 |
 |
 |
23/24 August 1943 Lancaster Mk II - DS722 KO-N |
Attacked by a night fighter and ditched at 0115 hours in the North Sea, W of Bergen, Netherlands (20 miles W of Frisians).
The survivors spent 6 days in a dinghy before being rescued by the Germans.
Route: 5250N 0330E - EGMOND - 5250N 0930E - 5250N 1347E - BERLIN - 5250N 1340E - 54220N? 1215E - MANO - 5500N 0700E.
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
727 aircraft - 335 Lancasters, 251 Halifaxes, 124 Stirlings, 17 Mosquitos - despatched to Berlin.
The Mosquitos were used to mark various points on the route to Berlin in order to help keep the
Main Force on the correct track.
A Master Bomber was used; he was Wing Commander J. E. Fauquier, the Commanding Officer
of 405 (Canadian) Squadron.
The raid was only partially successful.
The Pathfinders were not able to identify the centre of Berlin by H2S and marked an area in the
southern outskirts of the city.
The Main Force arrived late and many aircraft cut a corner and approached from the south-west
instead of using the planned
South-South-East approach; this resulted in more bombs falling in open country than would otherwise
have been the case.
The German defences - both flak and night fighters - were extremely fierce.
56 aircraft - 23 Halifaxes, 17 Lancasters, 16 Stirlings - were lost, 7.9 per cent of the heavy bomber force.
This was Bomber Command's greatest loss of aircraft in one night so far in the war.
Source: nationalarchives.gov.uk - Bomber Command - Campaign Diary August 1943.
OBR. 23rd Aug., 1943
13 aircraft took off between 21.00 hours & 21.15 hours to attack BERLIN.
4 aircraft were forced to abandon the sortie due to
inter-com. being unserviceable; (S.D.S.653 - Captain F/L. J. H. CHRISTIANSEN)
illness of Flight Engineer (Sgt. BOOTH. F.), (B.D.S.691 - Captain F/S. JOLLY. W.)
port inner engine oil pressure failing progressively with height; (J.D.S.678 - Captain W/O. HICKS. H.)
and mid upper turret oil leak (R.D.S.683 - Captain W/O. BOUTILIER. E.)
respectively & all returned to Base early after jettisoning their bombs safe except for some incendiaries,
which were brought back.
8 aircraft identified the target by means of green target indicator markers, on which they dropped their
bombs from heights ranging between 16,000 feet & 23,500 feet.
The attack was well concentrated & the glow of the fires could be seen 100 miles away. Smoke was rising up to 15,000 feet.
Photographs were attempted.
1 aircraft failed to return from operations.
03.35. 12 aircraft had returned safely to Base.
Townsend D. F. - Pilot
F/S - Service No 408937
Age: - POW No 222792 Stalag 4B
RAAF
Son of
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
Coulthart T(homas ?) W. - FE
Sgt - Service No 578088
Age: - POW No 3037 Stalag 357
RAF
Son of
(from Gorebridge, Midlothian, Scotland ?)
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
MacDonald Derrick William - Nav
Sgt - Service No 1578548
Age: 20 - °1923*
RAFVR
Son of Elizabeth Jane Macdonald, of Derby.
Runnymede Memorial - panel 157.
Abell Frank - WOP
Sgt - Service No 1498310
Age: 29
- washed ashore near Camperduin, Netherlands,
four and a half miles NW of Bergen on 12 November 1943.
RAFVR
Son of Alfred and Harriet Abell, of Wakefield, Yorkshire.
Bergen General Cemetery - Plot 2. Row B. Grave 5.
Source: CWGC - Photo via War Graves Bergen (NH), Netherlands - Find a Grave.
Line Austin Raymond - MUG
Sgt - Service No 1817558
Age:
RAFVR
Son of
Runnymede Memorial - panel 157.
Source: CWGC.
Gardham R. - BA
Sgt - Service No 1473913
Age: - POW No 222819 Stalag 4B
RAFVR
Son of
Source: Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
Morgans Evan Maunder - RG
Sgt - Service No 1313895
Age:
RAFVR
Son of
Runnymede Memorial - panel 159.
Source: CWGC.