Operation: Berlin, Germany

Date: 27th/28th January 1944 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit No: 426 (Thunderbird) Sqn, RCAF, 6 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster II

Serial: LL721

Code: OW:U

Base: RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire

Location: Raußlitz, 3¾ miles (6 km) NNE of Nossen, Germany

Pilot: Flt Lt. Maxwell Clare ‘Max’ Wilson J7748 RCAF Age 26. PoW No. 3402 * (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. Wilfred Lawson 533023 RAF Age 26. KiA

Nav: Flt Lt. Joseph Pierre Amedee Rolland St. Jacques J20922 RCAF Age 22. PoW No. 3368 * (2)

Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. Lawrence Henry Power J20163 RCAF Age 25. PoW No. 3385 * (3)

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. Murdo Norman MacDonald R116124 RCAF Age 21. KiA (4)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Alfred Carlson R210313 RCAF Age 20. MiA (5)

Air Gnr (Rear): WO2. William Arnold Park R136021 RCAF Age 32. KiA (6)

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

Above: Flt Sgt. Murdo N. MacDonald, Sgt. Alfred Carlson, WO2. William A. Park (Courtesy of their Service Records)

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the night of the 27th/28th January 1944 the squadron detailed seventeen (17) aircraft to join a force of 530 Lancasters and Mosquitoes to bomb Berlin in Germany.

All seventeen (17) aircraft took-off shorty after 18:00 hrs without incident and thirteen (13) successfully bombed the target. Four (4) aircraft from the squadron failed to return from this operation:

LL721 was claimed by Oblt. Wilhelm Johnen flying a Bf110 G-4, his 10th Abschuss and the 3rd of three (3) claimed this night, SW of Berlin and 4.500m at 21:18 hrs. (Ref 1. p54, p56).

Hptm. Johnen survived the war and was credited with twenty-eight (28) confirmed Abschüsse (24 west, 4 east) with five (5) awaiting confirmation. (Ref 2. p48).

The aircraft crashed at Raußlitz, 3¾ miles (6 km) NNE of Nossen, Germany.

The other three (3) aircraft that failed to return were:

Lancaster II DS686 OW:D - Flown by Flt Lt. Thomas Robert Shaw J7896 RCAF. He and four (4) of his crew were posted MiA, 2 KiA and Flt Sgt. Leslie Victor Langston 1390477 RAFVR became a PoW. The aircraft was hit by Flak of 1. Flak Div. and exploded over Berlin-Köpenick and crashed on the Müggelheimer Damm at 20:10 hrs. (Ref 1. p54);

Lancaster II DS775 OW:W - Flown by Flt Lt. Arthur Tempest Martens 121946 RAFVR. He and four (4) of his crew were KiA and two (2) became PoWs;

Lancaster II LL688 OW:R - Flown by Plt Off. Ray Edgerton Countess J18508 RCAF. All eight (8) of the crew were posted MiA.

Fg Off. St. Jacques later reported:

"On the night of 27th January, 1944 whilst operating over enemy territory we were attacked and the rear gunner gave the order "Dive to Port". A few seconds later a violent explosion shook the aircraft. The rear gunner reported his turret U/S and in such a position that he could not get out. By this time there no rudder controls. The Engineer went back to assist the rear gunner and at the same time a second attack was made which put on fire the fuselage near the mid upper turret. The order was then given prepare to abandon aircraft. I looked through the bulk head door and saw the mid upper gunner, Sgt. Carlson, trying to get his parachute from its stowage. Suddenly he threw up his arms cried out as if in pain and fell forward towards the flames. It was then that a third attack was made and the order was given to bale out. I told the Wireless Operator, Sgt. MacDonald to put on his parachute and bale out and went forward. The Bomb Aimer had already gone, the Engineer was in the nose adjusting his parachute and I went out. The Captain told me that when he came forward he saw nobody in the nose and so baled out himself”.

“Later the Germans informed me that the bodies of Flt Sgt. Parks, Flt Sgt. MacDonald and Sgt. Lawson had been identified. Nothing was said of Sgt. Carlson”.

(1) Flt Lt. Wilson strained his back in landing after successfully baling out of the aircraft. He buried his parachute, harness and Mae West. In the pouring rain he started waking in a northerly direction and covered about 19 miles (30 km) before dawn broke. He managed to evade being captured for two (2) days and three (3) nights before being apprehended by armed civilians at or near a place named Bödein on the morning of the 30th January.

Note: A village or town by the name of Bödein does not exist on contemporary or modern maps. As the pilot he would have baled out last from the aircraft which was heading away from Berlin towards Lübeck, therefore he would have landed in an area east of Raußlitz, where the aircraft crashed. There are a number of villages with similar sounding names 19 miles (30 km) to the north of the crash site but none can be positive associated with Bödein.

He was initially interrogated in a jail near to where he was captured and again at Dulag Luft, Oberursel from the 30th January until the 4th February. He was held in solitary confinement and also threatened with being sent to a Concentration Camp under the control of the Gestapo.

He was then transferred to Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia arriving there on the 6th February and was billeted in Block No. 4 in the North Compound.

On the night of the 27th January 1945, with Soviet troops only 16 mls (26 km) away, orders were received to evacuate the PoWs to Spremberg which is to the west of Sagan-Silesia. The PoW’s 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 6 inches (15 cm) of snow and 2000 PoWs were assigned to clear the road ahead of the main groups.

The first groups of American PoW’s set out from the South Compound with the last PoW leaving at 23:00 hrs. The next group of American PoWs set out from the West Compound. At 03:45 hrs the North Compound left, followed by the Centre Compound. At 06:00 hrs the East Compound left. All the groups were accompanied by guards.

After a 34 miles (55 km), the PoWs arrived in Bad Muskau where they rested for 30 hours. The PoWs were then marched the remaining 16 miles (26 km) 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 Flt Lt. Wilson was amongst the North compound PoWs who were sent to Marlag und Milag Nord at Westertimke in Lower Saxony arriving there on the 5th February.

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 which included Flt Lt. Wilson 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.

The column finally arrived at Lübeck on the Baltic coast on the 28th April. They were liberated by the British 11th Armoured Division on the 1st May 1945. Flt Lt. Wilson was interviewed on the 3rd May 1945.

Maxwell Clare Wilson was born on the 2nd November 1917 in Enniskillen, Lambton, Ontario, Canada. He was employed as an Office Clerk prior to enlisting in the RCAF on the 20th November 1940. Maxwell passed away on the 27th March 1986 in London, Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada.

Flt Lt. Wilson had two brother’s both of whom served with the RCAF:

Flt Sgt. Robert Edwin Wilson R67917 RCAF Age 26. He and his crew were posted MiA on the night of the 22nd/23rd April 1942 when his 408 (Goose) Sqn, RCAF Hampden I AE237 EQ:X, on a “Gardening” operation, was shot down by Ofw. Paul Gildner from 5./NJG2 over the sea NW of Ameland at 00:07 hrs. The four (4) crew are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial;

Flt Lt. William Laurel Wilson C12659 RCAF Age 36. He was an Administrative Officer and a passenger aboard 168 (Heavy Transport) Sqn, Fortress IIA 9203 which was lost on a flight from Rabat, French Morocco to RCAF Station Rockliffe in Canada on the 15th December 1944. The five (5) crew and three (3) passengers are commemorated on the Ottawa Memorial.

Above: Flt Lt. William Laurel Wilson from his service record

(2) Flt Lt. St. Jacques was captured soon after he had baled out and was transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel arriving there on the 29th January. He was subjected to the statutory solitary confinement, interrogations and threats until the 5th February 1944 when he was transferred to Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia arriving there on the 8th February where he joined Flt Lt. Wilson in Block No. 4 in the North Compound.

Whilst at the camp he volunteered to be on the escape committee and worked on tunnelling projects but made no escape attempts himself.

From Stalag Luft 3 his onward journey until he was liberated was the same at that for Flt Lt. Wilson (See (1) above). Flt Lt. St. Jacques was interviewed on the 3rd May 1945.

Joseph Pierre Amedee Rolland St. Jacques was born on the 15th October 1921 in Ottawa, Ontario. He was a student prior to enlisting in the RCAF on the 2nd February 1942. Joseph passed away on the 23rd May 2016 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

(3) On the night of the 26th/27th April 1943 Plt Off. Power was the Bomb Aimer aboard 426 (Thunderbird) Sqn, Wellington X HE867 (Insert link) which was attacked by a German night-fighter which caused major damage to the aircraft which return to base. The crew of five (5) baled out successfully.

Fg Off. Power baled out and suffered unspecified injuries but managed to evade capture until the 29th January when he was apprehended near Dresden. He was then transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel arriving there on the 30th January. He was subjected to the statutory solitary confinement, interrogations and threats until the 4th February 1944 when he was transferred to Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia arriving there on the 7th February.

From Stalag Luft 3 his onward journey until he was liberated was the same at that for Flt Lt. Wilson (See (1) above). Flt Lt. Power was interviewed on the 3rd May 1945.

Lawrence Henry Power was born on the 5th June 1918 in Whitney Pier, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. He was employed as a Office Clerk prior to enlisting in the RCAF in September 1941. Lawrence passed away on the 31st May 2006 in Taigh Na Mara, Nova Scotia, Canada.

(4) Plt Off. MacDonald had two bothers who were serving with the Canadian military when he enlisted:

Plt Off. Norman MacDonald J86712 who was serving overseas;

Petty Officer (PO) Angus MacDonald 16088 RCNVR serving in Halifax.

Both appeared to have survived the war.

(5) Plt Off. Carlson’s brother, Norman Carlson was serving with the RCNVR on Active Service when he enlisted. No further information found.

(6) Plt Off. Park’s brother, LAC. Gordon Park R151342 was serving with RCAF on a home posting when he enlisted. No further information found.

Burial details:

Flt Sgt. MacDonald and WO2. Park were recovered from the Raußlitz Cemetery and finally laid to rest at the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery on the 27th June 1947.

Initial burial records do not list Sgt. Lawson as having been recovered and as a consequence he is named on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 233. Subsequently his remains were recovered, albeit in unknown circumstances, and he was laid to rest at the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery.

Above: The Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery (Courtesy of the CWGC)

Sgt. Wilfred Lawson. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, 9.D.26. Grave Inscription: “LATE OF PENRITH, CUMBRIA REMEMBERED BY HIS FAMILY AND WIDOW MARGARET REUNITED AND AT PEACE”. Born on the 24th April 1918 in Penrith, Cumberland. Son of John William and Elizabeth (née James) Lawson. Husband of Margaret Grace (née Flood) Lawson of Leeds, Yorkshire, England.

Also remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 233.

Plt Off. Murdo Norman MacDonald. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, 9.D.27. Born on the 21st October 1922 in Fort William, Ontario. Son of Norman and Murdina (née Morrison) MacDonald of Fort William, Ontario, Canada.

Flt Sgt. MacDonald was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J85816 Plt Off. with effect 27th January 1944.

Above: The Runnymede Memorial (Courtesy of the CWGC)

Plt Off. Alfred Carlson. Runnymede Memorial, Panel 249. Born on the 21st November 1923 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Son of John Alof (deceased in December 1931) and Esther (née Norman) Carlson of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Sgt. Carlson was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J90059 Plt Off. with effect 26th January 1944.

Plt Off. William Arnold Park. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, 9.J.28. Born on the 26th October 1911 in Parry Sound District, Ontario. Son of Andrew and Bella Ann (née Purdon) Park, both deceased in February 1928 and December 1918 respectively. His Next of Kin was listed as his sister Reta Florence (née Park) Green of Golden Valley, Ontario, Canada.

WO2. Parks was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J85817 Plt Off. with effect 27th January 1944.

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

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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