Winnipeg, ManitobaSquadron Leader WA Anderson DFC (RCAF), Pilot Officer HV Spicer (RCAF), Sergeant N Jordan (RAFVR), Sergeant AF Muris (RAFVR), and FS S Walker (RAFVR) were missing, presumed killed. Only Pilot Officer Spicer's body washed ashore (1942-04-20) and was buried in Holland. The rest of the crew have no known graves and are commemorated on the Runnymede War Memorial. Squadron Leader Anderson had flown thirty operations with this Squadron
There were two 407 Squadron aircraft lost on this trip.
Please see Flight Lieutenant L Cowperthwaite (RCAF) for detail of the other crew in Hudson V AM 598 RR-P
These two Hudson's were part of a formation that were to meet a fighter escort at another airfield before making their attack, however due to miscommunication the fighters did not take off (their instructions were to wait for the bombers to land and refuel first). After circling for a time waiting for the fighters to join them some of the Hudson's landed while five others continued on to the German ships without an escort. Squadron Leader Anderson and Flight Lieutenant Cowperthwaite's aircraft were last seen making bomb runs on the ships under heavy fighter attack. Both were considered outstanding officers on the Squadron (pers. comm. A.D. Squires)
The price Coastal and Bomber Command paid for their futile attack on these two battleships was staggering. The Allies lost 48 aircraft and nearly all the crews, another 22 aircraft were badly damaged. Enemy losses were 13 sailors and 11 pilots killed. The CO, Air Chief Marshall Sir Philip Libert wrote his memoirs of the raid in great detail in 1955 and made no mention of 407 Squadron
Distinguished Flying Cross - No.407 Squadron - Award effective 15 December 1941 as per London Gazette dated 16 March 1943 and AFRO 616/43 dated 9 April 1943. Medal presented to next-of-kin, 20 March 1944. The citation reads - "This officer has always shown the greatest keenness and enthusiasm for operational flying. On one occasion he carried out a successful low level attack on a well defended convoy off Ameland, obtaining a hit on the largest vessel of some 10,000 tons. On another occasion he attacked convoys at night, always at a low level, and in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire, obtaining a hit on a 2,500 ton vessel from fifty feet. He also attacked the vessel with machine gun fire. On another sortie S/L. Anders was detailed to illuminate the position of a convoy to direct a bombing force to the attack. He skillfully accomplished his mission in the face of fire from the ship. He assumed command of a flight in November 1941. This officer has at all times shown great courage." Detail provided by H Halliday, Orleans, Ontario
Detail from: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=52990 and http://www.626-squadron.co.uk/willem27.htm
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
www.findagrave.com
Hudson
Wikipedia Hudson
Harold A Skaarup Web Page
Hudon - Kestrel Publications
