 |
 |
 |
29/30 May 1943 Lancaster Mk II - DS616 KO-G |
Attacked by a night fighter and sustained damage to the port outer engine, port rudder and fuselage.
Sgt. Glazzard died as a result of this attack.
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
719 aircraft - 292 Lancasters, 185 Halifaxes, 118 Stirlings, 113 Wellingtons, 11 Mosquitos.
This attack was aimed at the Barmen half of the long and narrow town of Wuppertal and was the outstanding success
of the Battle of the Ruhr.
Both Pathfinder marking and Main Force bombing was particularly accurate and a large fire area developed in the
narrow streets of the old centre of the town. It is probable that this fire was so severe that the first, small form of what
would later become known as a 'firestorm' developed.
Because it was a Saturday night, many of the town's fire and air-raid officials were not present, having gone to their
country homes for the weekend, and the fire services of the town - in their first raid - were not able to control the fires.
Approximately 1,000 acres - possibly 80 per cent of Barmen's built-up area - was destroyed by fire.
5 out of the town's 6 largest factories, 211 other industrial premises and nearly 4,000 houses were completely destroyed.
33 aircraft - 10 Halifaxes, 8 Stirlings, 8 Wellingtons, 7 Lancasters - lost, 4.6 per cent of the force.
Source: nationalarchives.gov.uk - Bomber Command - Campaign Diary May 1943.
ORB. 29th May, 1943.
16 aircraft took off between 23.25 hours & 00.05 hours to attack WUPPERTAL.
15 aircraft saw yellow landmarkers & identified the target by means of red & green target indicator
markers on which they dropped their bombs from heights ranging between 15,500 feet and 20,000 feet.
Concentrated mass of fires with thick black smoke up to 10,000 feet & two large explosions,
one with red fire & black smoke up to 1,000 feet, were seen.
Some leaflets were dropped and photographs were attempted.
1 aircraft sustained damage to port outer, rudder & fuselage due to fighter action and crash landed at Base.
The rear gunner (Sgt. GLAZZARD. J.) was wounded & later died in hospital.
Two aircraft sustained damage to wing & wing tip respectively due to taxying (P.D.S.618. - Captain P/O. M. W. COLES).
Another aircraft (T.D.S.623 - Captain Sgt. SMALL. J.) received damage to fuselage, wings & tanks
due to heavy Flak 10 miles West of OSTEND (Oostende).
1 aircraft failed to return from Operations. Lancaster Mk II DS627 KO-R, 7 KIA
04.21. 15 aircraft had returned to Base after Operations.
Andrews J. F. - Pilot
F/O - Service No
Age:
Son of
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
Mitchell W. - FE
Sgt - Service No
Age:
Son of
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
Pidgeon E. B. - Nav
P/O - Service No
Age:
Son of
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
Reid W. - WOP
Sgt - Service No
Age:
Son of
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
Wellock T. - BA
F/S - Service No
Age:
Son of
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
Scripsy C. - MUG
Sgt - Service No
Age:
Son of
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
Glazzard John James Horatio - RG
Sgt - Service No 1179830
Age: 27
RAFVR
Son of Ralph Theodore and Mercy Ann Glazzard,
of Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton.
Husband of Sarah Ann Glazzard of Smestow.
Culvert No. 2. - Wolverhampton Borough Cemetery, Staffordshire.
Source: CWGC - photo via militaryimages.net - Find a Grave.
His brother Frederick George died on service, 22 February 1944,
Private, Service No 4919407, age 26, Wiltshire Regiment.
He is at rest in Maynamati War Cemetery, Bangladesh.