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22/23 November 1943 Lancaster Mk II - DS782 KO-K |
Lost without a trace.
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
Berlin attacked by 764 aircraft - 469 Lancasters, 234 Halifaxes, 50 Stirlings, 11 Mosquitos.
This was the greatest force sent to Berlin so far but it was also the last raid in which Stirlings were sent to Germany.
Bad weather again kept most of the German fighters on the ground and the bomber force was able to take a relatively
'straight in, straight out' route to the target without suffering undue loss.
26 aircraft - 11 Lancasters, 10 Halifaxes, 5 Stirlings - were lost, 3.4 per cent of the force.
Berlin was again completely cloud-covered and returning crews could only estimate that the marking and bombing
were believed to be accurate,
in fact, this was the most effective raid on Berlin of the war.
A vast area of destruction stretched from the central districts westwards across the mainly residential areas of
Tiergarten and
Charlottenburg to the separate suburb city of Spandau. Because of the dry weather conditions,
several 'firestorm' areas were reported and a German plane next day measured the height of the smoke cloud
as 6,000 metres (nearly 19,000 ft).
Source: nationalarchives.gov.uk - Bomber Command - Campaign Diary November 1943.
ORB. 22/11/43.
14 aircraft took off between 17.24 and 17.55 hours to attack BERLIN.
2 of the aircraft were forced to abandon the sortie due to
(F.D.S.682 - Capt. F/Lt. G. Y. MACKIE - guns ceased firing after three rounds) rear turret gun trouble and
(X.D.S.664. - Capt. P/O. L. J. HALLY) electrical failure in the rear turret respectively, and both returned to base
early after jettisoning their bombs safely.
2 aircraft failed to return from operations. Lancaster Mk II DS764 KO-S, 1 KIA, 6 POW.
The remainder identified the target by means of red and green target indicator markers on which they dropped
their bombs,
from heights ranging between 18,000 feet and 22,000 feet.
A large explosion was seen at 20.21 hours and the glow of the fires could be seen from over HANOVER.
Photographs were attempted. The attack appeared to be successful.
(G.D.S.667 - Capt. F/S. JAMES, C. - was hit by heavy Flak)
00.50. 12 aircraft had returned safely to base.
Harris John - Pilot
Sgt - Service No 1452502
Age: 22
RAFVR
Son of Fred and Ellen Harris, of Armthorpe, Yorkshire.
Runnymede Memorial - panel 152
Source: CWGC.
Hughes Desmond Howard - FE
Sgt - Service No 1831558
Age: 20
RAFVR
Son of David William and Ethel Muriel Hughes, of Ton-y-Pandy, Glamorgan.
Runnymede Memorial - panel 154
Source: CWGC.
Bools Martin - Nav
Sgt - Service No 1585666
Age: 24
RAFVR
Son of Charles Reginald and Kate Ann Penrose Bools, of Bristol.
Runnymede Memorial - panel 143
Source: CWGC.
Wilson Alexander - WOP
Sgt - Service No 1434808
Age:
RAFVR
Son of
Runnymede Memorial - panel 170
Source: CWGC.
Smith Stanley Maurice - BA
F/O - Service No J23734
Age: 22
RCAF
Son of Henry A. and Esther Smith, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Runnymede Memorial - panel 174
Source: CWGC. - Photo via Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Morley Daniel Charles - MUG
F/S - Service No 425719
Age: 27
RAAF
Son of George Bassett Morley and Sarah Mabel Jane Morley.
Runnymede Memorial - panel 193
Source: CWGC.
Hurn Henry Andrew Ronald - RG
Sgt - Service No 1501801
Age: 22
RAFVR
Son of Harry Alfred and Alice Louisa Hurn, of Caversham, Berkshire.
Runnymede Memorial - panel 154
Source: CWGC.