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28/29 August 1942 Wellington Mk III - X3647 - KO-A |
Crashed at Attigny, Ardennes, France, on the S bank of the Aisne, 15 kms ESE of Rethel.
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
159 aircraft - 71 Lancasters, 41 Wellingtons, 34 Stirlings, 13 Halifaxes.
Crews were ordered to attack Nuremberg from as low as possible.
The Pathfinders found their aiming point and, for the first time, marked it with target indicators adapted from 250lb bomb casings.
Photographs showed that these were placed with great accuracy and the crews of the Main Force claimed to have carried out a good attack.
A report from Nuremberg does not quite confirm this.
Bombs were dropped as far away as the town of Erlangen, nearly 10 miles to the north, and 4 people were killed there.
In Nuremberg itself, the number of bombs recorded would indicate that approximately 50 aircraft hit the town.
137 people were killed; 126 civilians and 11 foreigners.
23 aircraft - 14 Wellingtons, 4 Lancasters, 3 Stirlings, 2 Halifaxes - lost, 14.5 per cent of the force.
The Wellington losses were 34 per cent of those dispatched!
Source: nationalarchives.gov.uk - Bomber Command - Campaign Diary August 1942.
ORB. 28th. August, 1942.
15 aircraft (9 from "A" Flight & 6 from "B" Flight) took off for operations between 20.26 and 20.48 hours to attack
targets SAARBRUCKEN and NURNBERG.
5 aircraft detailed to attack SAARBRUCKEN bombed from heights ranging between 8,000 and 9,500 feet and bursts were observed
on and around aiming point, fires were caused in town and marshalling yards.
One aircraft (A/C. Q.X.3718 - Captain P/O. OWEN) landed at MANSTON owing to shortage of petrol.
One of the ten aircraft detailed to attack NURNBERG attacked target SAARBRUCKEN, owing to engine trouble,
and bombs were seen to burst on the target and 6 fires were observed burning on target.
Of the other nine detailed to attack NURNBERG, four failed to return,
Wellington Mk III BJ688 KO-R - 5 KIA
Wellington Mk III X3464 KO-B - 5 POW
Wellington Mk III X3675 KO-D - 3 KIA, 1 POW, 1 Evd
Two successfully located target and bombed from heights ranging 10,000 and 12,000 feet, bursts being observed in build up area,
one of these aircraft crashing on landing (A/C. T.Z.1607 - Captain P/O. BERRY).
at Barton Bendish due to petrol shortage
caused by airscrew pitch control being temporarily u/s. All crew reported to have survived with no serious injuries.
Two aircraft jettisoned their bombs safe owing to airscrew (A/C. C.B.N. - Captain P/O. SHIRES) and
(A/C. N.B.J.663 - Captain S/L. SANDES) engine trouble respectively; and one aircraft
(Captain W/C. COUSENS - Wellington Mk III X3351 KO-Y) was forced to jettison its bombs when attacked
by enemy fighter,
returning to base with the W/T. Operator (Sgt. CLAY H.) fatally injured.
11 aircraft returned to base after operations by 04.38 hours.
Allen William Stansfield - Pilot
F/S - Service No 1126560
Age: 21
RAFVR
Son of Ernest and Ivy Allen, of Whitefield, Lancashire.
Attigny Communal Cemetery - Grave 4.
Source: CWGC - Find a Grave.
Hesp William John - Observer
F/S - Service No R/86357
Age:
RCAF
Son of
Attigny Communal Cemetery - Grave 1
Source: CWGC - photo via Canadian virtual war memorial - Find a Grave.
Haddleton William Desmond - WOP
Sgt - Service No R/94765
Age:
RCAF - At the time of his capture his family was living in Climax, Saskatchewan.
POW - No 818 Stalag Luft 4
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
Hepworth Eric - BA
Sgt - Service No 1430680
Age:
RAFVR
Son of Thomas Albert and Ellen Hepworth, of Marsh, Huddersfield.
Husband of Elsie Winifred Hepworth, of Dalton, Huddersfield.
Attigny Communal Cemetery - Grave 2
Source: CWGC - Find a grave.
Tuck John Frederick - RG.
F/S - Service No R/87850
Age: 22
RCAF
Son of Frederick James Tuck and Dorothy Lillian Tuck.
Attigny Communal Cemetery - Grave 3.
Source: CWGC - Find a Grave.