Operation: Berlin, Germany

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

Unit No: 7 Squadron, 3 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Stirling I

Serial: N6046

Code: MG:Y

Base: RAF Oakington, Cambridgeshire

Location: Recklinghausen, Germany

Pilot: Sgt. Alick Yardley 748748 RAFVR Age 23. PoW No: 9557 * (1)

2nd Pilot: Flt Lt. Clive Major Hall 402002 RAAF Age 27. PoW No: 3809 ** (2)

Flt Eng: Sgt. Donald Owens 528924 RAFVR Age 26. PoW No: 183 * (3)

Navigator/Bomb Aimer: Sgt. John Henry ‘Jack’ Boulton 742790 RAFVR Age 26. PoW No: 9554 * (4)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Johnny Melville Sutton 746728 RAFVR Age 20. PoW No: 9556 * (5)

Air Gnr (Mid Upper): Sgt. Lesley Ernest John Davenport 964692 RAFVR Age 21. PoW No: 9553 *** (6)

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Arthur Speakman 5514272 RAFVR Age 20. PoW No: 9555 * (7)

* Stalag 357, Kopernikus at Thorn (Toruń) in Poland.

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

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

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Oakington at 20:01 hrs to attack Berlin. 197 aircraft taking part in clear visibility with reports of good bombing on the target.

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

The allies lost some 21 aircraft, either over the target or returning home. 57 aircrew killed, 42 inured with 5 intend in Sweden.

N6046 was claimed as a possible Viermot (4 Motor) by Lt. Rudolf Altendorf, his 7th Abschuss, from 2.NJG3, over north Berlin at 1.400m at 00:32 hrs.

Note: Also claimed as a probable Abschuss, coned by Res. Flakscheinw. Abt. 308. Also by 1./Res. Flak Abt. 403 and 2. & 3./Res. Flak Abt. 336 (Stirling Polsum). (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (13 July 1941 - 29 May 1942) The Early Years Part 2 - Theo Boiten).

Hptm. Rudolf Altendorf survived the war and was credited with 20 night and 4 day confirmed Abschüsse with one (1) awaiting confirmation. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies - Theo Boiten).

(1) Sgt. Yardley had a miraculous escape when his parachute failed to open and his fall was broken when he hit the branches of some pine trees.

He was captured that day and held at Münster Aerodrome and the next day interrogated. He was transferred to Dulag Luft on the 11th September where he was subjected to the statutory solitary isolation and interrogation.

It is not known which of the two (2) aerodromes around Münster that he was held.

He was then transferred to Stalag 8B, Lamsdorf in Silesia arriving there on the 16th September 1941.

Note: In 1943 Stalag 8B was renamed Stalag 344.

On the 16th May 1942 he was transferred to Stalag Luft 3, Sagan arriving there two (2) days later.

On the 18th June 1943 he was transferred to Stalag Luft 6, Heydekrug arriving there two (2) days later. During July 1944 he was transferred to Kopernikus at Thorn (Toruń) in Poland On the 1st September 1944 the PoWs were force-marched from Thorn 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. The then Warrant Officer (WO) Yardley remained at the camp.

The camp 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. Yardley was interviewed on the 23rd April 1945.

Alick Yardley was born on the 8th June 1918 in Coventry, West Midlands. Prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 16th June 1939 he was employed as a pattern maker at Sterling Metals and was a Freeman of Coventry city.

As a schoolboy he played rugby for England whilst attending Frederick Bird School. After leaving school he played rugby with the Frederick Bird’s Old Boy Rugby Football Union (OBRFU). He also won many prizes as a runner.

On the 22nd October 1940 Alick lost his brother in law, Tom Bolton, who was killed whilst a member of the Home Guard at Mapleton Close, Radford.

After his return to the UK in May 1945 the engagement of the then Warrant Officer (WO) Yardley, was announced between him and Betty McKellar of Coventry. Alick passed away on the 20th May 1990 in Coventry.

(2) The was Flt Lt. Hall’s first mission as 2nd Pilot. He was captured near Münster on the 9th September.

Whilst being transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel he jumped from the train window on the 20th September near Hannover together with Flt Lt. Wallace-Tarry, RAF. 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. Richard Patrick Wallace-Tarry 39011 was the Pilot from Stirling I N6045 LS:U from 15 Sqn which was hit by Falk on the night of the 7th/8th September 1941 (8 PoW).

Flt Lt. Hall had suffered slight head and leg injures in jumping from the train. He then poisoned both his hands another three days later. 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.

After interrogation Flt Lt. Hall was sent to Oflag 10C, Lübeck, Northern Germany arriving there on the 5th October. Four days later he was transferred to Oflag 6B, which was SW of the village of Dössel in NW Germany arriving there on the 10th October 1941.

On the 12th September 1942 he was transferred to Oflag 21B, Szubina few miles SW of Bydgoszcz in Poland. On the 14th April 1943 the camp was cleared of all PoWs who were sent to Stalag Luft 3 arriving there the next day.

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 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 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 he was amongst the PoWs who were sent to Marlag und Milag Nord at Westertimke arriving there on the 5th February 1945.

Marlag is an acronym for Marinelager (naval prisoner of war camp), Milag is short for Marine-Internierten-Lager(naval 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.

Because of the date of his liberation it is presumed that Flt Lt. Hall was not amongst those on the forced march nor did he remain at the camp as he was liberated on the 10th April 1945. He was interviewed on the 3rd May 1945.

Clive Major Hall was born on the 28th October 1913 in Cottesloe, Western Australia. He was a Wool buyer prior to enlisting in the RAAF on the 28th April 1940 Clive passed away on the 30th August 2014 in New South Wales, Australia.

(3) Sgt. Owens was injured and captured at Recklinghausen near Münster that day. He was transferred to the Reserve Lazarett (hospital) in Hohemark at Dulag Luft, Oberursel the next day. He remained in hospital until the 1st October after which he was transferred to Stalag 3E Dobrilugk-Kirchhain in Lower Lusatia, Brandenburg.

Stalag 3E was a camp used to house British Army PoWs but in July 1941 it was used to take the overflow of RAF NCO PoWs lost in Bomber Command summer offensive.

On the 9th March 1942 he was admitted to the French PoW hospital at Spremberg for an unknown injury or illness and where he remained until the 22nd May 1942. He was then transferred to Stalag Luft 3, Sagan.

On the 14th June 1943 he was transferred to Stalag Luft 6, Heydekrug. It was in this month that it became a PoW camp for British and Canadian NCOs (non-commissioned officers).

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 were transported to Stalag 20A by train in July 1944, and from there took part in the forced-march.

It was estimated that 100,000 PoWs took the northern route. It 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 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 appear that the, now Warrant Officer (WO) Owens was amongst the men on the forced march.

After 10 days they arrived at Gresse, east of the Elbe. There they were issued with Red Cross parcels, but were then unfortunately strafed by British Typhoonfighter-bombers, mistaking them for German troops. Sixty (60) PoWs were killed and many wounded.

Sgt. Dixie Deans confronted Oberst Ostmann and bluntly gave him a choice, to be captured to the Russians or the British. Ostman provided S gt. Deans with a pass and a German guard, and Deans headed west to contact the advancing British troops. On the 1st May Deans and his guard were sheltering in a house east of Lauenbergwhen 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. Sgt. 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. WO. Owens was interviewed on the 6th May 1945.

Donald Owens was born on the 29th October 1914 in Conway, Caernarfonshire, Wales. He was steam locomotive driver prior to enlisting in the RAF on the 11th February 1936. Donald passed away during October 1987 in Gwynedd, Wales.

(4) The PoW story for Sgt. Boulton was the same as for Sgt. Yardley (See (1) above) from being sent to Stalag 8B, Lamsdorf in Silesia until he, as a Warrant Officer (WO), was interviewed on the 23rd April 1945.

John Henry Boulton was born on the 21st May 1915 in Wandsworth, London. He was a fruit exporter prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 11th January 1939. John passed away on the 12th September 2001 in West Wickham, Kent.

(5) The PoW story for Sgt. Sutton was the same as for Sgt. Yardley (See (1) above) from being sent to Stalag 8B, Lamsdorf in Silesia until arriving at Stalag 357, Fallingbostal. Officially the designation was Stalag 357, Oerbke.

The then Warrant Officer (WO) Sutton was in the marching columns being evacuated from the camp in the face of the Allied advance. The men marched from the camp in columns of 2,000. On the 15th April 1945 he and WO. Hind slipped away from to work their way back to Allied lines but were recaptured on the 18th April.

This was Sgt. Stanley Norman Hind 745404 RAFVR who was the pilot of Hampden I AD788 EA:V from 49 Sqn which was shot down by either Flak or a night-fighter on the night of the 5th/26th June 1941 (3 KiA, 1 PoW).

After 10 days they arrived at Gresse, east of the Elbe. There they were issued with Red Cross parcels, but were then unfortunately strafed by British Typhoonfighter-bombers, mistaking them for German troops. Sixty (60) PoWs were killed and many wounded.

Sgt. Dixie Deans confronted Oberst Ostmann and bluntly gave him a choice, to be captured to the Russians or the British. Ostman provided S gt. Deans with a pass and a German guard, and Deans headed west to contact the advancing British troops. On the 1st May Deans and his guard were sheltering in a house east of Lauenbergwhen 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. Sgt. 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. WO. Sutton was interviewed on the 26th April 1945

Johnny Melville Sutton was born on the 14th October 1919 in Surrey. He was employed as a Clerk prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 22nd March 1939. Johnny passed away in April 1997 in Winchester, Hampshire.

(6) Sgt. Davenport escaped an earlier incident on the 15th July 1941, returning from an operation to Hannover aboard Stirling N6022 MG-D.

The PoW story for Sgt. Davenport was the same as for Sgt. Yardley (See (1) above) from being sent to Stalag 8B, Lamsdorf in Silesia until he, as a Warrant Officer (WO), was interviewed on the 26th April 1945.

Lesley Ernest John Davenport was born on the 7th July 1920 in Aston, Warwickshire. He was employed as a Finance Clerk in a Trade Union prior to enlist in the RAFVR in April 1940. Lesley passed away in March 1998 in Chelmsford, Essex.

Above: One of the pages from Les Davenports wartime log during captivity at Stalag 357, Thorne, Poland (courtesy Ian Davenport)

Other names mentioned in the log of Sgt. Lesley Davenport (We welcome contact from any of the relatives):

Maurice G. Shetlow – No information found for an individual with this name;

Stanley Hewitt – Believed to be Sgt. Stanley William Bert Hewitt 1168511 RAFVR. He was one of two of the crew that baled out of Manchester I L7461 from 106 Sqn on the night of the 10th/11th April 1942 after being hit by Flak (5 Rtn, 2 PoW);

R. Evans from Brynmawr, South Wales – Believed to be Sgt. Raymond Evans 1252262 RAFVR;

D. Owens (This crew);

Johnny D. Morgan from Kidsgrove, Staffordshire – This was Sgt. John Denis Morgan 1058502 RAFVR. He was the 2nd Pilot from Wellington II W5461 EP:R from 104 Squadron which was which was shot down on the night of the 12th/13th August 1941 (6 PoW);

Charles F. Hall from Lewes, Sussex - This was Sgt. Charles Frank Hall 908413 RAFVR. He was the Mid Upper Gunner from Manchester I L7380 EM:W from 207 Sqn which was force landed on the Dutch Island of Ameland (6 PoW);

Richard R. Huleatt - This was Sgt. Richard Ridley Hendry Huleatt 1059832 RAFVR. He was the Rear Gunner from Halifax III W7931 EY:J from 78 Sqn which abandoned after being crippled by Flak on the 26th/27th March 1943 (3 KiA, 5 PoW);

Jack H. Boulton (This crew);

J or P Smith – No corroborated information found for an individual with this name;

Above: Fallingborstal inside and outside views August 1944! (courtesy Ian Davenport)

Alec Kerr – This was Sgt. Alexander McBridge Kerr 1106012 RAFVR;

D.A. Lloyd from Heanor, Nottinghamshire – This was Sgt. Denis Alan Lloyd 947277 RAFVR. He was the Rear Gunner from Stirling I N6020 MG:B from 7 Sqn which was lost on the night of the 25th/26th August 1941 (6 KiA, 1 PoW);

John H. Sutton (This crew);

Above: Les Davenport Wartime Log (courtesy Ian Davenport)

Dennis S. Merrells from Barking, Essex - This was Sgt. Denms Stanley Merrells 567091 RAFVR. He was the Navigator from Stirling I N3663 MG:H of 7 Squadron shot down by a night fighter on the night of the 2nd/3rd August 1941 (4 KiA, 3 PoWs);

W.S. Bellew from Kilburn, London NW6 – This was Sgt. William Stanley Bellew 1376783 RAFVR. He was the Rear Gunner from Stirling I W7430 MG:? from 7 Squadron which was shot down by a night fighter on the night of the 2nd/3rd June 1941 (6 KiA, 1 PoW);

David Y. Teil from Southend-on-Sea, Essex – No information found for an individual with this name;

A. Yardley (This crew);

Richard A. Copley from Aldershot, Hants - This was Sgt. Richard Alfred Copley 748217 RAFVR. He was the Observer from Wellington III W5421 PH:G of 12 Sqn which landed on Antwerpen-Deurne airfield on the night of the 5th/6th August 1941. Set of fire by the crew (5 PoW, 1 Evd);

H. West from Gorton, Manchester – This was Flt Sgt. Harold West 948124 RAFVR. He was the Bomb Aimer from Halifax II HR750 MH:W from 51 Squadron which was shot down by a German night-fighter on the night of the 27th/28th May 1943 (7 PoW);

J.D. Morgan – Believed to be Sgt. John Denis Morgan 1058502 RAFVR. He was the 2nd Pilot from Wellington II W5461 EP:R which was lost on the night of 12th/13th August 1941 (6 PoW);

Thomas W. Coultard from Gorebridge, Midlothian, Scotland – This was Flt Sgt. Thomas William Coulthart 578088 RAFVR. He was the Flight Engineer from Lancaster III DS722 KO:N from 115 Squadron DS722 which was ditched west of the Frisian Island on the 23rd/24th August 1943 (4 MiA, 3 PoW);

Sydney Dawson from Spring Bank, Keighley, Yorkshire – This was Sgt. Sydney Dawson 942476 RAFVR. He was one of the Wireless Operator/Air Gunners from Wellington I L7866, ‘R’ of 37 Sqn, Middle East. The aircraft was refuelling at a FoB when the aircraft was strafed and destroyed on the 24th May 1941 (6 PoW);

Edward Purnell from Bishopstoke, Eastleigh, Hants - May have been Plt Off. Eric Victor John Purnell 118180 RAFVR. He was the Mid-Upper Gunner from Halifax II DT721 MH:J from 51 Sqn which was shot down by a German Night-fighter on the night of the 27th/28th January 1941 (3 KiA, 4 PoW);

Jos Donven from Luxembourg – No information found for an individual with this name;

Charles D. Paterson from Greenock, Scotland. This was Flt Sgt. Charles Daniel Paterson 745376 RAFVR. His Hurricane I Z4840 of 260 Sqn which was shot down on the 27th January 1942 in Libya;

Anthony Palmer from Harrow, Middlesex – This was Sgt. Anthony Jon Percival Palmer 1294218 RAFVR. He was the Observer from Wellington IC HX369 from 1 OADU which was hit by Flak on a delivery flight to Malta on the 30th May 1942 (6 PoW);

Harold Bell from Harborne, Birmingham – This was Sgt. Harold Bell 1159189 RAFVR. He was Rear Gunner from Wellington Ic Z1168 AA:? Which was lost on the night of the 26th/27th October 1941 (1 MiA, 5 PoW);

Harold I. Bast from Piedmont, Oklahoma USA - This was T/Sgt. Harold I. Bast 18194435 USAAF. The Engineer from B-17G 44-6276 from 772nd Bombardment Sqn (H), 463rd Bombardment Group (H) shot down by Flak on the 25th July 1944. (4 KiA, 6 PoW);

Virgil H. Smallen from Lenoir City, Tennessee USA – This was T/Sgt. Virgil H. Smallen 34728888 USAAF. The Radio Operator from B-17G 43-38309 from 750th Bombardment Sqn (H), 457th Bombardment Group (H) which was shot down by German fighters on the 2nd November 1944. (9 PoW);

Floyd T. Stitely from Hallam, Pennsylvania USA – This was T/Sgt. Floyd T. Stitely 13094769 USAAF. The Radio Operator from B-17G 44-6103 from 748th Bombardment Sqn (H), 457th Bombardment Group (H) which was shot down by Flak on the 21st July 1944 (2 KiA, 7 PoW);

Monty Todd from Ashurst Wood, East Grinstead, Sussex – This was Sgt. Montague George Colin Todd 1387061 RAFVR. The Mid Upper Gunner from Lancaster III ND788 from 630 Sqn shot down by Flak on the night of the 24th/25th March 1944 (6 PoW, 1 Evd);

Jack Maher from Chatsworth, Ontario, Canada – This was Flt Sgt. John Joseph Maher, later J86494 Plt Off, RCAF. He was the pilot of Halifax V LK963 from 431 Sqn, RCAF which was shot down by Flak on the night of the 28th/29th January 1944 (3 KiA, 4 PoW).

Above: Les Davenport in the 1970's (courtesy Ian Davenport)

Further information and photographs added in an additional page in the hope that some relatives may come forward who served with Les Davenport. (separate page) Either at 7 Squadron, during his training at the Electrical and Wireless School at RAF Yatesbury or the time spent in the various pow camps.

(7) The PoW story for Sgt. Speakman was the same as for Sgt. Yardley (See (1) above) from being sent to Stalag 8B, Lamsdorf in Silesia until he, as a Warrant Officer (WO), was interviewed on the 23rd April 1945.

Arthur Speakman was born on the 13th October 1920 in Preston, Lancashire. He enlisted in the RAFVR on the 13th February 1937.

Burial details:

None - All crew survived

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Ian Davenport for detailed information, Arthur Speakman and Darrell Owens, son Donald Owens, who contacted us in Sep 2015. Thanks to Trevor Harkin for the biographical detail for Sgt. Yardley (Feb 2025). Reviewed and updated with new information by Aircrew Remembered (Feb 2025).

Other sources listed below:

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