24/25 March 1944

Lancaster Mk II - DS678 KO-J

T/O Witchford 1849 - target Berlin, Germany.
Shot down by a night fighter and crashed at Leipzig.

Lancaster DS678

Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.

811 aircraft - 577 Lancasters, 216 Halifaxes, 18 Mosquitos - to Berlin.

This night became known in Bomber Command as 'the night of the strong winds'.
A powerful wind from the north carried the bombers south at every stage of the flight.
Not only was this wind not forecast accurately but it was so strong that the various methods available to
warn crews of wind changes during the flight failed to detect the full strength of it.
The bomber stream became very scattered, particularly on the homeward flight and radar-predicted
flak batteries at many places were able to score successes.
Part of the bomber force even strayed over the Ruhr defences on the return flight.
It is believed that approximately 50 of the 72 aircraft lost were destroyed by flak;
most of the remainder were victims of night fighters. & Needless to say, the strong winds severely affected the marking with,
unusually, markers being carried beyond the target and well out to the south-west of the city.

This was the last major RAF raid on Berlin during the war,
although the city would be bombed many times by small forces of Mosquitos.

72 aircraft - 44 Lancasters, 28 Halifaxes - lost, 8.9 per cent of the force.

Source: nationalarchives.gov.uk - Bomber Command - Campaign Diary March 1944.

ORB. 24th MARCH 1943.
18 aircraft were detailed to attack BERLIN. (Take off between 18.34 hours and 18.50 1/2 hours
1 aircraft (A.DS.682 - Captain W/O. HEMMING L.) was hit by Flak in HAMBURG area, port inner engine caught fire
and starboard outer engine unserviceable. Bombed in HAMBURG area.
1 aircraft (W.DS.781 - Captain W/O. TREASURE G.) returned early owing to port inner engine becoming unserviceable.
Bombed Flak position in KIEL area.

4 aircraft were missing from the night's Operations, and, since time of take-off, nothing further has been heard of them.
Lancaster Mk II LL694 KO-N, 7 KIA,
Lancaster Mk II LL730 KO-G, 6 KIA, 1 POW,
Lancaster Mk II DS664 A4-K, "Werewolf", 4 KIA, 3 POW.

The remaining aircraft identified the target by means of sky markers and red and green ground markers,
on which they bombed from heights varying between 20,000 and 21,200 feet.
Many crews considered PFF scattered, but definitely good on East side of city.
Glow of fire were seen for half an hour after leaving target. Photographs were attempted.

0226. 12 aircraft had returned to Base.

1 aircraft (G.LL.646 - Captain F/S. CHANTLER R. - Rear turret holed by Flak -
At FLENSBURG at 2131 hours 4 enemy aircraft seen falling in flames - 7 parachutes opened.)

landed at TANGMERE and one
(C.LL.624 - Captain F/S. CAMERON D. - due to petrol shortage) at LUDFORD MAGNA.

Lancaster DS67827 June 2018 - Rededication Ceremony for five members of the crew of Lancaster DS678.

Two of the crew survived and were taken as prisoners of war but the other five members of the crew
were killed and were buried in the PoW cemetery at Ohrdruf.

As it has not been possible to locate the graves of Pilot Officer Leonard McCann,
Sergeant William Bowey, Sergeant Victor Watson, Sergeant Donald Keeley and Sergeant John Burke,
they are now commemorated at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's Niederzwehren Cemetery, Germany.

The CWGC provided a Special Memorial engraved with the circumstances of their
original burial and bearing their names.

The service has been organized by the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, Ministry of Defence
and was attended by family members, British Defence Staff, Regimental representatives, CWGC staff
and local dignitaries.

Source, CWGC - photos..

McCann Leonard Myles Lancaster DS678McCann Leonard Myles "Len" - Pilot

P/O - Service No J19862

Age: 28 - °9 December, 1915 Ottawa, Ontario

RCAF

Son of Daniel McCann and Hannah Brennan of Ottawa, Ontario.
Brother of Daniel McCann who also served with the RCAF.

Runnymede Memorial - panel 251
Buried at POW Cemetery at Ohrdruf and rededicated at Niederzwehren War Cemetery on 27 July 2018.

Source: CWGC - photo (*crash photo's) and more info *No 623 Squadron and Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Burke John William Burke John William - FE

Sgt - Service No 1652303

Age: 21

RAFVR

Son of John William and Julia Ann Burke.

Runnymede Memorial - panel 226
Buried at POW Cemetery at Ohrdruf and rededicated at Niederzwehren War Cemetery on 27 July 2018.

Source: CWGC.

Gray H. L Gray H. L. - Nav

W/O (later F/O) - Service No J35834

Age: - POW No 3361 Stalag 357.

RCAF

Son of

Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.

Bowey William Bowey William - WOP

Sgt - Service No 1095610

Age: 21

RAFVR

Son of William Crossley Bowey and Elizabeth Bowey, of Sunderland, Co. Durham.

Runnymede Memorial - panel 225
Buried at POW Cemetery at Ohrdruf and rededicated at Niederzwehren War Cemetery on 27 July 2018.

Source: CWGC.

Geach D. G Geach D. G. - BA

Sgt - Service No 139481

Age: - POW No 3407 Stalag 357.

RAFVR

Son of

Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.

Keeley Donald Keeley Donald - MUG

Sgt - Service No 1381057

Age:

RAFVR

Son of

Runnymede Memorial - panel 232
Buried at POW Cemetery at Ohrdruf and rededicated at Niederzwehren War Cemetery on 27 July 2018.

Source: CWGC.

Watson Victor John Watson Victor John "Johnnie" - RG

Sgt - Service No 1851938

Age: 19 - °6 July 1924 at Poplar, London

RAFVR

Son of Walter William and Eliza Elizabeth Watson, of Dagenham, Essex.
He had 6 sisters. His father (WW I) and grandfather served in the Royal Field Artillery.

Runnymede Memorial - panel 240
Buried at POW Cemetery at Ohrdruf and rededicated at Niederzwehren War Cemetery on 27 July 2018.

Source: CWGC - photo via Jerry Doodle, Family.

Photo via Terri Padgett Griffin, great niece of Sgt Victor John Watson.