Thompson, Robert Sydney (Pilot Officer)
Killed in Action 1944-January-20
Birth Date: unkown date
Born:
Parents:
Spouse:
Home:
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RAFVR
Unit
427 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Ferte Manus Certas Strike sure
Base
Leeming
Rank
Pilot Officer
Position
Bomb Aimer
Service Numbers
156386
Target
Berlin Germany
Temporary Burial
Trebitz, Germany, near crash site
Remains were later exhumed from this location and reburied
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
International Bomber Command Centre
www.findagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Crew or Other Personnel
Halifax EB246
Mission
Halifax B.Mk.V EB246
Bombing Berlin Germany 1944-January-20 to 1944-January-20
427 (B) Sqn (RCAF) Leeming
Thursday the 20th of January 1944, at 16:20 Halifax Mk.V EB246 took off from RAF Leeming, the target was Berlin and the RAF dispatched 769 aircraft. Records show that 35 aircraft were lost (4.6%) this was considered an acceptable loss rate at this stage of the war. The 472 Squadron aircraft apparently took off in the late afternoon/early evening, and on arrival (possibly at about 8pm) over Berlin the target was completely cloud covered. Pathfinders thus used a sky marking system to mark the target using red flares and green stars, this system was code named as ‘Wanganui’ and the target position was determined using H2S a ground scanning radar. A google search on WWW.427squadron.com supplies very useful anecdotal information an all of 427 squadron operations and is worth examining.
RAF records could not determine if any damage was caused to the target, the Eastern area of Berlin, but note Luftwaffe night fighters were very active. The records available from the RAF give little help on the loss of Sierra Sue, however Luftwaffe records which tended to be very accurate now give some insight into the raid from a German point of view.
The Luftwaffe records (OKL/RLM) are crucial to understanding the situation over Berlin that night, they record the raid occurred between 1910 and 2000 hours on the evening of the 20th of January. Causing damage to the East of the city in the areas of Neubrandenburg and Eberswalde. As these names are of German towns many miles from Berlin it would be reasonable to assume they are referring to streets of those names within the city area geographically. Also damage was caused to areas to the South of Berlin. With the last RAF bomber leaving German airspace at 2243. Because of the extreme weather conditions the Luftwaffe only utilised their most experienced crews from 1 Fighter Corp, flying JU88, ME109 and ME110 night fighters. It should be noted that German aircraft were very heavily armed with cannon invariably 20mm, with some of the twin engine aircraft having 30mm. 98-night fighters were deployed using the Y Gerat radio beam system to locate the RAF bombers. The Luftwaffe note they brought down 33 bombers over occupied territory and lost 7 fighters including 1 to friendly anti-aircraft fire, with 5 aircrew dead and 6 wounded. The two additional aircraft lost by the RAF probably crashed as result of damage caused during the attack by either flak or fighters, into the sea on the return flight?
Further research has now revealed that EB246, ‘Siera Sue’. was in a stream of bombers approaching initially from the West but then turning South to South East into the city. From what occurred a few minutes later it is fair to assume that Bruce’s plane satisfactorily bombed on the sky markers, then followed the designated departure route South of Berlin for some miles before turning South West. With the intention of then turning East to East North East on the home track. We now know that as the bomber stream departed South of the city, they were tracked by radar and night fighters alike. Five Junkers 88, night fighters tracking the bombers dropped red sky marking flares for other fighters to be drawn on.
Before the crew had the opportunity to make the final homeward track they were intercepted by Hauptman Leopold (Poldi) FELLERER of Stab 2 NJG 5 and his crew, Fw (NCO) HATSCHER (radio and radar operator) and Uffz (Junior NCO) SCHOPF (air gunner). They were flying a Messerschmidt BF110 G-4 Wrk.No740039 C9+AC (they were pictured with this aircraft shortly before the 20th January raid).
This night fighter was equipped with radar and armed with two oblique cannon firing through the rear of the cockpit, code named as Schrage-Musik. These were magazine fed by the gunner and supplemented the forward firing cannon and machine guns. The oblique canons installed are attributed with bringing down as many as 50% of bombers lost during the later part of the RAF night bombing campaign.
The actions of Fellerer and his crew are notable. Having joined the bomber stream at 1940hrs he shot down a Halifax LK958 of 76 squadron still carrying its bomb load. At 1950hrs he brought down Halifax LL141 of 434 squadron, at 1958hrs a third Halifax LL179 also of 434 squadron was shot down by this crew. By now the departing aircraft stream was South of Berlin when at 2005hrs Fellerer came upon ‘Sierra Sue’ he made short work of his attack and Bruce and his crew crashed near Trebitz, there is nothing to indicate they had any opportunity to escape the crashing Halifax. Still not finished with his nights work at 2011hrs Fellerer shot down his fifth aircraft of the night a further 76 squadron Halifax LK921 (initially mistaken as a Lancaster).
All of Fellerer’s victims were confirmed by scrupulous German record keeping giving him the dubious honour of an ‘Ace in a day’ He was awarded the Knights Cross and German cross in gold. The location that ‘Sierra Sue’ crashed is noted as Trebitz, Wittenberg, Germany, Trebitz is a very small village in Saxony region just over 80 miles from Berlin. From Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) records we know that the crew remains were recovered from the aircraft or its vicinity and buried locally in the village by the Germans. Consequently, we know now that the dates of death held by the CWGC are incorrect as the aircraft crashed shortly after 2000 hrs on the 20th of January.This account of EB246's last mission was researched by Geoff Moore a relative of Flight Sergeant Bruce Findlay
Luftwaffe records for January 20 1944 from Nachtjagd Combat Archive by Theo Boiten
Halifax serial: EB246
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
Halifax Heavy Bomber WWII
Wikipedia Halifax Bomber
National Air Force Museum of CanadaUnit Desciption
427 (B) Sqn Ferte Manus Certas ("Lion")
History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Wellington III, X, Halifax III, V, Lancaster I, III)
427 Squadron was the RCAF's 25th squadron and eighth bomber squadron to be formed overseas in WWII. It was formed at Croft, Yorkshire, England on 7 November 1942 as part of No 4 Group of RAF Bomber Command. With squadron code letters ZL it flew Wellington Mk III aircraft. On 1 January 1943 it joined No 6 (RCAF) Group, remaining at Croft until May of 1943, when it moved to Leeming, Yorkshire , where it remained for the rest of the war in Europe. Its duties were to take part in strategic and tactical bomber operations. It briefly re-equipped with Vickers Wellington Mk X before acquiring Handley Page Halifax Mk V aircraft in May 1943. In January 1944 it re-equipped again with the improved Halifax Mk III. Finally it was equipped with Avro Lancaster Mks I and III in March 1945. After the termination of hostilities in Europe, the squadron remained in England and transferred to No 1 Group. It participated in operation EXODUS, the repatriation of POW's and operation DODGE, bringing back British troops from Italy. The squadron disbanded at Leeming on 1 June 1946.
In the course of WWII the squadron flew approximately 3300 operational sorties in the course of which either 88 (Moyes) or 90 (Kostenuk) aircraft were lost and approximately 10,300 tons of bombs were dropped. The squadron earned 4 DSO's, 147 DFC'c and 6 Bars to DFC, 1 AFC, 2 CGM's, 16 DFM's and 8 MiD. Battle Honours were: English Channel and North Sea 1943-45, Baltic 1944-45, Fortress Europe 1943-44, France and Germany 1944-45, Biscay Ports 1943-44, Ruhr 1943-45, Berlin 1943-44, German Ports 1943-45, Normandy 1944, Rhine, Biscay 1944. Wikipedia, Moyes, Kostenuk and Griffin
Squadron History (Bomber Command Museum PDF)
Maps for Movements of 427 Squadron 1942-46
427 Squadron History Summary 1942-46
History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Sabre 2, 5, 6, Starfighter, Kiowa, Twin Huey, Griffon)
The squadron was reactivated on 1 August 1952 as a fighter squadron in the Air Defence Command, based in St Hubert, Quebec and equipped with Canadair F-86 Sabre Mk 2s. The Squadron moved on to Sabre Mks. 5 and 6 while working out of St Hubert before deploying to Zweibrücken, Germany and becoming a part of 3 Wing, in March-April 1953. The Squadron continued in this role, operating out of Germany, for another decade, participating in many multi-national NATO exchanges and exercises with destinations including; Rabat, Morocco, Decimomannu, Sardinia and France. The squadron moved to Grostenquin, France in June 1962, but was inactive pending its conversion to the CF-104 Starfighter. On 15 December 1962, the Squadron was deactivated as a Fighter squadron and reactivated on the 17th as a Strike/Attack squadron, becoming the first Canadian squadron to be equipped with the Starfighter. This change in aircraft necessitated changes in training and tactics. In 1969 the squadron moved from Zweibrücken to Baden-Soellingen , and with that, a change from 3 Wing to 4 Wing.
The Squadron disbanded again on 1 July 1970 and was re-established on 1 January 1971 as a Tactical Helicopter Squadron with 10 Tactical Air Group of Mobile Command, later simply called ‘Air Command.’ The first helicopter used after this transition was the CH-136 Kiowa light observer helicopter and, simultaneously, the CH-135 Twin Huey utility helicopters. The Squadron participated in many operations, including: Norway, Egypt, Sinai and Central America. After switching to a fleet of only CH-135 Twin Hueys in 1992, the squadron deployed to Somalia in 1993 and to Haiti on Operations. In July 1997 the Squadron received the BELL CH-146 Griffon Helicopter fleet to replace the Twin Huey. By 1999, the Griffon’s had participated in operations in Canada and in Honduras. The early 2000’s saw rotations going to Bosnia.
On 1 February 2006, 427 Squadron became part of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM), as a Special Operations Aviation Squadron (SOAS), with the responsibility of providing air capability to various units with the Canadian Special Forces Command, where it remains today, located at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, Ontario . In recent years, 427 SOAS participated in Exercise FLINTLOCK, an annual regional exercise among African, Western and United States counterterrorism forces, in multiple countries in West Africa. It also deployed to the Middle-East as part of Operation IMPACT, the Canadian Armed Forces mission to build the military capabilities of Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon, and set the conditions for their long-term success. 
Halifax EB246 B.Mk.V - Bombing Berlin Germany - 1944-01-20 to 1944-01-20
6 Group Unavailable
Thursday the 20th of January 1944, at 16:20 Halifax Mk.V EB246 took off from RAF Leeming, the target was Berlin and the RAF dispatched 769 aircraft. Records show that 35 aircraft were lost (4.6%) this was considered an acceptable loss rate at this stage of the war. The 472 Squadron aircraft apparently took off in the late afternoon/early evening, and on arrival (possibly at about 8pm) over Berlin the target was completely cloud covered. Pathfinders thus used a sky marking system to mark the target using red flares and green stars, this system was code named as ‘Wanganui’ and the target position was determined using H2S a ground scanning radar. A google search on WWW.427squadron.com supplies very useful anecdotal information an all of 427 squadron operations and is worth examining.
RAF records could not determine if any damage was caused to the target, the Eastern area of Berlin, but note Luftwaffe night fighters were very active. The records available from the RAF give little help on the loss of Sierra Sue, however Luftwaffe records which tended to be very accurate now give some insight into the raid from a German point of view.
The Luftwaffe records (OKL/RLM) are crucial to understanding the situation over Berlin that night, they record the raid occurred between 1910 and 2000 hours on the evening of the 20th of January. Causing damage to the East of the city in the areas of Neubrandenburg and Eberswalde. As these names are of German towns many miles from Berlin it would be reasonable to assume they are referring to streets of those names within the city area geographically. Also damage was caused to areas to the South of Berlin. With the last RAF bomber leaving German airspace at 2243. Because of the extreme weather conditions the Luftwaffe only utilised their most experienced crews from 1 Fighter Corp, flying JU88, ME109 and ME110 night fighters. It should be noted that German aircraft were very heavily armed with cannon invariably 20mm, with some of the twin engine aircraft having 30mm. 98-night fighters were deployed using the Y Gerat radio beam system to locate the RAF bombers. The Luftwaffe note they brought down 33 bombers over occupied territory and lost 7 fighters including 1 to friendly anti-aircraft fire, with 5 aircrew dead and 6 wounded. The two additional aircraft lost by the RAF probably crashed as result of damage caused during the attack by either flak or fighters, into the sea on the return flight?
Further research has now revealed that EB246, ‘Siera Sue’. was in a stream of bombers approaching initially from the West but then turning South to South East into the city. From what occurred a few minutes later it is fair to assume that Bruce’s plane satisfactorily bombed on the sky markers, then followed the designated departure route South of Berlin for some miles before turning South West. With the intention of then turning East to East North East on the home track. We now know that as the bomber stream departed South of the city, they were tracked by radar and night fighters alike. Five Junkers 88, night fighters tracking the bombers dropped red sky marking flares for other fighters to be drawn on.
Before the crew had the opportunity to make the final homeward track they were intercepted by Hauptman Leopold (Poldi) FELLERER of Stab 2 NJG 5 and his crew, Fw (NCO) HATSCHER (radio and radar operator) and Uffz (Junior NCO) SCHOPF (air gunner). They were flying a Messerschmidt BF110 G-4 Wrk.No740039 C9+AC (they were pictured with this aircraft shortly before the 20th January raid).
This night fighter was equipped with radar and armed with two oblique cannon firing through the rear of the cockpit, code named as Schrage-Musik. These were magazine fed by the gunner and supplemented the forward firing cannon and machine guns. The oblique canons installed are attributed with bringing down as many as 50% of bombers lost during the later part of the RAF night bombing campaign.
The actions of Fellerer and his crew are notable. Having joined the bomber stream at 1940hrs he shot down a Halifax LK958 of 76 squadron still carrying its bomb load. At 1950hrs he brought down Halifax LL141 of 434 squadron, at 1958hrs a third Halifax LL179 also of 434 squadron was shot down by this crew. By now the departing aircraft stream was South of Berlin when at 2005hrs Fellerer came upon ‘Sierra Sue’ he made short work of his attack and Bruce and his crew crashed near Trebitz, there is nothing to indicate they had any opportunity to escape the crashing Halifax. Still not finished with his nights work at 2011hrs Fellerer shot down his fifth aircraft of the night a further 76 squadron Halifax LK921 (initially mistaken as a Lancaster).
All of Fellerer’s victims were confirmed by scrupulous German record keeping giving him the dubious honour of an ‘Ace in a day’ He was awarded the Knights Cross and German cross in gold. The location that ‘Sierra Sue’ crashed is noted as Trebitz, Wittenberg, Germany, Trebitz is a very small village in Saxony region just over 80 miles from Berlin. From Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) records we know that the crew remains were recovered from the aircraft or its vicinity and buried locally in the village by the Germans. Consequently, we know now that the dates of death held by the CWGC are incorrect as the aircraft crashed shortly after 2000 hrs on the 20th of January.This account of EB246's last mission was researched by Geoff Moore a relative of Flight Sergeant Bruce Findlay
Luftwaffe records for January 20 1944 from Nachtjagd Combat Archive by Theo Boiten