager (Navy PoW camp), Milag is short for Marine-Interniertenlager (Marine internment camp), and Nord is German for ‘north’.

On the 2nd April 1945 the Commandant announced that he had received orders to leave the camp with most of his guards, leaving only a small detachment behind to hand over the camp to Allied forces, who were already in Bremen.

However, that afternoon a detachment of over a hundred SS-Feldgendarmerie entered the camp, mustered over 3,000 men and marched them out, heading east. The next day, at around at 10:00 hrs the column was strafed by RAF aircraft, and two PoWs were killed.

Over the next few days the column was attacked from the air several times. Finally the Senior British Naval Officer (SBNO), who was later killed in a strafing attack by RAF aircraft, offered the Germans the PoW’s parole, in return for being allowed to rest during the day and march at night. The Germans agreed.

On the 9th April 1945 the guards at Marlag-Milag moved out and were replaced by older men, presumably local Volkssturm. Meanwhile, the column slowly headed east, finally crossing the River Elbe, north of Hamburg, on the 18th April.

On the 27th April the camps were liberated by elements of the British Guards Armoured Division.

The next day, the 28th April, the column finally arrived at Lübeck on the Baltic coast. They were liberated by the British 11th Armoured Division on the 1st May 1945. WO. Dodd was interviewed on the 3rd May 1945.

John Edward Dodd was born on the 30th August 1920 in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire. He was employed as a motor Mechanic/Driver in Wolverhampton prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 1st July 1940.

Burial details:

None - all crew survived.

Researched by Michel Beckers for Aircrew Remembered. With thanks to Jim Torys for photo of Richard Pape - other photographs from the collection of Michel Beckers (Oct 2015). Reviewed reorganised and update with new information with thanks to Andreas Boessenkool (Nov 2025).

Other sources listed below:

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