Wellington BJ693 14/15 September 1942

Wellington Mk III - BJ693 KO-J

T/O Marham 1958 - target Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
Base received message "Engine trouble, returning to base".
Presumed crashed in the North Sea.

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

202 aircraft of 5 types.
The Pathfinder marker was accurate and Wilhelshaven reports its worst raid to date.
Housing and city-centre type buildings are listed as being hit hardest.
77 people were killed and more than 50 injured.

2 Wellingtons were the only aircraft lost.

Source: book, The Bomber Command War Diaries: An Operational Reference Book by Chris Everitt, Martin Middlebrook.

OBR. 14th. September, 1942.
8 aircraft (5 from "A" Flight & 3 from "B" Flight) took off for operations between 19.56 hours & 20.09 hours
to attack target WILHELMSHAVEN.
The aircraft bombed from heights ranging between 11,500 and 14,700 feet and a few bursts were seen.
Many scattered fires were observed on the target and two or three fires were burning near Aiming Point.
One aircraft failed to return from operations.

0052. All the remaining aircraft had returned safely to base after operations.

Boaden Frank BruceWellington BJ693 Boaden Frank Bruce - Pilot

P/O - Service No 411852

Age: 24

RNZAF

Son of Richard James Boaden and of Agnes Hood Findlay,
of Ellerslie, Auckland, New Zealand.

Runnymede Memorial - panel 115

Source: CWGC - Photo: Auckland museum war memorial.

Wellington BJ693Warner Kenneth John Warner Kenneth John - 2nd Pilot

Sgt - Service No 413162

Age: 25 - was buried 13 October.

RNZAF

Son of Hugh Douglas and Florence Warner,
of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.

Esbjerg (Fourfeld) Cemetery, Denmark - Grave AIII. 9. 13.

Source: CWGC. - Photo New Zealand War graves project - Find a Grave.

Jeffries Frank Gordon Roy Jeffries Frank Gordon Roy - Observer

P/O - Service No 118894

Age: 25

RAFVR

Son of Frank and Florence Rose Jeffries.
Husband of Edna Agnes Jeffries, of Crayford, Kent.

Runnymede Memorial - panel 70

Source: CWGC.

Wellington BJ693Sears Frank John Sears Frank John - WOP

Sgt - Service No 1260920

Age: 25 - washed ashore on 12 October.

RAFVR

Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Sears
husband of Daisy M. Sears, of Highbury, London.

Kiel War Cemetery, Stadtkreis Kiel Schleswig-Holstein - Grave 4. H. 2.

Source: CWGC. - Photo via Find a grave, by BobBoston

Shepherd Laurence ArthurShepherd Laurence Arthur Shepherd Laurence Arthur - BA

Sgt - Service No 1430261

Age: 20 - washed ashore near Hjerpsted and buried 20 October.

RAFVR

Son of Sidney and Elizabeth L. Shepherd, of Sheffield;
nephew and ward of Ethel Shepherd, of Pitsmoor, Sheffield.

Esbjerg (Fourfeld) Cemetery, Denmark - Grave AIII. 9. 18.

Source: CWGC. - Photo: airmen.dk - Air crew remembered - Find a Grave.

Roberts Herbert Arthur Roberts Herbert Arthur - RG

Sgt - Service No 1336016

Age:

RAFVR

Son of Herbert John and Dorothy Mabel Roberts, of Crowhurst, Surrey.

Runnymede Memorial - panel 92

Source: CWGC.