Handley Page Halifax Serial Groups Specifications

Bombing Genoa Italy 1942-11-07 to 1942-11-08

78 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Linton-on-Ouse

On the night of 7th / 8th November 1942 he flying 78 Squadron Halifax W1063 on Ops to Italy but outbound and (likely over the Alps) one of the engines failed. Realizing that they could not then return over the Alps they continued to target, released the bomb load but then headed for Gibraltar, the aircraft was eventually ditched near Valencia Spain.The crew were rescued but then interned briefly in Spain before being released to Gibraltar and then returned to the UK in early 1943. Stoey from multiple sources

• Flying Officer A P Dowse
• Sergeant J Kershaw
• Sergeant H E Thompson
• Sergeant P Langsford (RNZAF)
• Sergeant A W Hoare
• Pilot Officer A N Orr
• Sergeant T T Slater

Operational 1942-11-17 to 1942-11-17

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF Coastal Command, Beaulieu

405 City of Vancouver Squadron (Ducimus) RAF Beaulieu. Halifax BII aircraft W 1096 LQ-O, nicknamed "Every Drop Counts" went into a spin and crashed at Wicken Bonhunt, two and one half miles west of Newport, Essex during a routine cross-country flight

The crash was caused when the Mid-Upper gunner accidentally fired his guns and hit the port inner engine even though the guns were not supposed to be able to depress that far. The engine fire and hydraulic failure cause the aircraft to spin out of control and crash

405 Squadron was attached to Coastal Command from late October 1942 until the end of February 1943 before joining 6 Group in March of 1943

Flight Sergeant AJ DoIding (RCAF), Warrant Officer Class 2 GH Richards (RCAF), Sergeant RJ Cavanaugh (RCAF)(USA) and Flying Officer H Landau (RAFVR) were killed in this flying accident

Sergeant HF Jackson (RCAF) survived, although seriously injured and Sergeant WA MacDonald (RCAF), who managed to bail safely, survived without injury

There were only six aircrew aboard for this flight, no rear air gunner recorded

[Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...

405 Squadron Halifax IIB W1096 LQ-O Sgt. Dolding, RAF Beaulieu

Bombing Dusseldorf Germany 1942-07-31 to 1942-08-01

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Pocklington

405 City of Vancouver Squadron (Ducimus). Target - Dusseldorf, Germany. 405 Sqn. Halifax II W1109 LQ-S lost over Germany, Sergeant EA Anderson (RCAF), Sergeant JW Irish (RCAF), Sergeant J Hunter (RAF), Sergeant JF O'Brien (RAF), Sergeant WAB Laughlin (RAF), Sergeant S Woodman (RAF) and Sergeant FC Bond (RAF) were killed.

THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNT OF THE CRASH SITE PROVIDED BY LOCAL RESIDENT PAUL STEENTJES JULY 1st 2023

I moved to Germany for work years ago and decided to stay and bought a house in the country in what is called the lower Rhine. This area is located south west of the Ruhr meaning to begin the return back to the UK the formations made a wide turn and came through here trying to avoid the major night fighter base at Venlo in the process. As a result more than 550 allied bombers crashed in the lower Rhine area and we still get bomb disposal alarm on a very regular basis. A local historian wrote a book documenting nearly all crashes but there are many irregularities and mistakes.

For me, the W1109 story started when the old gardner here who since died told us that this author was wrong attributing the site which is about 300 yards from my house in the village of Anrath, (2 miles to Vorst) to Lancaster R5867 EM-T of 207 sq out of Bottesford a week earlier. As I later found out it actually came down on the banks of the Rhine across from Duisburg, its target.

There was a photo in this book of part of a wing and undercarriage which looked more like a Halifax than a Lancaster, this was confirmed back in the UK. I went to look at the site, which has not changed much since then and is still farmland like most around here. The current farmer is extremely supportive as are all locals I've met regarding this. I then found several more pics and a number of eye witnesses. One Vorst person showed me a prop blade in perfect condition which his brother had secured along with a browning. This brother was in the Waffen SS and bullied his way through the usual Luftwaffe cordon. It's the way things were then apparently.

The Düsseldorf raid had the inner Rhine port of nearby Neuss as a secondary target which would have been in a straight to Anrath and then west. From what I know W1109 was hit by the permanent 88mm Flak emplacement at Klein Jerusalem, a chapel!!, a few miles east of Anrath, seems to have partially caught fire, crossed over Vorst spraying engine oil. The locals told me it was raining oil. It then sharply turned back towards Anrath and started breaking up shortly before crashing at 2.30 am on 1.Aug.

I found a drawing done by a local showing where the main parts of the plane came down. The rear turret came down quite intact in a field in Vorst a few hundred yards from the fuselage which landed near the Anrath Vorst road about 50 yards from an old roadside holy shrine which is still there. W1109 as you can see from the photos broke up in large parts many of them reasonably intact which means they were taken away within days.

The crew all died on impact some within the fuselage others strewn across the fields. Their remains were subsequently taken to the main cemetery in Krefeld, the nearest large city and around 1948 the British army moved them to the military cemetery at Reichswald where they are to this day. photos available

I got a local detectorist to check out what's left in the ground and we did find a number of small bits which were identified by a specialist in Holland. Problem is that post war the land was given a new agricultural top soil of at least 30 cms and the farmer does not plow that deep. I wrote an article in the local weekly and many people reacted some bringing stuff they'd found including old ammo but nothing much useful.

Bombing Bremen Germany 1942-06-27 to 1942-06-28

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Pocklington

405 City of Vancouver Squadron (Ducimus) RAF Pocklington, Halifax BII aircraft W 1110 LQ-C crashed into the North Sea off the Dutch coast 20 km SSW of Den Helder, Noord-Holland during a night raid against Bremen, Germany. Homeward-bound, the aircraft was intercepted and shot down night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Rudolf Sigmund of the Stab II/NJG 2, who had taken off from Leeuwarden airfield, Netherlands

Warrant Officer Class 1 WL Scott (RCAF), FS JE Cole (RCAF), Warrant Officer Class 2 GM Phillips (RCAF), Pilot Officer JHM Lacelle (RCAF), Sergeant GB Tatham (RCAF), Pilot Officer JJ Hughes (RAFVR) and Sergeant SB Rowland (RAF)(AAF) were all originally missing presumed killed

Pilot Officer Lacelle's body washed ashore on 30 June 1942 and Sergeant Tatham's body washed ashore on 9 September 1942, both at Callantsoog, Netherlands. W/O2 Phillips body washed ashore at Petten, Netherlands on 17 September 1942. They are all buried in Holland. The rest of the crew was not recovered. They have no known grave and they are commemorated on the Runnymede War Memorial

There were two 405 Squadron Halifax BII aircraft lost this same date. Please see Fitzgerald RW for information regarding Halifax W 1175 LQ-Q

Bombing Essen Germany 1942-06-08 to 1942-06-09

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Pocklington

Bombing Bremen Germany 1942-06-29 to 1942-06-30

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Pocklington

405 City of Vancouver Squadron (Ducimus), Pathfinder Force, RAF Pocklington, Halifax II aircraft W 1113 LQ-G lost during a night operation against Bremen, Germany, shot down by night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Rudolf Sigmund of the Stab II/NJG 2, who had taken off from Leeuwarden airfield, crashing near Noordwolde, Friesland, Netherlands

FS WJ Harrell (RCAF)(USA), Sergeant WJ Dickinson (RCAF),Warrant Officer JW Bell (RCAF), FS PP Oneson (RCAF), FS RT Adams (RAFVR),Warrant Officer WP Beare (RAFVR), A Simpson (RAF), and Pilot Officer HA Echinn (RAAF) were killed. Pilot Officer Echinn served as Pilot Officer Chinn

There were three 405 Sqdn. aircraft lost in the same area on this date. Please see Dearlove, LN (W 7715 LQ-H) and Walsh, CS (W7714 LQ-K) for information regarding the other aircraft

Bombing Hamburg Germany 1942-07-26 to 1942-07-27

102 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Topcliffe

102 (Ceylon) Squadron (Tentate et perficite) RAF Topcliffe. Halifax Mk II aircraft W 1142 DY-A on an operation against targets in Hamburg, Germany, was shot down by flak off the German coast

Pilot Officer William Henry Baber (RAFVR) and Sergeant Gwilyn Mieron Jones (RAFVR) were killed in action

Warrant Officer 1st Class John Brian Downes (RCAF), Warrant Officer 2nd Class Walter Gordon Wilcox (RCAF), Sergeant Joseph Stanley Higgin (RAFVR), Sergeant Joseph William Vine (RAFVR) and Sergeant John Malcolm Macdonald Wilson (RAFVR) were rescued clinging to part of a wing section and captured to become Prisoners of War

It's Suicide but it's Fun, The Story of 102 (Ceylon) Squadron 1917-1956 by Chris Goss, page 176

Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

Aviation Safety Network

Bombing La Gironde France 1942-11-08 to 1942-11-08

405 (C) Sqn (RCAF) Beaulieu

City of Vancouver Squadron (Ducimus), Halifax II aircraft W1152 missing during an attack on La Gironde Harbour, France. FS AK Hodgins (RCAF), FS WW Waddell (RCAF), FC WR Waddle (RCAF),FS WC Black (RCAF), FC PJ Maroney (RCAF), and Sergeant AG Walland (RCAF) were also killed. One Canadian, Sergeant GM Manning (RCAF), was taken Prisoner of War.

Bombing Bremen Germany 1942-06-27 to 1942-06-27

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Pocklington

405 City of Vancouver Squadron (Ducimus) RAF Pocklington, Halifax BII aircraft W 1175 LQ-Q failed to return from a raid against Bremen, Germany. The Halifax is believed to have been shot down and crashed into the North Sea while returning from the operation by night fighter pilot Lt Erich Gollasch of 6/NJG2

Flight Sergeant John Drew AILEY (R/68523); Sergeant Ronald Frank ANSELL (1213401);Sergeant Alan DANBY (1065468);Flight Sergeant William Ewart Nixon FIELD (R/56351);Warrant Officer Class II Rowan Charles FITZGERALD (R/69615); Flight Sergeant Murray Ralph KLEISDORFF (407695) ;Sergeant Eric Omar SMITH (1169531)

Only FS Kleisdorff's body was recovered and buried at the Harlingen General Cemetery. The rest of the crew remain missing and have no known grave and are all commemorated on the Runnymede War Memorial

Bombing Hamburg Germany 1942-07-26 to 1942-07-27

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Pocklington

Bombing Hamburg Germany 1942-07-26 to 1942-07-27

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Pocklington

Conversion 1943-03-10 to 1943-03-10

(OT) HCU (RCAF) Leeming

Halifax II aircraft W 1241 banking on landing approach, went out of control and crashed on the south-east corner of the aerodrome at Leeming, bursting into flames. Flying Officer AB Shives (RCAF), Flying Officer WG McLaughlin (RCAF), FS L Taylor (RCAF), FS APM Aitken (RCAF), FS AW Leckie (RCAF)(USA), Sergeant RS Greengrass (RCAF), Sergeant GE Clarke (RCAF), and Sergeant JH McGinn (RCAF) were killed.

On 1943-03-10, Squadron Leader A. Ross Dawson, an Engineering Officer with 1659 HCU at Leeming, wrote in his diary:

Warning: The following material contains graphic content that may not be suitable for all readers

"Well up until today everything has been quite rosy but this afternoon I witnessed one of the most appalling sights I ever hope to see & I'm sure I will never forget it as long as I live. About 2:30 pm there was a scurry out in the hanger & suddenly the sergeant dashed in with news of a bad crash which had just taken place just off the end of runway #4. . . . . We, of course have to investigate all crashes . . . I remember questioning one of the eye-witnesses who told of seeing the aircraft spin in from about 300 feet after stalling on a turn, making two complete spirals before hitting with a terrific crash & bursting out into flames. It was one of my ships in B flight Q for Queenie. The whole thing was a seething mass of flames, all four engines were buried in the ground, the wings had folded back & the fuselage had a broken back. . . . Rescue workers were busy burrowing around & finding bodies . . . It affected me a lot being my first experience with sudden death but I remember calming myself and trying to investigate the position of various control & trimtabs etc. instead of letting my eyes wander to the rescue work. . . .". The following day he wrote: ". .I know one thing, I won't be so curious next time & will take care not to arrive on the scene too soon after a crash."

Conversion 1942-09-22 to 1942-09-22

103 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Elsham Wolds

103 (Swindon's Own) Squadron (Noli Me Tangere) RAF Elsham Wolds. Halifax BII aircraft W 1243 PM-B was on a Conversion Training Flight when it stalled in the circuit while still on 3 engines, rolled, inverted, crashed and burned at RAF Station, Elsham Wolds, England

Warrant Officer Class 2 N Hrehorak (RCAF), Sergeant RL McCulloch (RCAF), Sergeant DR Evans (RAFVR), Warrant Officer RJ Fulbrook DFC (RAF), Flight Sergeant FW Hill (RAFVR) and Sergeant JP Wolfenden (RAF) were all killed in this flying accident

[Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...

22nd Sept 1942 - 103 Conversion Flight RAF Elsham Wol...

1942 Lincolnshire aviation Incident Logs - BCAR.org.uk

Bombing Flensburg Germany 1942-09-24 to 1942-09-24

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF Topcliffe

405 Vancouver Squadron (Ducimus), RAF Topcliffe. Halifax aircraft W 1274 LQ-R was lost on an operation against targets in Flensburg, Germany 1942-09-24, shot down by flak after being coned by a searchlight (Werfer 11 of the 1/Reserve-Scheinwerfer-Abteilung 609). The bomber was hit by heavy (schwere) Flak of the 1/Reserve-Flak-Abteilung 306 and crashed on Elso moor, west of Kelstrup plantation in Denmark

Pilot Officer WM Webb (RCAF), Pilot Officer EE Gervais (RCAF), Flight Sergeant J Ott (RCAF), Sergeant JM Rankin (RCAF), Flight Sergeant MK Burke (RAAF), Sergeant JH Kaufman (RAFVR)(Can) and Flight Sergeant W Sheldon (RAFVR), were all killed in action

[Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...

Aviation Safety Network

Halifax II W1274 crashed at Elso moor on 24/9-1942

Halifax II - W1274 Syddanmark - Plane Crash Sites on...

Bombing Aachen Germany 1942-10-05 to 1942-10-06

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Topcliffe

Served with No. 405 (B) Squadron, RCAF in 1942/43, coded "LQ*Q". Stalled, crashed and burnt at Wrotham, Kent on 5/6 October 1942, attempting to land at West Malling after completing mission to Aachen. Apparently stalled on go around.

Sergeant John Frederick Peter BEHN (1238972) Air Gunner; Flying Officer Roy Stanley ERICKSON (J/9259) Wireless Op; Flight Sergeant Norman GISLASON (R/103565) Navigator; Flight Sergeant Michael HUDEMA (R/87541) Pilot; Sergeant John Edward PARK (R/50775) Flight Engi. All killed

Bombing Cologne Germany 1942-05-31 to 1942-05-31

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Pocklington

Bombing Essen Germany 1942-06-08 to 1942-06-09

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Pocklington

405 Vancouver Squadron (Ducimus) RAF Pocklington, Halifax II W 7708 LQ-H lost on an operation to Essen, Germany. Initially hit by flak, the aircraft was finished off by night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Werner Rowlin of the 8/NJG 1, who was flying a Bf 110 from Twente airfield. The aircraft was abandoned, crashing at Bruchem, Gelderland, Netherlands

Flight Lieutenant JC Wernham MiD (RCAF), Sergeant WC Kerr (RCAF), FS GB Porter (RCAF), FS H Olsen (RCAF), Flight Lieutenant JA Maclean (RCAF), Sergeant F Shields (RAF) and Sergeant WJ Forbes (RAF) all survived and all except Flight Lieutenant Maclean were captured to become Prisoners of War. Flight Lieutenant Maclean evaded and was not captured

Bombing Osnabruck Germany 1942-08-10 to 1942-08-10

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Topcliffe

Served with No. 405 (B) Squadron, RCAF in 1942/43, coded "LQ*J". Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed at 03:42 on 10 August 1942 alongside a farmhouse, owned by Mr Van Der Steeg, at Oploo (Noord Brabant), 20 km NE of Helmond, Holland. Was on mission to Osnabruck, from Topcliffe. Medals from crew member Flight Lieutenant D.J. Bain reported for sale on-line in 2006.

Flight Lieutenant David John BAIN (41243) Pilot ; Pilot Officer Thomas Mcwhirter CALDERWOOD (118607) Observer; Flight Sergeant Francis Earl GIBBONS (R/61613) Wireless Op; Sergeant Henry Patrick GOVER (798560) Air Gunner; Sergeant Walter Alexander HILL (R/7775) Flight Engi; Flight Sergeant Arthur Theodore MORGAN (R/89659) Pilot; Sergeant Thomas Gwynne MORGAN (1253408) Wireless Op; Pilot Officer Robert Hilary VAUGHAN (118660) Observer; All Killed

Bombing Flensburg Germany 1942-10-01 to 1942-10-01

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Topcliffe

Served with No. 405 (B) Squadron, RCAF, coded "LQ*R". Named "Ruhr Valley Express" late 1942. Photo of this aircraft on page 90 of "RCAF Squadrons and Aircraft". Lost on 1/2 October 1942, on mission to Flensburg, from Topcliffe. Crashed at Liehuus, 6 km NNW of Flensburg, very close to Germany's border with Denmark

Flight Sergeant Albert Martin CARTER (R/91412) Wireless Op; Sergeant Ben Bales COPELAND (R/79564);Pilot Officer Arthur Monson GREEN (J/16009) Air Gunner; Pilot Officer John Colwell KITCHEN (J/15997) Air Observer; Flight Sergeant William Granger McCRON (R/91332) Air Gunner; Flying Officer Edward Carl OLSEN (J/8777) Pilot; Flight Sergeant Aaron Joseph Ronnie VINEBERG (1066449). All Killed

There were three 405 Sqdn. aircraft lost over this target on this date,

Bombing Essen Germany 1942-06-01 to 1942-06-02

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Pocklington

Bombing Bremen Germany 1942-06-29 to 1942-06-30

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Pocklington

405 City of Vancouver Squadron (Ducimus) RAF Pocklington, Halifax II aircraft W 7714 LQ-K failed to return from a night bombing attack against Bremen, Germany. Homeward-bound, the aircraft was shot down by night fighter pilot Major Alfred Helm of the Erprobungsstelle Werneuchen (flying with II/NJG 2), who had taken off from Leeuwarden airfield in Bf 110 R4+BA - (claim), crashing at Deersum, Netherlands at 02:14

Sergeant CS Walsh (RCAF), FS RA Gorieu (RCAF), Sergeant EK Brennan (RCAF),Warrant Officer L Sidney (RCAF), Sergeant TG Gunn (RAFVR), and Sergeant GA White (RAFVR) were all missing, presumed killed. They have no known graves and are all commemorated on the Runnymede War memorial

One other member of the crew, FS CP Philp (RAFVR) was killed, recovered and is buried in a cemetery in the Netherlands

There were three 405 Sqn. aircraft lost in the same area on this date. Please see Harrell, WJ (W 1113 LQ-G) and Dearlove, LN (W 7715 LQ-H) for casualty lists of the other aircraft

Bombing Bremen Germany 1942-06-29 to 1942-06-30

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Pocklington

405 City of Vancouver Squadron (Ducimus) RAF Pocklington, Halifax II aircraft W 7715 LQ-H lost during an attack against Bremen, Germany, shot down by night fighter pilot Unteroffizier Alfred Brackmann of the 2/NJG 3, who was flying a Bf 110 from Vechta airfield - (claim) Bimolten 7km NNW Nordhorn at 01:46, crashing at Borgemoor, Germany

Sergeant LN Dearlove (RCAF), Sergeant AG McFee (RCAF), Warrant Officer Class 1 WE Alcazar (RCAF)(Trinidad), Flight Lieutenant H Liversidge (RAFVR), Sergeant LH Bradbrook (RAF), and Sergeant JET Foot (RAFVR) were also killed. Sergeant JW Dumond (RCAF)(USA), was taken Prisoner of War

There were three 405 Sqdn. aircraft lost in the same area on this date. Please see Harrell, WJ (W 1113 LQ-G) and Walsh, CS (W 7714 LQ-K) for the casualty lists of the other aircraft

Bombing Dusseldorf Germany 1942-07-31 to 1942-08-01

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Pocklington

405 (City of Vancouver) Squadron (Ducimus). RAF Pocklington, Halifax II aircraft W 7718 LQ-T lost over Belgium, while homeward-bound during an attack against Dusseldorf, Germany. Shot down by the night fighter crew of Feldwebel Spille & Unteroffizier Becker of the 3/NJG 1, who were flying a Bf 110 from Venlo airfield in the Netherlands

The crew abandoned the aircraft over Belgium. Sergeant I Watters (RAF) was killed in the parachute jump. Pilot Officer LJO Nadeau (RCAF) was severely injured and died as a Prisoner of War in the Field Hospital, St Gilleia, Brussels on August 3, 1942. Pilot Officer W R Bandeen (RCAF) of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Pilot Officer WR Howard (RCAF) of Milestone, Saskatchewan, and Pilot Officer DE West (RCAF) of Edmonton, Alberta, W.D. Gibbon (RAF) were taken Prisoners of War.. Sgt. R.E. Pearce (RAAF) evaded capture

Wm. Bandeen, now of Victoria, British Columbia says, 'We were hit on our return trip by a night fighter at about 20,000 feet. I was the navigator and knew our Welsh rear air gunner was killed outright. Pilot Officer West, the pilot, ordered a bale out. Everything was happening so fast as we got out that I didn't know exactly who didn't get out.

Bombing Mainz Germany 1942-08-11 to 1942-08-12

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Topcliffe

Bombing Osnabruck 1942-10-06 to 1942-10-07

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Topcliffe

With No. 405 (B) Squadron, RCAF, coded "LQ*C", when shot down by a night-fighter and crashed at 23:55, 7 October 1942, in the estate of Prattenburg between Veenendaal and Rhenen (Utrecht), Holland. On a raid to Osnabruck, from Topcliffe, UK.

Sergeant Francis Anthony McCLUSKEY (1303065) Air Gunner, Killed

Prisoners of War for Halifax II W7763 - Warrant Officer Class 2 Gilbert Bryce ANDERSON (R/106774); Sgt Norman Edwin BROWN (R/91269); Plt Off Edward EGGERTSON (J/10894); Sgt James Charles MACKIE (R/58982); Sgt Archibald Marshall Eldes MOODIE (1371551); Plt Off Thomas Walker STEWART (J/9528)

Bombing Frankfurt Germany 1942-08-24 to 1942-08-25

35 (PFF) Sqn (RAF) RAF Graveley, Cambridgeshire

Aircraft shot down on return from Frankfurt Germany at a height of around 12,000 ft by Fw. Heinrich Macke of 7./NJG4 the aircraft crashed at 02:00 hrs on St. Hilaire-au-Temple, Marne, France. The bullet strikes hit the port inner engine and the fire spread into the mainframe of the aircraft.

Killed in Action: Pilot Officer FE Gardiner (RAF) KIA, Sergeant WP Ryan (RAF).

Prisoners of War: Pilot Officer RJ Teillett (RCAF), Sergeant P M Nerland (RCAF), Sergeant FW Graham (RAF), Sergeant EL Whillock (RAF), Sergeant FEA Makin (RAF)

35 Squadron

Air Crew Remembered

Combat Anti-Shipping 1942-12-20 to 1942-12-20

405 (C) Sqn (RCAF) Beaulieu

With No. 405 (B) Squadron, RCAF when this unit unit was detached to Coastal Command at Beaulieu. Crashed on the Isle of Wight on 20 December 1942. Had suffered engine failure while on anti-submarine patrol. Dove into the ground near Calbourne. All 7 crew killed. wreck burned.

Sergeant Morris William CROFT (573453) Flight Engi; Sergeant Michael William FUGERE (R/65663) Air Gunner; Warrant Officer Class II Lloyd Elsworth SNARR (R/73321) Pilot; Flying Officer Ernest STOLLERY (J/10706) Observer; Flight Sergeant Norman Albert VAN BRUNT (R/110223) Wireless Op ;Flight Sergeant Gerald Edward Wireless Air Gunner NER (R/124697) Air Gunner ;Pilot Officer Robert WASHER (128420) Bomb Aimer

Bombing Duisburg Germany 1942-07-24 to 1942-07-24

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Pocklington

405 City of Vancouver Squadron (Ducimus) RAF Pocklington. Halifax BII aircraft W 7769 LQ-K was returning from an operation over Duisburg, Germany on a circuit prior to landing when it lost both port engines. The Halifax went into a spin and crashed at Pocklington Village, Yorkshire, hitting some houses and then a school. The entire crew was lost but there were no civilian casualties as a result of this crash

Flying Officer GF Strong (RCAF)(USA), Pilot Officer RB Albright (RCAF), Warrant Officer Class 2 WC Thurlow (RCAF), FS RW Hexter (RCAF), FS TR Owens (RCAF), Sergeant MW Apperson (RAF), Sergeant W Colloton (RAFVR) and Sergeant AJ Western (RAFVR) were all killed in action

Bombing Essen Germany 1942-09-16 to 1942-09-17

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Topcliffe

405 City of Vancouver Squadron (Ducimus) RAF Topcliffe, Halifax BII aircraft W 7770 LQ-E lost whilst engaged in operations to Essen, Germany. Fifteen minutes before reaching the aiming point a flame damper on the port inner engine burnt through and later on the bombing run the oxygen supply failed. The Halifax was shot down by Oblt Hubert Rauh of 5/NGJ4, crashing at Maubeuge, France.

FS JG St Louis (RCAF), Sergeant CA Paton (RCAF), FS WF Murray (RCAF), FS CA Kitson (RCAF), and Sergeant WS Grant (RCAF) were killed. The flight engineer, Sergeant REH Barnicoat (RAFVR) survived and was taken Prisoner of War bit one Canadian crew member, Pilot Officer LE Kropf DFC (RCAF), survived and evaded capture

Bombing Flensburg Germany 1942-10-01 to 1942-10-01

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Topcliffe

With No. 405 (B) Squadron, RCAF, coded "LQ*Q". Was flown by crew from 425 Sdn. on 1/2 October 1942, when it was lost on raid on Flensburg. Crashed near Flensburg

Flying Officer Russel James AYLES (J/7775) Air Observer; Pilot Officer John Richard Powell BURKE (J/16054) Wireless Op; Pilot Officer John Thompson CAMPBELL (J/15888) Pilot; Flight Sergeant Charles Arthur CARPENTER (R/82511) Pilot; Sergeant Albert Donald CHANCE (1044874) Flight Engi Pilot Officer Joseph Louis Philippe LE PAGE (J/15698) Air Gunner;Pilot Officer Stanley PEEL (132345) Wireless Op. All Killed

There were three 405 Squadron aircraft lost over this same target on this date. Please see Land A.A. and Kitchen J.C. for information regarding the other aircraft and crew.

Bombing Frankfurt and Main Germany 1942-09-08 to 1942-09-09

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Topcliffe

Bombing Flensburg Germany 1942-10-01 to 1942-10-01

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Topcliffe

With No. 405 (B) Squadron, RCAF, coded "LQ*T", when lost on 1/2 October 1942. Was on a raid to Flensburg, crashed near Bohlberg

Pilot Officer Francis Leo CUNNINGHAM (J/15985) Air Gunner; Pilot Officer William Howard DUNCAN (J/15986) Pilot; Sergeant Alan FAIRLESS (657753) Observer; Flight Sergeant Peter KUCHERYK (R/85956) Wireless Op; Pilot Officer Andrew Alexander LANG (J/16053) Wireless Op; Flying Officer John Warren McCANN (J/10138) Pilot; Sergeant James Jerome POCOCK (R/90109) Flight Engi; Sergeant Leslie Roland SHEWARD (1163449) Wireless Op . All killed

There were three 405 Squadron aircraft lost over the same target on this date.

Bombing Stuttgart Germany 1943-03-11 to 1943-03-12

405 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Topcliffe

405 City of Vancouver Squadron (Ducimus) RAF Topcliffe Halifax II aircraft W 7803 LQ-B went down near Laon at La Malmaison during an attack against Stuttgart, Germany, shot down by Of Reinhard Kollak of the 7.NJG 4, flying Bf 110 F-4 3C+LR from Juvincourt airfield. The Halifax crashed 1 km west of Malmaison, France, There were no survivors

Flight Lieutenant HG Shockley (RCAF), Flying Officer WM Palmer (RCAF), Pilot Officer BH La Barge (RCAF), Sergeant CO Henderson (RCAF), Pilot Officer J Henderson (RAFVR), Pilot Officer F Holland (RAFVR), Pilot Officer WW Kirkpatrick (RAFVR), and Sergeant MW MacKenzie (RAFVR) were also killed. Pilot Officer La Barge was the extra pilot on board to gain operational experience with his own crew

There were three other 405 Sqn Halifax II aircraft lost this night. Please see Lacina EG for information regarding Halifax BB 250 LQ-E, Dmytruk, P for information on Halifax DT 8745 LQ-V and Chretien, GT for information on Halifax BB 212 LQ-U

Daily Operations 6bombergroup.ca

Aviation Safety Network

Bombing Dortmund Germany 1943-05-04 to 1943-05-05

419 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Middleton St. George

Battle of the Ruhr

596 aircraft - 255 Lancasters, 141 Halifaxes, I IO Wellingtons, 80 Stirlings, IO Mos¬quitoes - on the largest 'non-r ,ooo' raid of the war to date and the first major attack on Dortmund. 31 aircraft - 12 Halifaxes, 7 Stirlings, 6 Lancasters, 6 Wellingtons - lost, 5·2 per cent of the force. A further 7 aircraft crashed in bad weather at the bomber bases.

The initial Pathfinder marking was accurate but some of the backing-up marking fell short. A decoy fire site also attracted many bombs. But half of the large force did bomb within 3 miles of the aiming point and severe damage was caused in central and northern parts of Dortmund. The city's report states that 1,218 buildings were destroyed and 2,141 seriously damaged, including the Hoesch and the Dortmunder Union steel factories and many facilities in the dock area. The old Rathaus was among 7 buildings of a cultural nature which were destroyed. At least 693 people were killed, including 200 prisoners of war, and 1,075 people were injured. The number of dead in this raid was a new record.

source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

The crew of Halifax aircraft W 7817 had successfully bombed the target Dortmund, Germany when they were attacked and the Halifax badly damaged by a German ME- 110 night fighter aircraft. Sergeant Stanley was killed during the fighter attack and the remainder of the crew bailed out. Four Canadians, Flying Officer C.J. Vaillancourt, Sergeants Morrison, A. Jaynes, J.L. Peck, and two RAF crew members were taken Prisoners of War.