115 Squadron

24/25 April 1944

Lancaster Mk II - DS734 KO-Y

T/O Witchford 2151 - Target Karlsruhe, Germany.
Shot down by night fighter Oberleutnant Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer of the IV./NJG 1.
Crashed Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium.

Karlsruhe: 637 aircraft - 369 Lancasters, 259 Halifaxes, 9 Mosquitos - of all groups except No 5 Group.

Cloud over the target and a strong wind which pushed the Pathfinders too far north spoiled this attack.
Only the northern part of Karlsruhe was seriously damaged and most of the bombs fell outside the city.

Mannheim, 30 miles to the north, recorded a raid by approximately 100 aircraft on this night and Darmstadt,
Ludwigshafen and Heidelberg were also hit by aircraft which failed to find the main target.

19 aircraft - 11 Lancasters, 8 Halifaxes - lost, 3.0 per cent of the force.

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

Service record of DS734

Lancaster DS734 ORB. 24th APRIL 1944.
21 aircraft were detailed to attack KARLSRUHE and took off between 21.48 hours to 22.19 hours.
Target was identified by red and green target indicators and visually by river.
Bombs and incendiaries were dropped from heights varying between 15,000 feet and 22,000 feet.
Path Finder Force considered very accurate. Whole area covered with incendiaries.
Good fires seen blazing all round target indicators.
Gas works clearly seen in light of flares. Attack considered very successful.
1 aircraft (C.ND.761 - Captain P/O. D. CAMERON) returned early with generators overcharging.
Aircraft J.HK.542 (Captain F/S. Bennett, P.) Lancaster Mk I HK542 KO-J, 7 KIA,
and aircraft Y.DS.734 (Captain F/S. Cagienard, R.) reported missing from operations.
No news since take-off.
Aircraft C.N.D.800 (Captain F/Lt. W. G. Shadforth) sustained damage as result of Flak and enemy night fighter.
Three of the crew were injured, but the aircraft was successfully brought back and landed at MANSTON.
(Wireless Operator - *Sgt. WEIR, R., DFM - page 2, rear gunner Sgt. BRADLEY, W.
and mid-upper Sgt. SHARPE, T. gunners wounded.
Lights were shot on results of combat but extinguished by engineer *Sgt. VEALE, A., DFM, with axe.)
F/lt. Shadforth, W. G., later S/L. DFC, *crashed with Lancaster Mk I - HK545 KO-E at 12/13 June 1944, there were no survivors.

04.33. 17 aircraft had returned to Base.
1 aircraft landed at MANSTON at 03.40 hours,
and 1 aircraft (G.ME.692 - Captain P/O. S. W. HOLDER) at WITTERING at 05.00 hours.

Cagienard Robert Roland - Pilot

P/O - Service No 174879

Age: 24 - °19 Oktober 1920

RAFVR

Son of Alexander and Edith Ida Cagienard, of Ilford, Essex.

Schoonselhof Cemetery Antwerp - grave 4a.D.20

Source: CWGC - Photo via Family Cagienard Photo's and letters Family Cagienard - Find a Grave.

Kelly Charles Philip - FE

Sgt - Service No 2204866

Age: 20 - °1923/1924

RAFVR

Son of Charles and Margaret Kelly, of Cregagh, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
One brother Tom +Canada.

Schoonselhof Cemetery Antwerp - grave 4a.D.37

Source: CWGC - Photo via Family McCluskey. Photo's and letters - Find a Grave.

Foster - Frederick Albert - Nav

F/S - Service No 1321968

Age: 20 - °10 June 1923

RAFVR

Son of Albert Ernest and Annie Dorothy Foster, of Thornton Heath, Surrey.

Schoonselhof Cemetery Antwerp - grave 4a.D.36

Source: CWGC - Photo via Family Foster - Find a Grave.

Shorten William - WOP

Sgt - Service No 1508293

Age: 26 - °25 October 1917

RAFVR

Son of Husband of Edith Enderby, Bradford district x1q 1940
One daugther Jean °4q 1940, Bradford, Yorkshire
One son David, °2q 1942, Bradford, Yorkshire

Schoonselhof Cemetery Antwerp - grave 4a.D.20

Source: CWGC - Photo's and letters Family Shorten and Wim Govaerts - Find a Grave.