Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum logo

Click on CASPIR logo to go to the entire CASPIR system.

Use the panel to:

  • select Optional Sections
  • Remove Page Breaks, that is, return to the non-print formatted document.
  • Click on the ⇩ to go directly to that section.

Carter, Gordon Henry Francis DFC & Bar (Squadron Leader)

Prisoner of War 1944-February-20

Birth Date: 1923-June-01 (age 20)

Born: Paris, France

Home: Bronxville, New York, USA

Enlistment Date: 1941-06-02

Decorations: DFC & Bar


Distinguished Service Cross Bar
Service
RCAF
Unit
35 (PFF) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Uno Anima Agimus (We Act with One Accord)
Base
RAF Graveley
Rank
Squadron Leader
Marshal
Air Chief MarshalA/C/M
Air MarshalA/M
Air Vice MarshalA/V/M
Air CommodoreA/C
Group CaptainG/C
Wing CommanderW/C
Squadron LeaderS/L
Flight LieutenantF/L
Flying OfficerF/O
Pilot OfficerP/O
Warrant Officer 1st ClassWO1
Warrant Officer 2nd ClassWO2
Flight SergeantFS
SergeantSGT
CorporalCPL
Senior AircraftmanSAC
Leading AircraftmanLAC
Aircraftman 1st ClassAC1
Aircraftman 2nd ClassAC2
Position
Navigator/Bomb Aimer
Service Numbers
J/11213
3526

Halifax B/GR.Mk.III HX325

Combat Leipzig Germany 1944-February-19 to 1944-February-20

35 Squadron RAF (Uno Anima Agimus), Pathfinder Force, RAF Graveley. Halifax III aircraft HX325 TL-J was shot down by a Ju88 night fighter flown by Felwebel Frank of NJG3 on February 21, 1944 while engaged in an operation against targets in Leipzig, Germany. The aircraft crashed at Beedenbostel, Germany

Knight was killed by the night fighter. Sale, although wounded during the action, stayed at the controls so his crew could bale out, crash-landed his aircraft and managed to get out. It was his fiftieth trip. Sale was taken Prisoner of War and died in hospital a month later from his wounds. The rest of his surviving crew, Carter, Bodnar, Lamb, Rogers and Cross were taken as Prisoners of War

General Halifax HX325 (19/02/1944) I No.35 Squadron

General Aircraft losses from Graveley 1942-1945. I RAF Graveley

Took off from Graveley at 23:51 in Halifax Mk III (Sqn code TL-J Bomber Command) on an operation to Leipzig Germany.

Outbound at 20000 feet, shot down by a night fighter whose shells set fire to the rear overload tank. Aircraft came down near the French border.

Killed: F/Sgt Kenneth Knight RAF KIA Hanover War Cemetery grave 5. C. 7. S/L Douglas Julian Sale RCAF J/9929 KIA Choloy War Cemetery France grave 1. G. 8.

POWs includes Carter: F/Lt Boris Oleh Bodnar RCAF J/17669 POW Stalag Luft L3 Sagan and Belaria. W/O George Henry Cross RAF POW Stalag 357 Kopernikus. F/Sgt Robert Lionel Lamb RAF POW Stalag Luft L3 Sagan and Belaria. F/Lt Harold John Rogers RAF POW Stalag Luft L3 Sagan and Belaria.

Footprints on the Sands of Time, RAF Bomber Command Prisoners of War in Germany 1939-45 by Oliver Clutton-Brock page 262

General Gordon Henry Francis CARTER (1923--RootsWeb

Crew on Halifax B/GR.Mk.III HX325

Previous Events

1943-02-04 Flying Officer - Survived

Halifax B.Mk.II W7923      TLRAF RoundelD

35 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF)

Take-off: 18:47:00

Target: Hamburg Germany

Halifax B.Mk.II W7923

Bombing Hamburg Germany 1943-February-03 to 1943-February-04

35 Madras Presidency Squadron RAF (Uno Anima Agimus), Pathfinder Force, RAF Graveley. Halifax III aircraft W 7923 TL-D was struck by flak in the undercarriage during an operation to Hamburg, Germany. On return to base after the operation, the damage caused by the flak would not allow the undercarriage to be lowered for landing. The pilot, F/O Thomas made a successful belly landing at RAF Graveley and the crew all survived, without injury

F/O GHF Carter (RCAF), F/O JC Thomas (RCAF), Sgt JN Barry (RCAF), F/O WJ Freeman (RCAF), Sgt ER Turenne (RCAF), Sgt R Martin (RAFVR) and Sgt DC Young (RAFVR) all survived safe

This crew would be shot down ten days later during an operation against the submarine pens at Lorient, France 1943-02-13/14

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

General Halifax Losses and Incidents 1943 I No. 35 Squadron

Pathfinder Force, RAF Graveley, Halifax II aircraft W7923 was hit by flak during an operation to Hamburg, Germany. On return to base, it was found that the undercarriage could not be lowered and an emergency belly landing was made

The entire crew survived.

Ten days later, this same crew would be shot down in Halifax II W7885 during a raid to Lorient, France.

General 1943-02 I No.35 Squadron

General Aircraft losses from Graveley 1942-1945 I RAF Graveley

Others on the Aircraft

1943-02-04 RCAF Sergeant John Napoleon Barry Survived 2022-11-28
1943-02-04 RCAF Flying Officer William Joseph Freeman Survived 2021-07-09
1943-02-04 RAF Sergeant Richard Martin Survived 2022-05-16
1943-02-04 RCAF Flying Officer James Copeland Thomas Survived 2021-07-09
1943-02-04 RCAF Sergeant Edward Roland Turenne Survived 2021-07-09
1943-02-04 RAF Sergeant Daniel Christie Young Survived 2021-07-09

Previous Events

1943-02-13 Flying Officer - Evader

Halifax B.Mk.II W7885      TLRAF RoundelB

35 (PFF) Sqn (RAF)

Take-off: 18:20:00

Target: Lorient France

Halifax B.Mk.II W7885

Bombing Lorient France 1943-February-13 to 1943-February-13

35 Madras Presidency Squadron (Uno Amino Agimus) RAF Graveley Pathfinder Force. Halifax III aircraft W 7885 TL-B failed toreturn from an operation against the submarine pens at Lorient, France. Hit by Flak over the target and subsequently abandoned, the Halifax crashed near Leigne-ar-Menez 10 km west of Carhaix, France

F/O WJ Freeman (RCAF was killed in action

Sgt DC Young (RAFVR) survived and was taken as Prisoner of War

Sgt JN Barry (RCAF), F/O GHF Carter (RCAF), F/O JC Thomas (RCAF), Sgt ER Turenne (RCAF) and Sgt R Martin (RAFVR) survived and all became Evaders

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

General Search for France-Crashes 39-45

Pathfinder Force, RAF Graveley. Halifax II aircraft W7885 on an operation to Lorient, France was hit by flak over the target and abandoned near Carhaix, France

Freeman was killed, Young survived to be taken Prisoner of War; Carter, Thomas, Terraine, Barry and Martin evaded capture and returned to their squadron.

Carter evaded using the "Pat O'Leary" network and returned to England together with Barry on the French boat Dalc'h Mad April 9,1943

RAF Evaders, The Comprehensive Story of Thousands of Escapers and Their Escape Lins, Western Europe, 1940-1945 by Oliver Clutton-Brock pages 177-9, 356

General Gordon Henry Francis CARTER (1923--RootsWeb)

General Aircraft losses from Graveley 1942-1945. I RAF Graveley

General Halifax W7885 (13/02/1943) I No. 35 Squadron

General Search for France-Crashes 39-45

General Escaper List

General MI9 nos 1000 to 1499

Others on the Aircraft

1943-02-13 RCAF Sergeant John Napoleon Barry Evader 2022-11-28
1943-02-13 RCAF Flying Officer William Joseph Freeman KIA 2023-10-11
1943-02-13 RAFVR Sergeant Richard Martin Evader 2022-11-28
1943-02-13 RCAF Flight Lieutenant James Copeland Thomas Evader 2022-11-28
1943-02-13 RCAF Sergeant Edward Roland Turenne Evader 2022-11-28
1943-02-13 RAFVR Sergeant Daniel Christie Young PoW 2022-11-28

Previous Events

1943-12-20 Squadron Leader - Survived

Halifax B/GR.Mk.III HX328      TLRAF RoundelJ

35 (PFF) Sqn (RAF)

Take-off: 17:29:00

Target: Frankfurt Germany

Halifax B/GR.Mk.III HX328

Combat Frankfurt Germany 1943-December-19 to 1943-December-20

35 Squadron RAF (Uno Anima Agimus), Pathfinder Force, RAF Graveley. Halifax III aircraft HX 328 TL-J, returning from an operation to Frankfurt, Germany had a Target Illuminator (TI) munition malfunction, which ignited in the aircraft bomb bay as it was preparing to land. Sale gained altitude to allow his crew to bale from the burning aircraft, which most were able to do. As Sale was himself about to bale, he realized that his mid-upper gunner, Lamb was unable to bale due to a fire-damaged parachute. Sale resumed control of the bomber and managed to land it safely and taxi off the runway. Both he and Lamb escaped from the aircraft, which exploded as they ran to get clear. Both men survived and continued to fly together. Carpenter suffered a broken ankle.

Sale was awarded a Bar to his DSO for this act of determination and braveryinformation from book: The Pathfinder Companion War Diaries of the RAF Pathfinder Force-1942-1945 by Sean Feast, Grub Street Press 2012

General 1943-02 I No. 35 Squadron

General Gordon Henry Francis Carter (1923--RootsWeb)

Others on the Aircraft

1943-12-20 RAF Flying Officer Carpenter,George Carpenter DFC Survived 2024-01-06
1943-12-20 RAF Warrant Officer George Henry Cross DFC, DFM Survived 2022-06-27
1943-12-20 RAF Flight Lieutenant Alan James Dowling DFC & Bar Survived 2022-06-27
1943-12-20 RAF Flight Lieutenant Robert Lionel Lamb Survived 2022-06-27
1943-12-20 RAF Warrant Officer Marcus Rees DFC Survived 2022-06-27
1943-12-20 RCAF Squadron Leader Douglas Julian Sale DSO & Bar, DFC Survived 2022-06-27

Handley Page Halifax

(RAF Photo, 1942)(Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page)A Royal Air Force Handley Page Halifax Mk. II Series I (Serial No. W7676), coded TL-P, of No. 35 Squadron, RAF, based at Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire in the UK, being piloted by Flight Lieutenant Reginald Lane, (later Lieutenant-General, RCAF), over the English countryside. Flt Lt Lane and his crew flew twelve operations in W7676, which failed to return from a raid on Nuremberg on the night of 28/29 August 1942, when it was being flown by Flt Sgt D. John and crew.

The Handley Page Halifax is a British Royal Air Force (RAF) four-engined heavy bomber of the Second World War. It was developed by Handley Page to the same specification as the contemporary twin-engine Avro Manchester.

The Halifax has its origins in the twin-engine HP56 proposal of the late 1930s, produced in response to the British Air Ministry's Specification P.13/36 for a capable medium bomber for "world-wide use." The HP56 was ordered as a backup to the Avro 679, both aircraft being designed to use the underperforming Rolls-Royce Vulture engine. The Handley Page design was altered at the Ministry to a four-engine arrangement powered by the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine; the rival Avro 679 was produced as the twin-engine Avro Manchester which, while regarded as unsuccessful mainly due to the Vulture engine, was a direct predecessor of the famed Avro Lancaster. Both the Lancaster and the Halifax would emerge as capable four-engined strategic bombers, thousands of which would be built and operated by the RAF and several other services during the War.

On 25 October 1939, the Halifax performed its maiden flight, and it entered service with the RAF on 13 November 1940. It quickly became a major component of Bomber Command, performing routine strategic bombing missions against the Axis Powers, many of them at night. Arthur Harris, the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Bomber Command, described the Halifax as inferior to the rival Lancaster (in part due to its smaller payload) though this opinion was not shared by many of the crews that flew it, particularly for the MkIII variant. Nevertheless, production of the Halifax continued until April 1945. During their service with Bomber Command, Halifaxes flew a total of 82,773 operations and dropped 224,207 tons of bombs, while 1,833 aircraft were lost. The Halifax was also flown in large numbers by other Allied and Commonwealth nations, such as the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Free French Air Force and Polish forces. Wikipedia

YouTube Halifax Heavy Bomber WWII

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Halifax Bomber

Museum National Air Force Museum of Canada

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF On Strength (5), RCAF 6 Group (1596), RCAF 400 Squadron (1443), Canadian Aircraft Losses (1562), Canadian Museum(2)
last update: 2023-12-08 20:34:11

Halifax B/GR.Mk.III HX325

Failed to Return, Leipzig, 20.2.44
Unit 35

35 (PFF) Sqn- Squadron (RAF) Uno Anima Agimus

© Canadian Warplane Heritage 2024

To search on any page:
PC — Ctrl-F
Mac — ⌘-F
Mobile — or …