6 Bomber Group September 19, 1944
29 Lancasters from 419 and 428 squadrons were joined by 27 Halifaxes from 431 and 434 squadrons on an attack of the coastal guns at Domberg. Again the crews were ordered back to back due to poor weather over the target. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
627 Squadron RAF (At first sight), RAF Woodhill Spa. 5 Group Wing Commander G P Gibson VC (RAF), who had previously led Lancaster aircraft from 617 Squadron in Operation Chastise, the Dambuster raid on the Sorpe, Mohne and Eder dams,1944-05-16/17 was now considered non-operational but wished to continue flying. With this in mind he assumed the role of Master Bomber for a Mosquito raid against targets in Monchengladbach/Rheydt, Germany, even though he had little experience with either target-marking or flying Mosquito aircraft. The officer Gibson intended to fly with as Navigator was ill and unavailable so he instead selected Squadron Leader J B Warwick DFC to fill this position. Warwick, as Station Navigation Officer, was also considered non-operational. Arriving at RAF Woodhill Spa, Gibson was offered the Squadron reserve aircraft, Mosquito KB 213 for the operation. For whatever reason, Gibson rejected KB 213 and demanded a different aircraft, choosing Canadian-built Mosquito BXX aircraft KB 267 AZ-E also displacing the crew originally assigned to KB 267 and proceeded with the mission. The target marking at Rheydt was not very successful for a number of reasons and Mosquito KB 267 eventually turned for home. Flying low over the Netherlands the aircraft abruptly rolled and flew into the ground, crashing and burning at Steenbergen, Noord Brabant, Netherlands with the loss of both Gibson and Warwick
Wing Commander G P Gibson VC, DSO and Bar, DFC and Bar (RAF) pilot and Squadron Leader J B Warwick DFC (RAFVR) were both killed in action
The cause of loss of the aircraft and crew was not absolutely determined. The aircraft was observed flying at low level when the engines cut out and it suddenly dived into the ground, which would suggest a possible fuel or engine issue. The aircraft loss does not appear on the 627 Squadron Operations Record Book because the aircraft was taken away from 627. The crash card for KB 267 indicates that it was flown by Gibson and Warwick and was missing on the date of the operation to Monchengladbach. Mosquito, Wooden Wonder by Edward Bishop, page 140 The Pathfinder Companion, War Diaries and Experiences of RAF Pathfinder Force - 1942-1945, page 160
Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database
A warrior's death I Flight Safety Australia
Memorial Crash Mosquito KB 267 - Steenbergen -TracesOfWar.com