Category: Stories Behind the Stones

Alfred John Simmons, known as Jack, was born on 29/7/1922, the second of four children of Henry and Katherine Simmons. All children were born in a two-roomed cottage in Haywards Heath, Sussex.

Jack’s first connection with the RAF was when he joined the A.T.C. 172 Squadron, Haywards Heath.

After leaving school Jack worked as a delivery boy for a local fishmonger and then he enlisted with the R.A.F. V.R. on 29/7/1940 and trained as an air gunner, allocated svc. no.1357238.

He was attached to 207 Squadron as a rear gunner and his first sortie appears to have been on the 12/13^th June 1943 with the ‘Ebert’ crew.

On their 24^th sortie, whilst based at R.A.F. Spilsby, Lincs, they flew to the target of Stettin, Germany, where sadly their Lancaster aircraft, ED596 EM-F, crashed and all the crew were killed. They were initially buried locally but were later re-interred at Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland.

Jack’s name can be found on panel 97 on the IBCC’s Walls.  To see his entry on the IBCC Losses Database, click here.

To honour your ancestor with a stone on the Ribbon of Remembrance click here

BIOGRAPHY OF DENIS READ

RAF 1956-81

MOD 1981-99

My Father, Denis Read, joined the RAF at the age of 21 in 1956 to complete his National Service. This had been delayed to enable him to finish his apprenticeship as a carpenter. However, he never returned to his first trade, preferring to stay in the air force which was to be his ‘home’ for the rest of his career. He told me that he stayed in the air force because he thought it offered a better life than the one he’d had previously. While he remained proud of his Lancastrian roots, tours of duty to places such as Malta must have seemed very exotic to a lad from the smoky terraced streets of Blackburn.

His trade, throughout his time in the RAF and Ministry of Defence was supply/logistics. In the early stages of his career this involved air movements both in the air and on the ground and latterly, the use of computer systems to ensure efficient distribution of equipment. Along with so many air movements personnel, he spent time at Brize Norton and Lyneham, but also experienced a number of postings abroad to places such as Bahrain, Libya, USA, Malta and the ‘hotspots’ of Aden and Northern Ireland.

Denis was a keen sportsman and took full advantage of the opportunities the RAF offered in this realm, excelling at football as well as competing successfully in cricket, boxing, swimming, water polo and table tennis.

He progressed through the non-commissioned ranks to be a Flight Sergeant and Acting Warrant Officer in his final posting at Stafford and received an AOC Support Command  Commendation in 1981, the year he left the service.

On leaving the RAF, he became a storeman at RAF Stafford though was quickly promoted to Station Warden, a role he occupied until retiring in 1999. He was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1986 though confounded the doctors by returning to work after chemotherapy in just six months before being forced into retirement by the return of cancer in 1999. He would confound the doctors once again however, living another 12 years before finally succumbing in 2011. The fact that he lived for 25 years after a terminal diagnosis, including 12 years in a responsible role with the MOD epitomised the positivity and determination that had enabled him to have such a varied and successful RAF career.

His daughter and son, Denise and David benefitted from the experience of living abroad owing to Denis’ RAF service, in Bahrain (Denise only), Libya and Malta. They are both immensely proud of the service he gave and the person he was.

In memory of Sergeant John Elwyn JOHN RAFVR, 1153102 and the crew of ED989

No. 5 Group, RAF Bomber Command, No. 57 Squadron

This is dedicated to my Great Uncle John Elwyn JOHN, to his crew on Lancaster ED989, and to all RAF air and ground personnel who without hesitation put their lives on the line day and night during World War II.  Also, with gratitude to the people of Lincolnshire, who made space in their hearts and lives to support all those that served in Bomber Command.

Until the pandemic hit in 2020, John Elwyn had just been a photograph in the hallway at my father’s house.  A smiling 21-year-old air gunner who lost his life on Lancaster ED989, August 1943.  The following has been compiled from interpreting John’s MOD records, National Archive documentation, extremely helpful members of various Bomber Command/Lancaster social media groups, and many a late night researching the internet.

John Elwyn JOHN was born on 22 January 1922 at 1 Howells Terrace, Heol Las, Glamorgan, Wales.  His father was David Llewelyn JOHN, a Tin Plate worker and his mother was Margaret (nee BODYCOMBE).  He was their fifth child; his older sister Ruby Elvira JOHN is my paternal grandmother.

At the time he was born, Heol Las was a small close-knit and hardworking Welsh village.  The main source of income for men came from working in either a coal mine, a tin plate works or in agriculture, though economically times were becoming very challenging.  John Elwyn lived within a stone’s throw of his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.  He went to the local Council school in the next village of Birchgrove.  The family were heavily involved in local chapel worship.  I have found newspaper articles about the JOHN family from the 1910s and their activities at Capel Saron, Birchgrove, with his aunts and uncles winning awards for recitals and singing in the choir.

In a transcript from John Elwyn’s maternal aunt, Deborah BODYCOMBE recorded in 1976, she mentions her sister Margaret (John Elwyn’s mother) used to travel to Llansamlet, the next village bringing her seven children to visit their grandmother Mary.  Deborah said that when the grandchildren came to visit, their grandmother used to buy a cow’s tongue, which she stuffed and slow cooked on the open fire.  She then thinly sliced the tongue before serving.  By all accounts it was delicious, and everyone looked forward to this family meal!

In his early years, John Elwyn experienced close personal loss.  In 1934, his younger sister Rita Eileen passed away with pneumonia aged 3½.  His mother Margaret passed away with cancer in January 1939, aged 45.  This was two weeks before John Elwyn’s 17^th birthday.  On the 1939 register taken on 29 September his occupation is listed as “Colliery Worker Sumpmans Mate (Above ground).”  With local employment opportunities diminishing within the tin plate works, his father had moved to Ebbw Vale to work in the steel industry.  John Elwyn and his younger siblings remained in Heol Las as World War II broke.

John Elwyn became a RAF Volunteer Reserve as an Aircraftman 2^nd class (AC2) aged 18 years.  He was based at RAF Cardington, Bedfordshire from May to August 1940.  He then moved to No. 951 Squadron in Bristol, which later merged with No. 927 Squadron.  On 4 February 1941 he became an Aircraftman 1^st class (AC1), then promoted to Leading Aircraftman (LAC) on 8 August 1942.  The following month he was attached to No. 11 Balloon Centre at Pucklechurch, 7 miles from Bristol City Centre.

In October 1942, he travelled to London to the Air Crew Recruiting Centre (ACRC).  Here, recruits completed a basic induction, undertook a series of rigorous medical checks, and completed tests to identify roles for which they would be suitable.  For John Elwyn this was as an air gunner.

He was posted to No. 14 Initial Training Wing (ITW) at Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire.  Here the recruits took physical training on the sea front and went to training classes in the Spa Royal Hall.  They were billeted in requisitioned local people’s homes, boarding houses, and hotels.  Two months later he moved further north to No. 4 Air Gunnery School (AGS) based at RAF Morpeth, Northumberland.

From the book RAF Morpeth: A Forgotten Airfield in Northumberland by Graeme Rendall (2021), I have discovered that John Elwyn was possibly part of No. 21 course that arrived on 22 December 1942.  It says that “December 1942 had seen plenty of bad weather, including plenty of thick haze, with no less than 11 days being regarded as completely unfit for flying.”

On 27 February 1943 John Elwyn received his temporary sergeant stripes and on 2 March 1943, he commenced his Air Gunner Occupational Training at No. 12 O.T.U., RAF Chipping Warden, Northamptonshire.  This was the point when the recruits formed an air crew of five which included a pilot, navigator, bomb aimer, wireless operator, and a gunner.  The usual method for “crewing up” was putting all the trainees from the various occupational training schools into an aircraft hangar and leaving them to sort themselves out! The flight engineer and an additional gunner usually joined later at the heavy conversion training, making up a crew of seven able to operate on a Lancaster.

I have identified from archive photographs that S/L Benjamin Southam AMBROSE (Pilot) and Sgt Donald Edwin NYE (Wireless Operator) were at RAF Chipping Warden at the same time as John Elwyn.  On 22 April 1943 John Elwyn moved to RAF Swinderby, Lincolnshire, part of No. 1660 C.U. for heavy conversion training.  It was here that his crew were joined by an additional gunner, F/S James Lawrence LAMB RCAF.  For a brief period, John Elwyn was attached to No. 1485 (Bomber) Gunnery Flight based at RAF Dunholme Lodge, Lincolnshire.

On 9 June 1943 John Elwyn moved to No. 467 (RAAF) Squadron, RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire.  In the Operations Record Book of No. 467 (RAAF) Squadron from the National Archives (AIR-17-1930-11), John Elwyn is listed in the “Personnel – Posting in” from No. 1660 C.U. with all his other crew members and pilot S/L Benjamin Southam AMBROSE.

Sadly, S/L AMBROSE (https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/100319/) was the 2nd pilot on Lancaster ED4983 who set off to Dusseldorf on 11 June 1943 at 22:25.  He and his crew were recorded as “Missing with no news received.”  Later it was discovered that the plane had been hit by flak battery I./514 and crashed at Frenz, Germany.  He is remembered at the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.

In the same Operations Record Book, there is an entry “The evening of 11 June 1943 the Squadron held a dance in the gymnasium for the benefit of the Squadron Sports Fund.  It was very well attended and was voted an extremely popular affair.  Many of the men we would have liked to see there, however, were off on the first operation this month, the attack on Dusseldorf.”  I feel this would have been a much-needed respite for the base from the demands of the war effort, but sad knowing S/L AMBROSE was one of the casualties from that raid.

A week later, John Elwyn and the remaining crew were posted to RAF Wigsley, Nottinghamshire to join No. 1654 C.U. for further heavy conversion training.

On 28 July 1943, his final posting was to No. 57 Squadron at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire.  The Operations Record Book of No. 57 Squadron from the National Archives (AIR-27-538-35) states that Wing Commander Walter Ralph HASKELL DFC took over from Wing Commander Frederick Campbell HOPCROFT DFC.  It goes on to say “W/Cr. HASKELL DFC & crew posted to Squadron.”  I assume that John Elwyn and his crew had already been allocated to fly with W/C Walter Ralph HASKELL before they came to No. 57 Squadron.

I have found six sorties for John Elwyn from his time at No. 57 Squadron, the final one he and the crew never returned.  Their first sortie together was on 29 July 1943 on Lancaster JA914, target Hamburg City Centre with John Elwyn in the position of rear gunner.  This sortie had a 2^nd pilot on-board, S/L Malcolm CROCKER (https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/105262/).  S/L Malcolm CROCKER later went on to become a Wing Commander and DFC.  Tragically he lost his life 21 June 1944 as part of No. 49 Squadron attack on the synthetic-oil plant at Wesseling.  He and his crew never returned, he is remembered at the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.

On his future sorties John Elwyn was in the position of mid-upper gunner, all the same crew.  These sorties included:

• 30 July 1943, Lancaster JA914, Remscheid
• 9 August 1943, Lancaster ED827, Mannheim (Sortie not completed as rear turret unserviceable)
• 10 August 1943, Lancaster JA914, Nuremburg
• 12 August 1943, Lancaster ED698, Milan

His final sortie was 17 August 1943, leaving RAF Scampton at 21:44 flying into a moonlit sky.  This was part of Operation Hydra; the target was the German V2 rocket factory at Peenemünde.  He flew on Lancaster ED989, DX-F, Frederick III.  The Operations Record Book of No. 57  Squadron from the National Archives (AIR-27-538-38) states “Missing, lost contact after take-off.”  The plane was in the third wave of Lancaster bombers leaving the UK that night.  When returning from Germany, ED989 was understood to be the 32^nd or 33^rd plane to be shot down.

The crew of ED989 is listed below.  They had a 2^nd pilot on board, F/S Cyril BUTTERWORTH who transferred into No. 57 Squadron on 14 August 1943:

• W/C Walter Ralph HASKELL DFC, Pilot – https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/110183
• F/S Cyril BUTTERWORTH, 2^nd Pilot – https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/103410
• Sgt Ronald Amos Charles Martin STRINGER, Flight Engineer – https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/122561
• F/O James JONES, Navigator – https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/112446
• Sgt John Furniss HARKNESS, Bomb Aimer – https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/109932
• Sgt Donald Edwin NYE, Wireless Operator – https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/117465
• Sgt John Elwyn JOHN, Mid-Upper Gunner – https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/112176/
• F/S James Lawrence LAMB RCAF, Rear Gunner – https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/113416

John Elwyn is also remembered in the commemorative book at Scampton Church, panel 98:

https://scamptonchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/RAF-Scampton-Window-Commemorative-Book-Compressed.pdf

As a family we are immensely proud of him, what he achieved during his RAFVR career and his dedication to serving his country, may he and his fellow service men and women never be forgotten.

Sent by his Great Niece Bev Davies.  With a special thanks to Richard JOHN from the extended family in South Wales for providing invaluable information about Heol Las and keeping John’s memory alive by visiting the local war memorial in Primrose Park, Llansamlet on behalf of the family.

Mostly the same crew members as on the night of the accident although at the time training on a Wellington at RAF Hixon in Staffordshire in February 1944. The Canadian pilot P/O Stuart is on the left, our Father Sgt P Dunn, is on the right.

One story my Dad used to tell me is of one very lucky escape they all had whilst taking off for a mission in the early hours of July 18^th 1944. 100 Sqd were tasked with bombing a strong point in the battle area near Sannerville. It was only five or six weeks after the D-Day landings and the German army were still resisting strongly so the allies were using air power wherever they could to try and weaken the German defences.

Dad and his crew were allocated a Lancaster 111, LM 643, HW-H. They started their take off run at 03.56 but nearing take off speed the aircraft swung out of control , crashed and soon after, exploded. Fortunately the crew managed to get well clear of the wreckage ahead of the detonation.

The crew were:

• Pilot…… F/O C M Stuart
• F/E…….. Sgt H Prince
• Nav …….F/O R H Rix
• B/A ……..Sgt P Burnett
• W/Op… Sgt P Dunn
• M/U/G.. F/O J P Insell
• R/G……. Sgt S Kowal

That night 18^th /19^th July 100 Sqn lost 2 more aircraft over Scholven-Buer (oil plant) LM 569 HW-T and LM 620 HW-K. Both were crippled by Flak and crashed killing all the crew members on both aircraft. All the crew now rest in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

Dad survived 30 missions on that tour and was posted to the far East and Australia with 238 Sqn where he served to the end of the war, in fact his last mission was on 26/02/46 on Dakota KN605 from Darwin to Camden in Australia.

He died happily a few years ago in his late 80s in his beloved Australia!

Alfred was married to Eliza Jane Bonnie in 1935, they had 3 children, Eileen, Sylvia and Stephen, he enlisted on the 20th November 1940 aged 29.

In 1941 after completing his training he joined the 52nd Field Regiment which was attached to the 10th battalion Essex Regiment.  From April 1942 he was in the Royal Artillery and in July 1942 he was listed as being at RA Depot Deolali in India (This camp was the setting for the TV series It Ain’t half Hot mum).

From October 1942 he served with the 158th Field Regiment in Burma and from December 1945 he was with the 53rd Field HLDG Regiment before being discharged in May 1946.

Bio supplied by Alfred’s Grandson Stephen

MICHAEL (TAFF) THORNE – 12 JULY 1933 – 9 JULY 2019

Michael was born in Sheffield St Hospital, Strand, London in the parish of St Martins on 12 July 1933 and was baptised ‘Michael Harris-Thorne’ at St Mark’s Church, Tellington Park, London on 27 August 1933.

Due to his Fathers job he went to live in South Wales, initially with his grand parents and then with his uncle and aunt who eventually adopted him in July 1942. From that point onward he was known as Michael Thorne or more commonly by his RAF comrades as ‘Taff’ despite him actually being a cockney!

In his youth Michael attended Craig-Ry-Eos Infants school, Penygraig then Tai Junior Boys school and then The Rhondda County Grammar School for boys. He became a student at University College Cardiff but left after 2 years – not that unusual but at the time he left he was only 19 having started University at 16 years old.

He joined the RAF in August 1952 and served as an Air Signaller later converting to Air Electronics Operator.

Michael married Jean Anne Lander 10 August 1957 at Bethany Chapel Penygraig and had a son David Edward and a daughter Sarah Alison. Jean sadly died in 1975.

In 1976 Michael moved to Cornwall to serve on 42 Sqn. It was during this time he met and married Frances Mary Shazell and the family immediately grew as Michael took on the role as stepfather to Fran’s 2 daughters Lorna and Jacquie. Fran is part of a large and proud Cornish family and just as Michael had morphed from a Cockney to a Taff in his early years, he quickly changed his spots again to become more Cornish than the Cornish.

A big part of Michael’s life was his Service to the Country in the Royal Air Force. The following are some of the extracts from his Valedictory Letter:

During his 36 years’ service Mr Thorne amassed more than 7,500 hours flying time and progressed through the ranks achieving the rank of Master Air Electronics Operator (Warrant Officer) in July l970. His roles included:

Coastal Command – Flying Lancaster, Stirling and Various marks of the Shackleton. He was a qualified Air Gunnery Instructor.

 Transport Command – Flying Hastings, Britannia and Comets 2 and 4.  During this tour with 216 Sqn he was assessed as being Well Above the Average and was selected to be on the Very Very Important Person’s Flight which was tasked to fly Royalty and other dignitaries around the world.  This included Harold Wilson and the team that negotiated the UK entry into the Common Market.  A highlight for his children was when he flew the television Blue Peter team to Singapore for which he got a Blue Peter Badge and was seen on TV.

Bomber Command – Training pilots to fly the nuclear armed Vulcan bomber at RAF Finningley.

Training Command – Instructing young aircrew both in the classroom and in the Varsity aircraft whilst airborne. In this role he was assessed as having considerable experience as and was assessed as an A2 instructor, well above the average.  He then served on the Command Examination Board at RAF Cranwell where he set and marked exams for all aircrew specialisations.

I have been researching my Uncle and his crew for many years and have an awful lot of information, enough to write a small book! A lot of this information is in the public domain and easily obtained so I’ll keep it to a more personal level.

PB542 was the number allocated to the Lancaster flown by my Uncle, James ‘Jimmie’ Clark DFC AFC MID of 460sqn RAAF. from Binbrook, Lincolnshire. His crew were:-

Flying Officer Leon Milner RAFVR       Flight Engineer

Flying Officer Brian Reid DFC RAAF     Navigator

Flying Officer Stanley (Pat) Bethel RAAF Bomb Aimer

Flying Officer Christopher Sanders RAF Wireless Operator

Flying Officer Phillip Edwards RAAF      Mid Upper Gunner

Flying Officer John Scott DFM RAAF     Rear Gunner

Note that they were all Officers which I understand was a little unusual, but not unique. They were all highly experienced.

Jimmie, like many Australians, volunteered to serve in the war and enlisted in August 1940 in Sydney.  He was awarded the DFC while in the Middle East. He received the DFC at Buckingham Palace in February 1944  at the same time as Frank Whittle received his knighthood (according to my Auntie anyway!)

Jimmie met my Auntie Ivy (Cherrie) Cook who was my Dad’s sister, when he was posted to Home on Spalding Moor and they married in July 1943. Interestingly, three of the other four Australian crew married English girls, three of the four (including my Aunt) moving to Australia after the war.

Jimmie had his portrait painted by the war artist, Eric Kennington. The original was given to my Aunt several years after the war ended and she subsequently donated it to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

Jimmie was acting Commander of 460sqn when he was shot down although this had not been gazetted at the time of his death. I believe he was the only commander (of 460)  to be killed in action whilst holding that post.

Their Lancaster was shot down over Essen on the night of 12^th December 1944. All but one died. It seems that Leon Milner, the flight engineer somehow survived only to lose his life the following day (along with two other airmen) at the hands of German civilians. His story has been told in a book by Sean Feast & Marc Hall ‘Missing, Presumed Murdered’ published September 2018.

Whilst I have been researching, I have been in contact with all but one of the families of the crew and have become great friends with Trish Berghouse, the daughter of Stanley (Pat) Bethell, the bomb aimer. She lives in Australia but we have met several times. There’s another story there! If you would like any information on the rest of the crew, please let me know.

I found it very difficult to decide on the wording for the stone as I wanted to honour not just my Uncle, but all the crew so finally settled on the serial number PB542 in the hope that if family members visit the IBCC they will recognise that number and the date.

By Margaret Maxwell

M/Nav JH ‘Sam’ South Re-Inv 0458 ROR

John South was a Londoner who volunteered for the RAF when he was 20 in 1942. He completed RAF Basic Training and then went to South Africa for his aircrew instruction, as an Observer and Air Bomber. When he returned to the UK he went to Operational Training Unit 17 at RAF Silverstone and later to Heavy Conversion Unit 1661 at RAF Winthorpe near Newark where they flew the ill-fated Manchester and then the Lancaster. By now the Crew team had formed and it would remain together throughout their Tour of Duty (30 Ops)

They were:

Freddie Secker, Pilot,

Jack Gillespie, Flt Engineer,

Jack Cave, Navigator,

Bill Currie, Wireless Operator,

Doug Hole, Rear Gunner,

Don Shortt, Mid Upper Gunner

John ‘Sam’ South,  Air Bomber and Front Gunner

They were posted to 619 Squadron RAF Woodhall Spa in October 1943 where they completed 5 Operations (sorties) in a variety of Lancasters before the Squadron was moved to RAF Coningsby. Here they were united with what was their lucky favourite Lancaster LL783 PG-C which they called ‘Cinders of the Clouds’ and they completed their Tour of Duty with it. Sam was unfortunately injured during this time and missed out on a few operations; however he re-joined the same crew at 52 Base Scampton after their Tour ended and later at 56 Base Syerston where they continued to test fly new Lancasters before sending them out to the other Squadrons

After the war Sam stayed on in the RAF and became a Warrant Officer Master Navigator flying Lincolns and Sunderlands. When these were stood down he joined Transport Command flying Ansons which funnily enough he started his pre-war training in. At age 45 he was retired from flying and he retrained as an Air Traffic Controller serving at RAF Cottesmore with the V-Bomber force, El Adem in Libya, Coningsby (now the home of BBMF) and later Scampton with Phantom Fighter-Bombers.

Alas, at age 55 the RAF retire you, but very near the end of his RAF career he was asked to land an incoming unidentified aircraft. It turned out to be Lancaster PA474 The City of Lincoln. The aircraft disobeyed parking instructions and pulled up outside the Control Tower where upon Sam’s boss told him that he was going to fly again as a retirement present. As Second Navigator he flew in the Lancaster from Scampton to Coningsby. It is recorded as his last flight in his Logbook

William Thomas de Rouffignac Waters, known as Tom, was born to parents Harry and Marie De Roffignac Waters in Newlyn West, Cornwall in 1917.  He married Mary Henrietta Mayne in London in 1938.

Tom was a married father of two from Cornwall.  He was part of the RAF Volunteer Reserve and served with 53 Squadron at RAF St Eval. In August 1941, Tom was awarded a DFC .  His citation in the London Gazette reads:

Pilot Officer William Thomas de Rouffignac WATERS (62342), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 53 Squadron.
In August, 1941, this officer was pilot of one of two aircraft detailed to search for enemy shipping in the Borkum area. A convoy of one large merchantman escorted by five destroyers was observed and both aircraft flew low over the water to attack. They were met by very heavy fire and, whilst taking avoiding action, a wing of Pilot Officer Waters’ aircraft struck the water and
the tip of the wing was torn off. He then flew into cloud without attacking but, finding that-his aircraft was flying correctly, he again searched for the convoy and, on finding it, attacked in a position which necessitated flying down the line of the enemy fire. Pilot Officer Waters displayed gallantry and determination in the face of strong opposition.

In late December 1941, now flying Hudsons, he was tasked along with around 20 crews, to fly out to Singapore as reinforcements against the Japanese threat after Pearl Harbour. He arrived in Singapore mid January at RAF Tengah as the Japanese bombing escalated.  He was now part of 62 Squadron, and was soon staged back to Sumatra to reduce the aircraft losses from the bombing raids.

On January 26th, he was one of 6 Hudsons tasked to attack Japanese forces landing at Endau on the Malay peninsula – the 3rd effort made that day. During the raid, his plane sustained damage, noted by his flight leader, Terry O’Brien, on the return journey. The details of the raid itself are murky, in part due to the chaos that surrounded the last weeks prior to the fall of Singapore. His plane crash landed on final approach to RAF Sembawang, and Tom was killed along with his full crew.

Details of Tom’s DFC are in Terry O’Brien’s book Chasing after Danger covers the exploits of 53 Squadron in England and 62 Squadron in the Far East in more detail. Pilot Officer Waters has a grave marker ay Column 413 at the Kranji War Memorial in Singapore. He is also now honoured at the IBCC along with his Bomber Command colleagues.

Lost with Tom were:

Sgt A L Maslen

Sgt D V Saunders

Sgt G H Horobin

In October 2024, the family visited the Kranji War Memorial in Singapore to pay their respects to Tom.

Terry Heighton by his son, Chris

Between 2012 and 2015, I was fortunate to work as part of the development team that established the International Bomber Command Centre, where I led the commissioning process for the Spire. Without doubt, something I was incredibly proud to be part of, and one of the most rewarding and memorable projects I’ve ever worked on.

In 2019, I re-visited the IBCC with my Dad, who at the time, was really quite seriously ill, and with a terminal diagnosis. We had always planned to visit the centre, and particularly the Spire, as it was something that Dad always wanted to experience for himself – Not least because of my connection to the project, as this was something we talked about a great deal, but also because of our shared love of all thing’s aviation, and particularly historic aircraft. Indeed, it was through talking about Bomber Command, the IBCC, my role in the project, and generally being two plane spotters, that we were able to find common ground between us, as we were quite different people, with different interests, and who followed vastly different career paths, yet we created some unbeatable father and son moments, that I am now in the process of repeating with my own son, who thankfully, also has the aviation genes!

On the day of our visit, Dad was now completely wheelchair bound, with oxygen cylinders, which presented some logistical challenges, however nothing insurmountable. Having explored the exhibition, we discovered the digital archive station in the foyer, and although I hadn’t come across a ‘Heighton’ or distant relative within the losses database in all the time I worked on the project, Dad was adamant that we should search anyway – His illness certainly hadn’t affected his stubbornness! To our amazement, we discovered Sgt. Hubert Heighton, who was a pilot, stationed at RAF Leeming with 10 Squadron, and who flew the Armstrong Whitely V Bomber.

On the night of 15th /16th May 1941, the Whitely V crews were one of a number of 10 Squadron crews tasked with bombing Hannover. They took off from RAF Leeming at 2217 and bombed the target area from 14,000 feet at 0117. Hubert’s Whitely V was attacked by an enemy aircraft at around the same time, however the crew fired a red signal flare and the enemy aircraft broke off its attack. The searchlights in which the aircraft was being held, were switched off. The crew were able to make a safe return to base at 0445 and a number of bullet holes were found in the aircraft.

Later that summer, on the evening of 7th/8th July 1941, Hubert, Sergeant Harris Black, Flight Sergeant Robert Thompson, and Flight Sergeant Owen Lucas, were flying back to Leeming in Whitely Z6816 from operations in Osnabrück, and according to the records I’ve discovered, the Whitely V unexpectedly crashed into the North Sea, off Flamborough Head, with no survivors and their bodies were never recovered.

The events that led up to the crash remain a mystery, certainly to me, yet this is a story that I have continued to explore and pursue, and one that continues to twist and turn, as it unravels.
Dad and I were speechless at our discovery, and proceeded through the doors, along the Ribbon of Remembrance to the foot of the Spire, where I turned Dad’s wheelchair to face the iconic view of the city, that we had talked about so many times. Dad was overwhelmed and overcome with emotion in a way that I have never seen before, which was quite remarkable, and he insisted on standing, or at least trying to stand by himself, to pay his respects to all who served. As he said himself, ‘I simply cannot be here, right now, with you, and stay sat down’. It was a huge effort for him, and took every last bit of energy that he had, but he managed to do it, and largely by himself.

We stood together in the silence for what felt like hours, until I noticed that Dad was really struggling and about to fall, so we quickly moved the wheelchair back into place, and we began to walk through the Walls of Names, talking about who these people might have been, the families they left behind, and whether their ancestors even know about their sacrifice?

We slowly walked around to Panel 45 and found Hubert, which was quite a moving experience for both of us, where we placed a poppy by his name, as so many families do throughout the year. Over lunch in the café, we talked for hours about the Chadwick Centre, the Spire, a very nerdy discussion about aircraft, and the Spire opening ceremony, including the now famous flypast from the Vulcan that caught the sun exactly at the right moment to create a shining Avro Delta Wing over the Spire -Something really quite incredible, that I will never forget.

Sadly, our day together at the IBCC would prove to be the last day we spent together, as my Dad passed away shortly afterwards.

My Mum and I are both IBCC annual pass holders, and each year, on the anniversary of Dad’s passing, we meet at the IBCC and sit on the benches looking out to the Spire, to remember and celebrate Dad’s life.

Our stone on the Ribbon of Remembrance is absolutely dedicated to Dad’s love of aviation, and indeed of the Spire, to create a space that we as a family can continue to return to, and hopefully, where Dad’s great grandchildren, can do the same, long into the future. However, it also captures, and preserves the stories of that remarkable day of discovery we spent together, Hubert Heighton’s story, the importance of the IBCC to our family, and to ensure these stories remain alive and kicking, and in the hearts of future generations of Heightons.

For me, I’ve been inspired to embark on a new writing project to tell mine, Dad’s and Hubert’s story, and how, in the most unlikely of circumstances, we were able to forge a now unbreakable bond, across generations of our family.

In many respects, my connection with the IBCC, after nearly 10 years since I first joined the project, has now come full circle.

To find out about Hubert Heighton, click here

Robert Gardner was an Air Gunner serving with 61 Squadron, based at Skellingthorpe.  On the 25th April 1944 he and his crew took off from the station in Lancaster LM359 QR-B on an operation to Munchen (Munich).  The reason for their loss is not known but the aircraft crashed on a farm at La Chappelle Thecle, near Lohane in the Burgundy region of France.  An eye witness account said that if the plane had not clipped a tree it is likely that there would have been more survivors.  Robert was just 22 years old when he was killed and had only been married to wife, Joan Valerie, two weeks before the crash.

The bodies of the six crew who died are interred at the Lyon (La Doua) French National Cemetery.  Robert’s Epitaph Reads:

INTO THE DARKNESS “ON WINGS” WE HEARD YOU DEPART;

WE AWAITED THE DAWN IN VAIN. DAD AND MOTHER

Only one of the crew survived the crash, Sergeant C Ratner, who was the Wireless Operator.

In 1949 the Village of La Chappelle Thecle erected a Memorial on the site of the crash in memory of the lost crew.  The memorial includes a piece of the aircraft which was donated by the farmer.  A memorial service is held every year by the locals which was, from 1988 until 3 years ago, attended by Betty Bascombe, the widow of Sgt RCH Jones.  Since 1994 this service has been organised by the Swiss branch of the Royal Air Forces Association assisted by the Lyon branch.

Betty represented the War Widows at the turf cutting at the IBCC in 2014 and again for both of the unveiling ceremonies for the Spire and the Centre.

To find out more about Robert and his crew, please click here 

PETER JOHN HORSHAM joined the RAF as an apprentice and was a founding member of 619 Squadron which was formed on the 18th April 1943 At Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. He was previously a member of 97 Squadron when he flew a total of 12 Operations with the McLeod Crew. He was one of the 3 crews left behind by 97 Squadron when they moved and was post into 619 Squadron on the 19th April, 1943. His crew took part in 619 Squadron’s first raid to Dusseldorf on 11th June 1943, but due to problems with the aircraft had to return early. His pilot was F/Sgt McLeod. He flew 4 Operations with the McLeod crew, including one against Friedrichshaven, where the Air Bomber was killed by flak. The crew flew to Blida in North Africa and landed there. F/Sgt McLeod finished his tour of 30 Ops on 23rd June 1943, which meant that Peter and crew mates were split up to join other crews. He then joined the 619 Squadron Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Irwin J McGhie as his Flight Engineer, who he flew another 5 operations with, including the Peenamunde Raid on which they were shot down. Peter flew a total of 9 Operations with 619 Squadron with two crews.

Peter and crew took off on their last flight at 21.51hrs on 17th August 1943 in Lancaster EE117 PG-L, as part of Operation Crossbow, to attack Peenamunde German Army Research Centre where guided missiles and V-2 rockets were being developed. Their aircraft was sadly one of 3 shot down by Lt. Hans Meissnmer and his Radar Operator Untoffz Joseph Krinner in the space of 9 minutes. EE117 was believed to be the 38th of 41 aircraft shot down that night.

Peter John Horsham was 20 years of age when he was lost, he left behind a pregnant wife, a father and sister.  Peter’s entry on the Losses Database can be seen here 

The Nimrod Ribbon Of Remembrance stone has been placed at the IBCC to honour all those who served in the Nimrod Force, (Aircrew, Groundcrew & Support Staff), during the Nimrod’s time in Service, which spanned over forty years. It especially honours those friends and colleagues lost in three tragic accidents, which befell the Nimrod Force.

Nimrod was the RAF Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft (LRMPA) which served on No 42 Sqn based at RAF St Mawgan, No 120 Sqn, No 201 Sqn and No 206 Sqn, all based at RAF Kinloss, and finally No 203 Sqn based at RAF Luqa in Malta. The role of the aircraft was primarily surveillance of the Russian Navy and their Submarine Force, but it carried out many tasks including Long Range Search and Rescue, and Fishery Protection duties around the United Kingdom. In more recent conflicts the Nimrod Mk2 took on more surveillance roles flying over the battlefield.

Three Nimrods were built for the special task of Electronic Reconnaissance and were designated Nimrod R, they served on 51 Sqn based at our local airfield of RAF Waddington. 51 Sqn was a Bomber Command Unit during World War 2 and served in No 4 Group flying out of RAF Snaith in Yorkshire.

XV256

On the 17^th November 1980 XV256 was taking off from RAF Kinloss with a crew of twenty on board from 206 Sqn. The crew were converting from the Nimrod Mk1 to the upgraded Nimrod Mk2, and had instructing staff flying, hence the large crew onboard. Immediately after take-off the aircraft had multiple birdstrikes with Canadian Geese which were transiting between their overnight roost and their daily feeding grounds. The birdstrike caused damaged to three engines, the pilots were unable to maintain height and the Nimrod crashed into Roseisle Forest approximately 1300 yards from the end of the runway, and was engulfed in flames. The two pilots were killed, but the rest of the crew managed to escape from the aircraft, although some were seriously injured.

XV239

The aircraft from 120 Sqn RAF Kinloss, was performing an Air Display at the Canadian International Airshow in Toronto on the 2^nd September 1995. The display was performed above Lake Ontario and during one of the manoeuvres the aircraft appeared to stall and crashed into the lake. All seven crew members on board were killed.

XV230

Exactly eleven years to the day, since the tragic events at Toronto, another 120 Sqn aircraft crashed in Afghanistan killing all the crew and two specialist operators from the Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment. The aircraft XV230, which incidentally was the first of thirty-eight Nimrods to enter operational service, was on a surveillance mission on the 2^nd September 2006, supporting coalition forces engaging the Taliban. Shortly after refuelling from a RAF Tristar a catastrophic fire broke out, the aircraft tried to make an emergency landing at Kandahar airfield, but exploded in mid-air killing everybody on board. This event culminated in the single biggest loss of life of Service Personnel, since the Falklands War in 1982.

Roll of Honour

17^th November 1980 XV256 No 206 Sqn, RAF Kinloss

• Flight Lieutenant Noel Anthony (Royal Australian Air Force)
• Flying Officer Stephen Belcher

2nd September 1995 XV239 No120 Sqn, Toronto, Canada

• Flt Lt Dom Gilbert
• Flt Lt Glenn Hooper
• Flt Lt Nick Brookes
• Flt Lt Bernie Worthington
• Sergeant Gary Moxham
• Sergeant Richie Williams
• Sergeant Craig Barnett

2^nd September 2006 XV230 No 120 Sqn, Afghanistan

• Flight Lieutenant Steven Johnson
• Flight Lieutenant Leigh Anthony Mitchelmore
• Flight Lieutenant Gareth Rodney Nicholas
• Flight Lieutenant Allan James Squires
• Flight Lieutenant Steven Swarbrick
• Flight Sergeant Gary Wayne Andrews
• Flight Sergeant Stephen Beattie
• Flight Sergeant Gerard Martin Bell
• Flight Sergeant Adrian Davies
• Sergeant Benjamin James Knight
• Sergeant John Joseph Langton
• Sergeant Gary Paul Quilliam
• Corporal Oliver Simon Dicketts (Parachute Regiment)
• Marine Joseph David Windal (Royal Marines)

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Wing Commander A L Christian MiD* RAF – 1906 – 1941

Arnold Louis Christian was born in Hove, grew up in Birkenhead where his family operated their business, and educated as a boarder at Ruthin Public School, (founded in 1284 almost 150 years before Eton College).

After gaining Higher School Certificate he began work in the family business and, in 1929, went to Newcastle Upon Tyne to open a new branch of the business.  There, two significant life events occurred. He met the girl who was to become his wife and he entered a newspaper competition winning first prize – a half hour flying lesson.  Smitten by both, he left the business – much to the annoyance of the family – and was commissioned into the RAF in October 1930.

Upon completion of flying training at No 3 FTS, (Flying Training School), RAF Grantham, he was posted to No 54 Squadron, RAF Hornchurch.  As a member of 54 Sqn he participated in the famous Hendon Air Displays, hugely popular in the 1930’s, was married, and two of his three children were born, (both boys, they too were to join the RAF, followed by two of his grandsons).

Now a Flight Lieutenant, he was posted, unaccompanied, for eight months over 1935-36 to Ed Damer and Atbara in the British Protectorate of Sudan.  On return it was to 218 (Bomber) Squadron, RAF Upper Heyford, and selection for instructor training at CFS, (Central Flying School), RAF Upavon.  On the evening of 28th June 1937, whilst in the station cinema, a message was flashed onto the screen – ‘F/L Christian you have a baby daughter’ – home at Upper Heyford, his third child had been born.  From CFS it was briefly to No 6 FTS, RAF Netheravon, and then on to No 5 FTS, RAF Sealand, as a flying instructor.

Promoted Squadron Leader on 21 November 1938, there then followed 10 months at RAF Debden before a posting to RAF Bicester. Briefly to No 108 Sqn and then No 104 Sqn as Commander of ‘B’ Flight.  Both squadrons operated the Bristol Blenheim light bomber.

On 25th October 1939, as second pilot/navigator to Major Jim Cordes, chief test pilot for Handley Page, he flew on the maiden flight from Bicester of their new heavy bomber the ‘Halifax’.  In April 1940, 104 & 108 merged to form No 13 OTU, (Operational Training Unit), where he served as a Flying Instructor.

On 24th November 1940 it was to 105 Sqn, ( No 2 Group, Bomber Command), RAF Swanton Morley. Stuart R Scott, in his book Battle-Axe Blenheims No 105 Squadron at war 1940-1, records ‘Well known to many of the crews as an instructor, S/L Arnold Christian had arrived to become Flight Commander of ‘B’ Flight, and was ultimately to prove a very popular CO’.

One month later, on Christmas Eve, he was promoted Wing Commander and became the squadron’s commanding officer.

At this time the squadron was engaged largely on night operations against various industrial targets, and specific oil refineries, and these continued into 1941.  On 4th February, he led the squadron to attack docks at Ostend, Dunkirk and Dieppe and also on several airfields in Northern France.  All targets were successfully attacked without loss.

On 30th March, lifting off at 20.18 hours as part of a much larger mixed force, he led 5 Blenheims, from RAF St. Eval, Cornwall, to attack the port of Brest where the German battlecruisers, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, responsible for inflicting huge losses on British shipping, were docked.  All bombs were delivered in the target area and all crews survived the attack.  So too did the enemy ships!

On the 9th April the squadron received orders to convert to daytime operations and on the 13th the daylight anti-shipping role began.  The task for No 2 Group and its Blenheim squadrons was to seal the North Sea to enemy shipping.

The crews now had to learn a new skill and Arnold Christian was hugely instrumental in this, as  remembered by S/L David Bennett, who paid tribute in 2 Group RAF by Michael J.F. Bowyer:

‘Arnold Christian, an A1 Category CFS (Central Flying School) instructor, could fly a Blenheim better than most and inspired us all with his skill and leadership. He had been responsible for our rapid conversion from night bombing to daylight low-level operations in April 1941. Training was intense as Christian encouraged us to fly accurately over the sea at 50ft and lower. ‘The lower the better’, were his words, and ‘effective jinking manoeuvres near the deck (sea level) can get you out of trouble in the target area’. He was right. A Blenheim could be thrown around, and his example inspired us all. Our squadron commander was a stubborn never-say-die character with inborn leadership of a somewhat rebellious nature, traits possessed by so many 2 Group squadron commanders’.

‘Beat’ areas were established along coasts from southern Norway to the Low Countries and these were the Blenheim’s new hunting grounds.  Blenheim squadrons of 2 Group were detached, in around two weeks rotation, to RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland, to operate Norwegian coastal beats.  On 5th May, 1941, it was the turn of 105 Sqn. 17 Blenheims moved from Swanton Morley to Lossiemouth for their rotational stint.

At 05.10 hours on Thursday, 8th May 1941, in Blenheim V5828:R, Wg Cdr Arnold Christian and his crew, F/Sgt Harold Frederick ‘Andy’ Hancock (Observer) and Sgt G. Wade (Wireless Op/Air Gunner), lifted off leading 5 other aircraft and headed for the beat 2 area off the Norwegian coast at Stavanger.

As recorded in Battle-Axe Blenheims by Stuart R. Scott, four of the aircraft saw no shipping and returned to base. Aircraft T2118:E (P/O Buckley) was at No 2 position (on the right) of the CO’s aircraft when, as further recorded,  a convoy of twenty vessels appeared at the entrance to Hafrsfjord, west of Stavanger. Two merchant ships were singled out one a merchantman, the other identified as an 800-ton flak ship.  When the first merchant vessel was last seen, it was down by the stern, billowing smoke high into the air. During his run-in for a beam attack on the flak ship, P/O Buckley realised that W/C Arnold Christian and his crew, had not re-appeared on his port side. Their Blenheim was last seen with the port engine on fire.

Herr Leidland, a fisherman, saw the aircraft crash into the water, and he later retrieved a flying boot from the sea; it contained a leather tag with F/Sgt Hancock’s name on it.  They had crashed south of the entrance to Hardangerfjorden, north of Stavanger.

The loss of the CO hit squadron morale very badly, and was well remembered by the then S/L David Bennett who paid the following tribute also in Bowyer’s 2 Group RAF, Arnold’s sense of fun and his good, dry humour, added to his superb airmanship, made 105 a good squadron!

 Photograph: Battle-Axe Blenheims – Stuart R Scott

From  Battle-Axe Blenheims, Sgt Geoffrey Rowland (WOp/AG) commented W/C Arnold Christian was one of the finest COs one could wish to serve under, and Sgt Wood (Pilot), we all remembered Arnold Christian joining in with the boys, playing rugger with the adjutant’s hat.

The above is the briefest story of a husband, a father, a regular officer in the RAF.  More than that, it is also the story of so many Bomber Command aircrew – 55,000 – who lost their lives in WW2.  Stuart Scott sums it up well in the introduction to his book, Battle-Axe Blenheims.  ‘The Blenheim crews suffered grievous losses throughout the war, but their resolve, their firm belief in the right of their tasks, and their absolute belief in their leadership, remained unswayed’.

105 Squadron’s motto Fortis in Proeliis  translates as ‘Valiant in Battles’

There can be no more fitting epitaph for a Blenheim crew.

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Bernard ‘Pop’ Green.

There was the start of the forest, but in between was open ground covered in snow.  Thirty-two pairs of feet had left the exit to ‘Tunnel Harry’ and made the dash to the woods, when it was Bernard’s turn.

A miscalculation meant the tunnel exit had come up short by about ten feet, and was just beyond the perimeter fence.  Bernard was the thirty- third person to leave the tunnel, and at the age of fifty-six, the oldest of the seventy-six that would escape that night, in what became known as ‘The Great Escape’. 

Bernard was born in Bourne End Bucks in December 1887, and between 1903 and the start of the First World War, he served as a sapper in the 2^nd Gloucestershire Royal Engineer Volunteers, the London Electrical Engineers and finally in the TA with the Royal East Kent Yeomanry.

This all took place whilst studying at Clifton College Bristol and reading Theology at Trinity College Cambridge. 

On the 24^th June 1914 he was commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant in Buckinghamshire Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.  By 1915 he was serving in France and Belgium, when he was wounded by a German rifle grenade fragment at Ploogsteert and was sent back to England to recuperate.  On his return to France, he was promoted and seconded to different Machine Group Corps.

In 1916 he attended various Lewis and Vickers Gun courses both in France and England, where he met Johnny Dodge, who many years later, would also become a POW at Stalag Luft 3, and a fellow escaper.  On the first day of the Battle for the Somme, he was promoted to Captain, but again had to return to England to attended a course, and whilst home on his 29^th birthday, he married Kathleen Dorothea Connell. 

At the beginning of 1917 he was Mentioned in Dispatches for action at the Somme and then fought at Passchendaele.  By 1918 he had further promotion to Major and the award of a Military Cross in the King’s Birthday Honours List.  In October, just one month before the Armistice, he was severely wounded in his heel, from either a bullet or shrapnel.

He returned to England for recovery and was given £120 compensation for his injuries. 

After the war, Bernard and his wife started a family, his son was born in 1919, followed by a daughter in 1921.  He worked at the family Paper Mill which he ran with his Brother-in-Law.  He fulfilled many roles including Managing Director and Senior Sales Representative, which gave him the chance to travel through Europe sourcing raw materials. 

With the Second World War looming, in December 1939 Bernard joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve, he was 52 years old.  He attended the Air Gunnery Course at RAF Aldergrove and was awarded his brevet.  Following this he was posted to No 44 Sqn flying the Hampden out of RAF Waddington, with the rank of Pilot Officer on Probation.

On the 20^th July 1940, Bernard was on his first mission, which was a ‘Gardening’ sortie to Frederikshavn, basically laying sea mines which had the codeword ‘Vegetables’, in the busy shipping lanes.  The four-man crew consisted of the pilot Sgt Edward Farrands, Sgt Percy Nixon the observer, Sgt Reg Miller the second air gunner, plus Bernard in the rear turret.  Their Hampden L4087 took a direct hit from flax, which was protecting the port of Frederikshavn.  Edward announced he would have to ditch in Tannis Bay, as a fire was spreading across one of the wings, and sections of it were falling from the aircraft.

The belly of the plane hit the sea and part of the starboard fuselage was torn away.  Bernard threw himself through the hole and surfaced next to the sinking plane.  Floating next to him was the dead body of Sgt Nixon, whose neck appeared broken by the force of the impact.  Bernard was a strong swimmer and swam towards the roaring surf that was breaking against the shoreline and dragged himself onto the beach.  Within a few hours he would find himself in a Police Station at Skagen in Denmark, where he was handed over to the Germans and would spend the rest of the war as a prisoner.

Bernard was taken by train to Dulag Luft near Frankfurt am Main.  This was a reception camp before prisoners were transferred elsewhere.   It was here he heard the news that Sgt Farrands had survived the crash, but like Bernard, he was caught by the Danish Police, having broken into a summer villa.  The bodies of Nixon and Miller were washed up on the beach and they were buried in the cemetery at Skagen.

Between 1941-1942 Bernard found himself promoted twice, eventually obtaining the rank of Flight Lieutenant.  He was subject to various transfers between POW camps, including Stalag Luft II in Littmannstadt Poland, Stalag Luft I Barth Germany, a short visit to Stalag Luft III near Sagan and then Offlag XXI B, Schubin Poland.

By 1943 Bernard was back at Stalag Luft III to fulfil his destiny of becoming one of the ‘Great Escapers’.  Bernard was known as ‘Pop’ this probably referred to his age, being one of the older prisoners, or it could have derived from when he was Pilot Officer on Probation.  At Stalag Luft III, his role in the building of ‘Tunnel Harry’ was to be a ‘Penguin’.

He carried special pouches down his trouser legs, and walked around the compound dispersing earth that had been removed from the tunnel.

His escape on that cold winter’s night in March 1944 was short lived, he gathered with twelve other prisoners, all dressed as Czech workmen. They made their way to a railway station south of Sagan, boarded a train for about fifty miles, before alighting near Hirschberg.  As he approached a village he was forced to walk straight through the centre, because the surrounding fields were covered in deep snow, so he couldn’t bypass the village. He was captured by a German soldier and returned to Stalag Luft III, where he spent 14 days in the cooler.

 Of the original seventy-six to escape, three managed to make ‘home runs’, one landed in England, two managed to seek refuge in Sweden.  On Hitler’s orders fifty of the escapees were executed, they were chosen from different nationalities to send a chilling message back to the camps.

By 1945 the Germans started to evacuate the POW camps in the East, as the Soviet Army advanced.  Bernard and the fellow inmates were forced marched, half starving and inadequately dressed in atrocious winter conditions, with heavy snowfalls and sub-zero temperatures, back into Germany.  Many suffered from exhaustion and exposure to the weather, and were shot by their captors where they fell.

 They were finally liberated from a camp, on the 2^nd May 1945 near Lübeck, by the 11^th Armoured Division British Army.  On the 7^th January 1947 Bernard was Mentioned in Despatches for his part in the Great Escape.

After the war Bernard remarried following the death of his first wife and ran a taxi business in Chichester.  In 1963 he attended the Premiere of ‘The Great Escape’ at the Odeon Leicester Square, to benefit the Royal Air Force Association and the RAF Escaping Society.

Bernard died on the 2^nd November 1971 aged 83 years old.

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At the very end of the path that leads to the Memorial Walls, on the left hand side, there is a large Stone dedicated to all the Australian Air Force members who served in Bomber Command during WW2. Australian aircrew were trained in Australia, Canada and Rhodesia under the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS), before they arrived in the UK to serve in Bomber Command. The first ground instruction and flying schools opened in Australia in 1940 and by March 1941 the graduates were joining the UK based Squadrons.

Approximately 10,000 Royal Australian Air Force personnel served with Bomber Command and 3,486 were killed, 650 died in training accidents and 1500 became Prisoners of War. Many served on the eight RAAF Bomber Command Squadrons, namely 455, 458, 460, 462, 463, 464, 466 and 467 Squadron.

The first two Australian Squadrons formed were No 455 Sqn in June and No 458 Sqn in September 1941. By the end of 1941 both were flying regular missions against Germany. Although the Australian Government wanted to consolidate their airmen into RAAF units, there was never an Australian Bomber Command Group, compared to the likes of No 6 (Canadian) Group. Even the Australian Squadrons often had a small number of Australians on them, as the men tended to form into crews at the Operational Training Units, without regard for nationality, and didn’t wish to be broken up when they eventually arrived on the Squadrons. Some Commanders favored mixed nationality crews, so we find many Australians serving in various Squadrons throughout Bomber Command.

The arrival of No 460 Sqn RAAF to RAF Binbrook in spring 1943, caused quite a stir. The Squadron was transferring from RAF Breighton and the groundcrew were given the options of traveling by train or being transported in Horsa gilders, over 800 of them chose to travel by Horsa. Their different uniforms and accents also caused problems, with one local schoolboy running home to his parents and declaring the Germans had arrived! During the next two years of the war, 460 Sqn suffered some of the highest casualty rates in Bomber Command.

Depicted on the Stone is the badge of the Royal Australian Air Force and the Australian War Memorial which is in Campbell, a suburb in the  capital Canberra. This Memorial was unveiled on the 11^th November 1941 and holds the Rolls of Honour which commemorates over 102,000 members of the Australian Armed Forces who have died during War Service, and since 1945, those killed in Wars and certain Peacetime Operations. The Tomb of the Australian Unknown Soldier is located here, along with an extensive National Military Museum.

Towards the bottom of the Stone, we have an inscription from a letter written by Fg Off Colin Kelvin Flockhart who served on No 619 Sqn. Colin was born on the 1^st February 1924 in Ashfield NSW. He attended school in Sydney, completed his accountancy studies before gaining employment with the Commonwealth Bank. When old enough he joined the RAAF and qualified as a pilot in 1942. After completing his flying course, he was sent to Canada for further training before arriving in England.  He converted onto the Lancaster and was posted to No 619 Sqn based at RAF Strubby here in Lincolnshire. On the 1^st December 1944 Colin wrote a three page letter to his parents to be delivered in the event of his death. He described how he was happy in the RAAF, his belief in what he was doing, his faith in God and his appreciation of his family.

I have been very proud to wear my uniform, keep smiling although your hearts are breaking.

These words were extracts from his letter home, a letter that would soon be delivered to his parents in Earlwood NSW. On the 7^th January 1945 Flockhart and his crew were detailed to take part on a raid on München. Flying in Lancaster ND957 PG-M, they were returning from the target in bad weather and reduced visibility, when their aircraft disintegrated over St Pierre in France. It is thought a possibly collision occurred with a 49 Sqn Lancaster PB586, also returning from München. That accident caused the death of three Australians, FS Eric Smith from Sydney was Colin’s Wireless Op on ND957, and WO Frederick Miller from Canberra was the Wireless Op on the 49 Sqn aircraft. Those on board both aircraft were laid to rest in Villeneuve St Georges Old Communal Cemetery 18 Km South East of Paris. Fg Off Colin Flockhart was just 20 years old at the time of his death.

It wasn’t just the aircrew who made the ultimate sacrifice, Sgt Laurence Parker was born in Bundaberg, Queensland. He served as groundcrew on No 467 Sqn based at RAF Waddington. Most aircraft had nose art which depicted how many raids an aircraft and crew had completed. The nose art was normally a bomb, but Sgt Parker suggested using beer mugs to record the event, and painted these onto the aircraft he serviced. On the 4^th December 1943 Laurence was killed when a Lancaster JB140 crashed on takeoff after two engines failed.  The aircraft swung violently, leaving the runway before the pilot managed to get it under semi control. Unfortunately, it hit a parked No 61 Sqn Lancaster before crashing into Sgt Parker and a Sgt Hobba. Ironically Laurence was killed by an aircraft he serviced himself, whilst Sgt Hobba survived with slight injuries. The following day FS Cecil Frizzell the Air Gunner on JB140, who hailed from Queensland, succumbed to his injuries.

The bravery, gallantry and sacrifices of all those who served in the RAAF in Bomber Command during the war is reflected in the medals awarded to Australian personnel. 2 Victoria Crosses, 62 Distinguished Service Orders, 1 Military Cross, 1609 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 3 Air Force Crosses, 1 Distinguished Conduct Medal, 6 Conspicuous Gallantry Medals, 1 Military Medal, 297 Distinguished Flying Medals and 3 Air Forces Medals.

Sgt E A Hall (462) –  10 Squadron

One of the pleasures of being a Volunteer Tour Guide at the IBCC is the chance to meet and chat with veterans or their relatives. One day whilst guiding I got chatting with David Hall and his twin sister Carol who were visiting the Centre. As we walked up the Ribbons Of Remembrance they stopped to show me a Stone they had laid in memory of their father, a father they hardly got to know, they were just 15 months old when he was killed in Norway.

Tirpitz was the second of the Bismarck Class Battleships built for the German Navy. Named after Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz it was armed with a battery of eight (15 inch) guns, housed in four twin turrets. In early 1942, the Tirpitz sailed to Norway acting as a deterrent against an Allied invasion. Whilst stationed in Norway, the ship was intended to be used to intercept the Arctic Convoys heading to Russia. Tirpitz was Churchill’s nemesis, it was a formidable ship and it would take a formidable effort to destroy it.

In between October 1940 and November 1944, 26 Operations were mounted to destroy Tirpitz.  During ‘Operation Title’ they used two Chariot Manned Torpedoes, but mechanical failure stopped the attempt, whilst in ‘Operation Source’ four Midget Submarines were deployed, which did manage to cause extensive damage. Finally on the 12^th November 1944, Operation Catechism saw 32 Lancasters attack the ship at Tromsø,  eventually causing it to capsize after three direct hits.

On the 30^th March 1942 No 4 Group mounted an attack on Tirpitz using Halifax aircraft picked from 10 Sqn, 35 Sqn and 76 Sqn, operating at forward bases at Lossiemouth, Kinloss and Tain in Scotland. The raid consisted of 12 aircraft each from 76 Sqn and 35 Sqn, with 10 aircraft getting airborne from 10 Sqn. The total distance to the target and return to base would be 1300 miles with a flight time of 8 hrs 30 mins, the raid was planned in two phases with 76 Sqn dropping 4000 lb HC bombs. Phase 2 would see 10 Sqn and 35 Sqn flying into Faettenfjord at 600 feet carrying Mines and Incendiaries. On reaching the Norwegian coast the weather was clear with bright moonlight, but on arriving in the Trondheim area sea fog and 10/10 cloud were obscuring the target.  Tirpitz was moored next to a cliff making an air attack more difficult, cut down trees were laid over the deck as camouflage, and if need be, Tirpitz could create clouds of artificial fog by mixing water with chlorosulfuric acid. Many of the aircraft had to jettison their bombs on searchlight and flax batteries, and because of the sea fog and haze, it was difficult to make any damage assessments.

In nearby Hemnefjord the local people could hear aircraft en route to and from Faettenfjord. A young man witnessed an aircraft flying erratically and descending, as it passed over a small island called Sørfuglan there was an explosion onboard and the aircraft crashed. It is possible the aircraft was hit by German Anti Aircraft guns at nearby Hemnskjel.

The following morning people found debris and dead fish around the fjord carried by the currents, this could be from W1043 ZA-F, although nearby another Halifax from 10 Sqn had also crashed, that was W1044 ZA-D.

Four days after the crash of W1043, the body of the Sqn Ldr Frederick Webster was washed up near the Lighthouse at Terningen. No remains of the other six crew were ever found. On the 8^th April 1942 Sqn Ldr Webster was buried at Trondheim Stavne Cemetery along with four airmen from 35 Sqn, who had perished when their two Halifax aircraft were shot down. Three bodies were recovered from the crash of W1044 and initially buried in a local cemetery at Heim before being moved to Trondheim Stavne Cemetery after the war.

In 2005 David Hall travelled to Norway to visit the crash site where his father perished. He was accompanied by Wynne Hines the sister of the Air Gunner Plt Off Sam Leney, who was 22 years old at the time of his death. During the visit they went out by boat to the spot between Sørfuglan and Jamtøya where it is believed Halifax W1043 came down. David placed a wreath in the water as they paid their respects to the airmen who lost their lives that day. A dram of whisky was also poured into the fjord. At last David and Wynne had the chance to say goodbye to their loved ones.  Whilst in Norway they also went to Stavne Cemetery to visit the grave of Sqn Ldr Webster, the only crew member recovered from the crash. The remaining crew are honoured on the Runnymede Memorial for all those airmen who have no known grave.

Six of the thirty-four aircraft that took off failed to return.

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From 10 Squadron:
W1043 flown by Sqn Ldr Webster and W1044 flown by Plt Off Blunden.

Crew Of W1043 ZA-F

Sqn Ldr Frederick David Webster DFC Age 29 Pilot

Sgt Eric Archibald Hall Age 30 Pilot

Flt Lt Audrey Charles Stevens-Fox Observer

Plt Off Samuel Robert Leney Age 22 Air Gunner

FS Harold Sydney Wheatley Age 24 Flight Engineer

Sgt Walter Hall Age 27 Air Gunner

Sgt Arnold Hague WOp/AG 

From 35 Squadron:

R9438 flown by FS Bushby, this aircraft had made it back over the North Sea almost to Shetland from the Tirpitz, but crashed in to cliffs at Fitful Head on Shetland killing all the crew.

R9496 flown by FS Archibald and W1015 flown by FS Steinhauer both crashed in Norway.

76 Squadron:

R9453 flown by Sqn Ldr Burnett was last heard from en route back to base passing over Sumburgh and are believed to have ditched in the sea somewhere off Sumburgh Head.

Despite the best efforts of the Halifax force, little or no effective damage had been inflicted on Tirpitz during the 30^th March 1942 attack.

Sgt Eric Archibald Hall

Lancaster PD268 SR-O

 On the 7^th March 1945 at 1708hrs, Lancaster PD268 of 101 Squadron lifted off from RAF Ludford Magna in the Lincolnshire Wolds. A total of 23 Lancasters would depart Ludford Magna that evening to support the raid. The target was the Junker’s Aircraft Factory at Dessau and they were part of a large bomber stream consisting of 526 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitoes. 18 Lancasters, which was 3.4 Percent of the force failed to return, including the crew of PD268. They were the only crew not to return safely to Ludford Magna in the early hours of the following morning, nothing was heard from them after taking off.

At the controls that evening was Sqn Ldr Montgomery Gibbon AFC and next to him, was WO Ivor Bond the Flight Engineer.  He would be assisting the pilot with fuel calculations, monitoring the engines and hydraulic pressures, and ready to carry out immediate action drills in the case of engine failure or fires. Down in the nose of the aircraft, Sgt William Canning the Bomb Aimer, would be busying himself checking his switch selections and bomb-sight, ready to direct the pilot onto the target as they approached Dessau.

Meanwhile the Navigator Fg Off Roy Gawthorp would be updating their track towards the target with the latest winds which he received from the Wireless Operator Sgt Leslie Tyrrell. All the time the Air Gunners Sgt Alfred Matthews and Sgt Charles Preston would be scanning the horizon for German Nightfighters trying to infiltrate the Bomber Stream. Seven would be the normal complement of a Lancaster, but this was an ABC Lancaster, also known by the codeword ‘Airborne Cigar’, so this carried an extra crew member.

Huddled over the glow coming from a Cathode Ray Tube was Plt Off Rudolph Mahr a Canadian from Winnipeg. Rudolph or ‘Rudy’, was a Russian Jew born in 1926, his Russian father was John and Anna his mother was from Germany. They left Russia and travelled to Canada arriving by ship in 1936 and took Canadian Citizenship. As the war progressed Rudolph wanted to prove what honourable Canadians they had become, so signed up with Royal Canadian Air Force and trained as an Air Gunner.

When 101 Squadron was earmarked as the ABC Squadron in 1943 a call went out for volunteers who spoke or understood German, Rudolph volunteered for the as of yet undisclosed role, that he would play on the Squadron.  His job on the Lancaster was the Special Duty Operator, the eighth man. The SD Operators came from all walks of life, some were German Jews like Hans Heinz Schwarz or George Kesten, who were born in Berlin, but fled their homeland and served in the RAF. Others were aircrew who had learnt some German at school, and volunteered for this new role. They all had to learn the codewords that the ground controllers would use with the Nightfighter pilots, as an example ‘Kapelle’ which meant Target Altitude.

So as Rudolph stared at his Cathode Ray Tube he was looking for a blip that would indicate a transmission. He would stop his receiver on the signal and listen to confirm it was a Luftwaffe ground to air frequency. Once confirmed he would activate one of three 50 Watt transmitters, bring it over the frequency and block the signal, thereby preventing the Luftwaffe ground controllers from communicating with their Nightfighters.  Often engine noise picked up by a microphone in one of the engines, would be played out as the jamming signal. The outside of the ABC Lancaster was dominated by three large aerials, two on the top of the fuselage, and one under the nose, these highlighted the specialist role of the aircraft. But the crew of PD268 were not alone, other Lancasters from 101 Squadron would also be dispersed in the Bomber Stream at 10 mile intervals, all using their jammers to mask the Luftwaffe air comms. So as the Bomber stream progressed the jamming umbrella would move along trying to protect the raid.

The ABC Lancaster not only provided a jamming capability, they were part of the raid plan, carrying a bomb load themselves. The load would be reduced because of the extra weight of the specialised equipment and the extra operator carried in the fuselage. In the case of PD268 the bombs would never reach the target, the importance of the activities of 101 Sqn was not lost on the Luftwaffe, which made every effort to locate and destroy the modified Lancasters.  A Nightfighter, the very thing they were trying to protect the stream from, managed to intercept them and attack the aircraft with cannon.  No wreckage or crew were found and it was assumed the aircraft had come down in the sea. The only place relatives could pay their respects was the Runnymede Memorial, which commemorates over 20,000 air force men and women, who lost their lives and have no known grave.

Horst Klötzer was a local historian and archaeologist who documented the crash sites of warplanes in the Westphalia district of Germany. In 2013 he followed up on reports of a crash site in a forest near the city of Hagen, and a survey of the site found widely scattered remains of an aircraft, some of these parts were very tiny, often less than two centimetres wide. Further excavation revealed some British coins, a compass pendant, part of a landing gear strut and various metal pieces with identification marks on them. There was also reports from local people who remembered the crash took place on the 7^th March 1945 and that a body from the crash had been buried in an unmarked grave in the local cemetery. After painstaking investigation the final resting place of PD268 had been discovered. The cemetery had no records to support the burial of the airman and no further action by the authorities has taken place.

Horst Klötzer and his team used social media to try and find surviving relatives of the crew. In 2015 Ernest Mahr, the brother of Rudy, flew to Paris with his wife, hired a car and drove the 560 kilometres to the crash site at Hagen.  Ernest could finally pay his respects to his elder brother, who was just nineteen years old at the time of his death.

Plt Officer Rudolf “Rudy” Mahr RCAF Special Duties Operator

101 Sqn part of No1 Group had some of the largest losses in Bomber Command during WW2. Because of their specialist role not only did they fly missions with No1 Group, they also had to fly in support of other Groups.  Hence there was very little respite for the men of 101 Sqn. In total 1094 men were Killed In Action and 178 were taken Prisoners Of War.

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Nimrod XV230

Gareth Rodney Nicholas was the second son born 4^th January 1966, the 5^th child for his parents, Rodney, and Jean Nicholas. He was born in Redruth, Cornwall and brought up in the nearby town of Newquay. Gareth had three surviving elder sisters Ginny, Kath, and Angela.

Gareth was a talented artist and had the chance to study art at university but chose to join the R.A.F. as direct entrant aircrew, possibly influenced by all three sisters being married to aircrew at that time and having been in the Air Cadets gaining flight experience flying in Nimrod aircraft. He qualified as Sergeant Aircrew AEOp (Air Electronics Operator (Wet (sonics)) in 1985. He served with 42 Sqn at R.A.F. St. Mawgan which was located close to his home town of Newquay and also served on 206 Sqn at R.A.F. Kinloss, Morayshire, Scotland.

Gareth was commissioned in 2000 as an Air Electronics Officer (AEO) and attained the rank of Flight Lieutenant. He was serving with 120 Sqn crew 3 at R.A.F. Kinloss in Morayshire when the crew were deployed to Afghanistan in the summer of 2006. Whilst the aircraft was being refuelled mid-air on 2^nd September, a fire broke out indicating it was in the bomb bay. The crew carried out the drill as per the book to fight the fire. As AEO Gareth co-ordinated the drill and his voice was the last to be heard on the recording of the intercom. The fire was close to the bomb bay but in a position where there was no fire suppressant. This location was next to a fuel tank which then got so hot that it exploded and blew up the aircraft. There were 14 crew on board and all were killed instantly; the biggest single incident of loss of life in Afghanistan.

Gareth left behind his wife Helen and 10 year old daughter Athena. His name is on a wall at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. Plaques are on the Newquay War Memorial and on a foot bridge from the mainland to Porth Island; he played there with his family as a child and visited often as a husband and father. The station of R.A.F. St. Mawgan honoured Flt. Lt. Nicholas by naming a street after him.

Gareth’s stone is Block 5 Column 14 Row 3 and his niece Zoe’s is located Block 5 Column 7 Row 4.

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Words and photographs courtesy of Helen Nicholas, widow and Jeff Bayne, brother in law.