Birth Date: 1920-December-30
Born:
Parents:
Spouse: Margaret Irene Harton Dinney
Home: Winnipeg Manitoba
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: 1941-October
Service
RCAF
Unit
550 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Per Ignem Vincimus Through fire we conquer
Base
RAF North Killingholme
Rank
Flying Officer
Position
Navigator
Service Numbers
J/22061
Winnipeg Manitoba
Stuttgart Germany
RAF Evaders, The Comprehensive Story of Thousands of Escapers and Their Escape Lines, Western Europe, 1940-1945 by Oliver Clutton-Brock, page 362
Shot Down By A Night Fighter At Ottrott 2 Miles West of Obernai Returning From A Raid on Stuttgart, 4 of the Crew Survived, 1 of Whom Evaded
Pilot Officer Harry Jones died in the crash and Sergeant Idwal Williams (both RAF) died as a result of his parachute jump.
The others landed safely and had to consider their chances of evading capture. Sergeant Don Hunter, Sergeant James Drury and Sergeant Roy Barton (all RAF) were captured quickly and taken in charge of the Feld Gendarmerie and the Luftwaffe. Flight Sergeant Fred Habgood was captured in Niederhaslach which is approximately10 kilometres NNW of the crash site Oliver Clutton-Brock, Footprints ..., however other sources say that he was helped by people of Ottrott who were then denounced and taken to the nearby concentration camp at Natzweiler-Stuthof. Sergeant Fred Habgood was hung at Natzweiler-Stuthof and his body was never found. In a trial held at Wuppertal in 1946, five men were found guilty of the crime, two of whom were executed on the 11th of October.
Habgood's identification bracelet was found in 2018 near the concentration camp site. See the story on Habgood's page.
Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database
Search for France-Crashes 39-45
28/29.07.1944 550 Squadron Lancaster III NE 164 Fg Off Harry Jones RAF...
494 Lancasters and 2 Mosquitos of 1,3,5, and 8 Groups in the last raid of the current series on the target. German fighters intercepted the bomber stream while over France on the outward flight; there was a bright moon and 39 Lancasters were shot down. 7.9% of the force.
46 Lancasters from 408, 419, and 428 Squadron were joined by 186 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 424, 425, 425, 427, 429, 431, 432, 433, and 434 Squadrons on an attack at Hamburg. The crews were over the target at between 16,000 and 22,000 feet, releasing 2,019,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, some bombing fell into the port area, otherwise the attack was scattered. On this attack, 6 Group suffered their highest losses. 22 crews failed to return.
As well as the crews that went to Hamburg, 5 Halifaxes from424 Squadron were ordered on a mining operation to Heligoland. The crews were over the garden at between 12,000 and 15,000 feet, sowing 20@1500 lb mines. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
Shot Down By A Night Fighter At Ottrott 2 Miles West of Obernai Returning From A Raid on Stuttgart, 4 of the Crew Survived, 1 of Whom Evaded
Pilot Officer Harry Jones died in the crash and Sergeant Idwal Williams (both RAF) died as a result of his parachute jump.
The others landed safely and had to consider their chances of evading capture. Sergeant Don Hunter, Sergeant James Drury and Sergeant Roy Barton (all RAF) were captured quickly and taken in charge of the Feld Gendarmerie and the Luftwaffe. Flight Sergeant Fred Habgood was captured in Niederhaslach which is approximately10 kilometres NNW of the crash site Oliver Clutton-Brock, Footprints ..., however other sources say that he was helped by people of Ottrott who were then denounced and taken to the nearby concentration camp at Natzweiler-Stuthof. Sergeant Fred Habgood was hung at Natzweiler-Stuthof and his body was never found. In a trial held at Wuppertal in 1946, five men were found guilty of the crime, two of whom were executed on the 11th of October.
Habgood's identification bracelet was found in 2018 near the concentration camp site. See the story on Habgood's page.
Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database
Search for France-Crashes 39-45
28/29.07.1944 550 Squadron Lancaster III NE 164 Fg Off Harry Jones RAF...
Finadagrave.com
Habgood Bracelet
550 Sqn Monthly ORB