6 Bomber Group June 21/22, 1943
44 Halifaxes from 408, 419, 427, and 428 Squadrons were joined by 42 Wellingtons from 429, 431, and 432 Squadrons on an attack at Krefeld. The crews were over the target at between 16,000 and 19,500 feet, releasing 124,000 lbs of high explosives and 253,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the bombing was accurate and severe damage was caused. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
408 Goose Squadron (For Freedom) RAF Leeming. Halifax B Mk II aircraft BB 375 EQ-T was shot down by night fighter pilot Hauptmann Hans-Deiter Frank of 2/NJG1 over the Netherlands during an operation against targets in Krefeld, Germany. The Halifax crashed into the Lek river near Jaarsveld, Lopik, Utrecht, Netherlands with the loss of five aircrew
Pilot Officer Clifford Clarence Reichert MiD (RCAF), Pilot Officer William Searle (RCAF), Pilot Officer John Peter Dockerill (RCAF), Pilot Officer Joseph Earl Monahan (RCAF) and Sergeant Gordon Mitchell McLean (RCAF) were all killed in action
Pilot Officer George Iric Pridham (RCAF) and Pilot Officer James Coyle Brown Russell (RCAF) survived and became Prisoners of War
Ex-Pilot Officer George Pridham of St John, New Brunswick had this to say, "We were badly hit by a night fighter aircraft so Cliff yelled for anyone who could to bail out. I was hit in the leg and lost it as a Prisoner of War. Pilot Officer J.C. Russell, the navigator also bailed out, but the rest didn't make it. Cliff wasn't hit I believe but stayed with the aircraft not knowing who was hit or who could get out. In 1985 I was contacted by Mr. John Van Vleet of Lopek, Holland and he said our aircraft had been found by him and some diver friends in the mud of the Lek River at Lopek, one Rolls Royce engine was taken out and made to look like new. They built a 6 ft. by 10 ft. steel and glass special memorial and put the engine in it along with a 20 ft. wing pointing straight up, all of our names were put on it. I contacted J.C. Russell in Toronto but he showed no interest in the subject. I also contacted Cliff's relatives at Morden and in 1986 there was a get together there of some of the next of kin of those killed and those involved in Holland." In May 1990, Les Allison, researcher for his book, visited the memorial and talked to a local man who had seen the aircraft come down when he was 16 yrs. old
There were three 408 Squadron Halifax Mk II aircraft lost on this operation. Please see aircraft serials DT772 EQ-E and JD209 EQ-B for information on these aircraft and crews
Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1943 Part 1, 1 January - 22 June by Theo Boiten page 128
Royal air Force Serial and Image Database
Bomber Command Museum Monthly ORB
