Operation: Frankfurt, Germany

Date: 22nd/23rd March 1944 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit No: 207 Sqn, 5 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: ME666

Code: KM:A

Base: RAF Spilsby, Lincolnshire

Location: Crashed at Bad Schwallback some 43½ km (27 mls) west of Frankfurt

Pilot: Wg Cdr. Vashon James 'Pop' Wheeler MC and Bar, DFC and Bar, 76594 RAF Age 46. KiA (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. George Henry Witney 1434183 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

Nav: Flt Lt. George Grant Edwards 120443 RAF Age 30. PoW * (2)

Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. Douglas Reginald Barham 147510 RAFVR Age 23. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Fg Off. Robert Alexander Milne 129931 RAFVR Age 30. KiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Flt Sgt. Joseph Dunseath DFM, 965257 RAF Age 28. PoW No. 3486 ** (3)

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Thomas Joseph McCarthy 2206428 RAF Age 29. PoW No. 3404 ** (4)

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

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

Above: Wg Cdr. Vashon James ‘Pop’ Wheeler MC and Bar, DFC and Bar (Courtesy of Honour those heroes who fell - FindAGrave)

Above left Fg Off. Milne and right Flt Sgt. Dunseath pictured in Summer 1942 whilst with 77 Sqn (Courtesy of Paul Markham)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 19:01hrs from RAF Spilsby for a bombing raid on Frankfurt. One of 816 aircraft that took part in this raid and much damage was caused to all parts of the city.

Above: Centre of Frankfurt 22nd/23rd March 1944 (Courtesy of the IWM)

ME666 was claimed by Hptm. Gerhard Raht, his 25th Abschuss, from 4./NJG3 WNW of Frankfurt at 22:12 hrs. Note. Also coned by 4./Flakscheinw.Abt.399, also claimed by Flak of 5./schw. Flak Abt. 322, 4./schw.Flak Abt. 492, 3. & 4./schw.Flak Abt 637, 7./schw.Flak Abt. 255 and schw. Flak Battr. Z.b.V. 6257. (Lancaster Schwalbach 22.02 hrs). The victory was credited by Abschuss Kommission to Hptm. Raht on the 21st July 1944. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (16 March 1944 - 11 May 1944) Part 2 - Theo Boiten).

Hptm. Raht survived the war and was credited with 40 Abschüsse with a further 16 awaiting confirmation (Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies - Theo Boiten). He flew a total a total of 171 sorties and joined the post-war Bundes Luftwaffe. He died on the 11th January 1977 (Luftwaffe ACES - Biographies and Victory Claims (Mathews and Foreman) - Volume 3).

(1) Whilst serving with the British Army Rifle Brigade and attached to the 45th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, Lt. Vashon James Wheeler OA143303 was awarded the Military Cross (MC). (London Gazette 22nd January 1920).

Citation reads: “At Vosnesenskoe he was in charge of a flank party in a raid on the 2nd September 1919. He was surrounded on three sides by the enemy at close quarters. He acted with great courage and determination, and with his small party drove off the enemy and inflicted severe loss on him”.

Lt. (Acting Capt) Vashon James Wheeler was awarded a Bar to his MC. (London Gazette 22nd January 1920).

Citation reads: “He did excellent work on his patrols on the 7th, 8th and 9th September 1919 aways gaining touch with the enemy. He also led his platoon with great gallantry and dash in the raid on Kodema on 8th September and six hours later led them in a most successful counter-attack”.

Lt. Wheeler was also honoured by the White Movement for his efforts, receiving the Order of Saint Stanislaus. He paid for these awards with his own pound of flesh, losing two fingers on his left hand due to a painful wound received during the fighting. By the end of the campaign Lt. Wheeler had again been promoted to Captain.

The White Movement was a loose confederation of anti-communist forces that fought the communist Bolsheviks, also known as the “Reds” in the Russian Civil War between 1917 and 1923. Also to a lesser extent continued operating as militarized associations of rebels both outside and within Russian borders in Siberia until roughly World War II.

After returning home to England, Wheeler decided to spend a portion of the proceeds gained from the sale of his farm on a course of flying lessons at Heston Aerodrome. The missing fingers on his left hand evidently posed no hindrance as he soon gained his pilots licence and eventually gained a commercial pilots B Licence. This allowed him to fly passengers and make a living from flying as an airline pilot, this he did for the duration of the 1930s.

Above: Vashon James Wheeler’s Royal Aero Club Aviators Certificate

By 1939 he was working for an Egyptian-based airline and on the outbreak of the war he immediately returned home to England with the intention of joining the RAF. Knowing that his age would likely bar him from any operational flying role, he decided to utilise the same trick that he had used so successfully back in 1915, he lied about it.

Vashon James Wheeler was granted a commission as a 76594 Plt Off. in the RAFVR effective 1st December 1939 (London Gazette 19th January 1940), to Fg Off. with effect 2nd January 1941) London Gazette 7th March 1941) and to Flt Lt with effect 12th May 1941 (London Gazette 25th July 1941).

As an acting Sqn Ldr. he was awarded the DFC whilst with 85 Sqn. (London Gazette 30th September 1941).

Citation reads: “Acting Squadron Leader Vashon James WHEELER, M.C. (76594), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 85 Squadron. This officer has performed excellent operational work' during a long period, including convoy patrols and reconnaissance missions over enemy territory. He has also carried out a large number of operational flying hours by night. One night in May, 1941, Squadron Leader Wheeler attacked and probably destroyed a Heinkel 111. The following night he damaged a Junkers 88, setting its port engine on fire. Throughout, Squadron Leader Wheeler has shown great devotion to duty and an intense desire to engage the enemy”.

As an acting Wg Cdr. he was awarded a bar to the DFC whilst with 157 Sqn (London Gazette 24th September 1943).

Citation reads: “Acting Wing Commander Vashon James WHEELER, M.C., D.F.C. (76504) Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 157 Squadron. This officer has led the squadron on very many sorties during which locomotives and other targets on the ground have been attacked with telling effect. Much of the success achieved can be attributed to Wing Commander Wheeler's inspiring leadership and skill. His courageous example has been worthy of great praise”.

Wg Cdr. Wheeler became the OC of 207 Sqn on the 6th February 1944 and was one of the oldest Squadron Commanders to have been killed in operations.

(2) Flt Lt. Edwards evaded for 2 days before being captured near Wiesbaden about 30km (18½ mls) east of Frankfurt on the 25th March 1944

After the statuary transfer to Dulag Luft, Oberursel, arriving there the next day, he was transferred to Stalag Luft 1 arriving there on the 11th April.

Above view of Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang

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. Flt Lt. Edwards was interviewed on the 12th May 1945.

George Grant Edwards was born on the 25th May 1913. He was a bank clerk in Banffshire, Scotland prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 3rd September 1940. No further information found.

(3) Flt Sgt. Dunseath was award the DFM whilst at 77 Sqn. (London Gazette 9th July 1943).

Flt Sgt. Dunseath DFM evaded for 3 days before being captured on the 26th March SW of Frankfurt. After the statuary visit to Dulag Luft, Oberursel and after interrogation he was transferred to Stalag Luft 6 arriving there in early Apr 1944.

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. PoWs from Stalag Luft 6, the camp closest to the Russian advance, were in the "northern route" of the force-marches, and the now promoted WO. Edwards joined the prisoners who were transported to Stalag 20A by train commencing on the 12th July 1944, and from there took part in the forced-march.

WO. Edwards arrived at Stalag 357 Kopernikus at Thorn (Toruń) in Poland on the 18th July 1944. On the 8th August 1944 he was amongst the prisoners who were force-marched from Thorn (Toruń) to the site of the former Stalag 11D, with construction being carried out by the Italian PoW from Stalag 11B, and arrived there on the 10th August. The new camp was commonly known as Stalag 357, Fallingbostal but officially the designation was Stalag 357, Oerbke.

On the 6th/7th 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, including WO. Dunseath, marched from the camp in columns of 2,000.

After 10 days they arrived at Gresse, east of the Elbe. There they were issued with Red Cross parcels, but were then unfortunately on the 19th August the columns were strafed by British Typhoonfighter-bombers, mistaking them for German troops. Upwards of 60 PoWs were killed, although research has only found 42 victims, and many more were wounded.

WO. Deans, the British Camp Leader, confronted OberstOstmann and bluntly gave him a choice, to be captured to the Russians or the British. Ostmann provided WO. Deans with a pass and a German guard, and WO. Deans headed west to contact the advancing British troops. On the 1st May he and his guard were sheltering in a house east ofLauenbergwhen they heard over the radio the news of the death of Adolf Hitler. The next morning the house was overrun by troops of the British 6th Airborne.

WO. Deans was taken to the commander of VIII Corpsand explained the situation. He was given a captured Mercedes car and drove back to Gresse. Two days later the PoW column marched back across the British lines.

Meanwhile Stalag 357, 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.

Above: Liberated POW's relax in the sun Stalag Luft 357 (Courtesy of the IWM)

WO. Dunseath was interviewed on the 9th May 1945.

Joseph Dunseath was born on the 3rd October 1915. He was a brass metal worker in the Arts in Glasgow, Scotland prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 3rd September 1939. No further information found.

(4) Sgt. McCarthy sprained his knee in baling out and was captured the next day near Frankfurt.

After the statuary visit to Dulag Luft, Oberursel and after interrogation he was transferred to Stalag Luft 6 arriving there in early Apr 1944.

From this time forward until he arrived at Stalag 357, Fallingbostal his story is the same as WO. Dunseath (Ser. 5 above)

It is not known if the now promoted Flt Sgt. McCarthy was amongst the evacuated PoW or he remained in the camp. The forced march PoWs were liberated on the 3rd May 1945

Meanwhile Stalag 357, 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.

Flt Sgt. McCarthy was interviewed on the 5th May 1945.

Thomas Joseph McCarthy was born on the 10th September 1914 in Prescott, Lancashire. He worked in a factory manufacturing bottles in St. Helens, Lancashire prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 11th June 1943. Thomas passed away in the 3rd Qtr of 1982 in Knowsley, Merseyside, England.

Burial details:

Above Durnbach War Cemetery (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC))

Durnbach War Cemetery - The quality of these photographs shown here can not be fully appreciated when the size is reduced for the web page. (courtesy David Franklin - David has kindly provided us with permission to release high definition copies to relatives)

Wg Cdr. Vashon James ‘Pop’ Wheeler MC and Bar, DFC and Bar. Durnbach War Cemetery, 9.D.6. Born on the 16th September 1898 in Bridgnorth, Shropshire. Son of James Volant (deceased in 1939) and Sybil Grace (née Tyrwhitt) Wheeler. Husband of Josephine Hermione (née Spencer-Phillips) Wheeler of Clee Staton, Shropshire, England.

Sgt. George Henry Witney. Durnbach War Cemetery, Joint Grave 9.D. 7-8. Born in the 2nd Qtr. of 1922 in Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Son of George and Jane (née Craft) Witney. Husband to Violet Emily (née Campbell) Whitney of Buckinghamshire, England.

Fg Off. Douglas Reginald Barham. Durnbach War Cemetery, 9.D.5. Grave inscription: ‘IN LOVING MEMORY OF A DEAR SON AND HUSBAND, LOVED AND REMEMBERED ALWAYS’. Born on the 26th March 1920 in Maidstone, Kent. Son of George Albert and Lily Gertrude (née Elworthy) Barham of Maidstone, Kent. Husband of Pauline Tanton (née Tidy) Barham of Maidstone, Kent, England.

Fg Off. Robert Alexander Milne is remembered on Lossiemouth War Memorial

Fg Off. Robert Alexander Milne. Durnbach War Cemetery, Joint Grave 9.D. 7-8. Born circa 1914 in Lossiemouth, Morayshire, Scotland. Grave Inscription: ‘HE SHALL GROW NOT OLD, AS WE THAT ARE LEFT GROW OLD BUT WE WILL REMEMBER HIM’. Son of Robert and Elizabeth Isabella (née Shiach) Milne of Elgin, Moray, Scotland.

Researched by Kate Tame for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the families and members of the crew. Reviewed and updated with new information and images by Aircrew Remembered (Oct 2024). Thanks to Paul Markham for the photograph of Fg Off. Milne (Oct 2024).

Other sources list below:

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