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I have a personal reason for relating this event, but first I wish to outline the raid itself.
In the early morning of the 22nd June 1943 the RAF undertook another bombing raid over Germany, this time the target was to be Krefeld.
The information below is taken from RAF Report AIR 14/3441
Plan of Attack.
The aircraft came for various RAF Bomber Command Groups:
1 Gp – 119 Lancaster's & 37 Wellington's.
3 Gp – 99 Stirling's & 11 Lancaster's.
4 Gp – 132 Halifax & 40 Wellingtons.
5 Gp – 92 Lancaster's.
6 Gp – 44 Halifax's & 22 Wellingtons. (Royal Canadian Air Force Bomber Group)
8 (Pathfinder) Gp – 12 Mosquitoes, 19 Stirling's, 33 Halifax's & 49 Lancasters.
Zero hour was 01:30 hours and with the period of the raid to be 01:27 to 02:20 hours. The weather at the RAF bases was listed as light cloud between 2 - 3,000 feet and good visibility. Weather over the target was reported as being; 4-6/10ths thin patches of cloud, topping at 8-10,000 feet with occasional patches at 8/10ths thin cloud through which markers could be seen plainly. Visibility, moderate to good, with a slight ground haze.
Between 01:27 and 02:19 hours 10 Oboe* Mosquitoes were to mark the aiming point for the raid with red Target Indicates (TI's). To guard against failure of the Mosquitoes, two further waves of the aircraft, 18 a t01:30 and 13 at 01:57 hours were detailed to drop yellow TI's blindly on H2S** if no red TI's were seen on arrival. Between 01:32 and 02:18 hours, 37 “back-ups” were to drop green TI's at the red if seen,but otherwise at the estimated centre of the concentration of yellow TI's. If neither red or yellow TI's were seen, green TI's were to be aimed at the established centre of the existing pattern of green. All TI's dropped after 01:45 hours were to cascade from 10,000 feet, before this time all were to be dropped from 3,000 feet.
The routes for the raid were to be:
8 Gp – Aldeburgh – TARGET – turn left – Noordwijk –Happisburgh.
1 Gp – Southwold – TARGET – turn left – Noordwijk –Mablethorpe.
3 Gp – Aldeburgh – TARGET – turn left – Noordwijk –Southwold.
4 Gp – Southwold – TARGET – turn left – Noordwijk –Southwold.
5 Gp – Routes passed verbally, unknown to author.
6 Gp – Base – TARGET – turn left – Noordwijk - Base
The Attack
9 out of the 10 Oboe Mosquitoes detailed to mark the target dropped their red TI's accurately but at irregular intervals. The use of the “back-up” marking aircraft was excellent and a concentrated attack was delivered on the centre of Krefeld. Although there was a tendency for the attack to drift backwards along the line of approach, night photography indicated that about 75% of the force bombed within 3 miles of the aiming point. Eleven identified factories and 12 other small industrial areas were destroyed or severely damaged. The gas works was damaged along with 2 gas holders damaged by fire. However, the greatest damaged was to business and residential property, including many public buildings.
Enemy Defences.
Flak and Searchlights
Ground defences at Krefeld consisted of moderate heavy flak and very little light flak. Predicted heavy flak decreased in intensity as the attack proceeded and in the later stages some barrage fire was reported. Only a smaller number of searchlights exposed and these operated to the North and South of the target. They were hampered by smoke and moonlight and gave little assistance to the flak. En route, heavy flak was reported over Eindhoven, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Utrecht and Leyden and also from the Dutch Islands and a ship off Noordwijk, and some intense light flak was reported from Katwijk. In all 28 aircraft were damaged by flak, two being totally destroyed and five other seriously damaged.
Fighters
Intercepted enemy wireless traffic disclosed 12 enemy patrols. It was estimated from reports of returning aircrew that 8 aircraft were shot down by flak and 30 by fighters. Of the aircraft lost, one was seen to crash near the Dutch Island, the cause being unknown.
Official recored RAF Losses Were:
1 Gp
1 Lancaster - 460 Sqn
1 Lancaster - 101 Sqn
1 Lancaster - 100 Sqn
2 Wellingtons - 305 Sqn
1 Wellington - 300 Sqn
1 Wellington - 166 Sqn
3 Gp
2 Stirling - 218 Sqn
1 Stirling - 149 Sqn
1 Stirling - 90 Sqn
1 Stirling - 15 Sqn
4 Gp
1 Halifax - 158 Sqn***
3 Halifax - 77 Sqn
1 Halifax - 51 Sqn
1 Wellington - 431 Sqn
5 Gp
1 Lancaster - 619 Sqn
1 Lancaster - 57 Sqn
1 Lancaster - 44 Sqn
6 Gp
4 Wellingtons- 429 Sqn
1 Wellington - 419 Sqn
3 Wellingtons - 408 Sqn
8 Gp
1 Halifax - 405 Sqn
1 Lancaster - 156 Sqn
2 Lancasters - 83 Sqn
6 Halifaxs - 35 Sqn
4 Stirlings - 7 Sqn
*Oboe was a sophisticated set of electronic equipment that could receive radio signals from transmitters in England. The difference in the pulse times etc could be worked out by the receiver and give an exact location over the enemy target. When this information was computed the bomb aimer was given a signal exactly when to drop his marker or bomb load.
**H2S was the first airborne ground scanning radar system and on 30[SUP]th[/SUP]January 1943 it was used by the RAF bombers for navigation for thefirst time, so became the first ground mapping radar to used incombat. At first fitted to Stirling and Halifax bombers.
***This aircraft crashed at Skellingthorpe near Lincoln soon after takeoff. It was reported that the aircraft dived vertically into theground from 6,000 feet, all the crew were killed.
The reason why I have posted this is that a number of years ago I was given, by my wife, the Flying Log Book of grandfather, Sergeant John Atkinson. He was a crew member of the only Stirling bomber that was lost from 149 Squadron on the raid of the 22th June. The aircraft was reported as crashing at 02:39 hours into the Ijsselmeer off Makkum, The Netherlands.
He was 28 years old when we died, one of the oldest members of the crew who's average age was just 23 years. John had been posted to 149 Squadron from 1657 Conversion Unit on the 18th April 1943 and took up his duties as a Flight Engineer. We was to undertake only 9 operational sorties before his death and had only been on the Squadron for 66 days.
There is one entry in his log that has and I think will always stick in my mind, it is on the 25th May 43 on a sortie over Dusseldorf which he states “Both wing bomb doors hand wound down and up at 16,500 ft”
In all he completed just over 63 daylight flying hours and 75 nighttime hours.
The crew on that last flight were:
Sergeant James Lowrie, 148179, Pilot, RAFVR aged 21. James commission to Pilot Officer had come through, but never got to wear it.
Sergeant John Atkinson, 1017417, Flight Engineer, RAFVR aged 29.
Flying Officer Donald Harrison Lyne, 125540, Navigator, RAFVR aged 23.
Sergeant Alexander Coull, 1559064, Bomb Aimer, RAFVR aged 19.
Sergeant Donald Charles Holmes Fudge, 1312340, Wireless Operator / Air Gunner, RAFVR aged 22.
Sergeant Ernest Claude Waite, 1279016, Mid Upper Gunner, RAFVR aged 21.
Sergeant Ernest Graham Hird, 1319154, Rear Gunner, RAFVR aged 29.
The morning after the crash local people collected the remains of the crew and they were buried in mass grave, except for two gunners Sgts Hird and Waite, they were buried separately. Later the Germans salvaged most of the wreck.
The crew is now buried at the Wonseradeel (Makkum) Protestant Churchyard, The Netherlands.
Further research reviled that BK799 was shot down by Oblt Ernst Drunkler of 12./NJG1. He recorded the combat at 5,000 mtrs and claimed the aircraft came down about 2 kms west of Makkum. He lived through the war and was credited with 47 “kills” of which 45 were night attacks.
As an Ex-member of the RAF, I feel honoured to have this Flying Log, it gave me an insight into the life of bomber aircrew and just showed how short their life could be. Also, it gave me the chance to undertake research for my wife and give her information about her grandfather whosee never knew.
Mick Gladwin 29th May 2013
In the early morning of the 22nd June 1943 the RAF undertook another bombing raid over Germany, this time the target was to be Krefeld.
The information below is taken from RAF Report AIR 14/3441
Plan of Attack.
The aircraft came for various RAF Bomber Command Groups:
1 Gp – 119 Lancaster's & 37 Wellington's.
3 Gp – 99 Stirling's & 11 Lancaster's.
4 Gp – 132 Halifax & 40 Wellingtons.
5 Gp – 92 Lancaster's.
6 Gp – 44 Halifax's & 22 Wellingtons. (Royal Canadian Air Force Bomber Group)
8 (Pathfinder) Gp – 12 Mosquitoes, 19 Stirling's, 33 Halifax's & 49 Lancasters.
Zero hour was 01:30 hours and with the period of the raid to be 01:27 to 02:20 hours. The weather at the RAF bases was listed as light cloud between 2 - 3,000 feet and good visibility. Weather over the target was reported as being; 4-6/10ths thin patches of cloud, topping at 8-10,000 feet with occasional patches at 8/10ths thin cloud through which markers could be seen plainly. Visibility, moderate to good, with a slight ground haze.
Between 01:27 and 02:19 hours 10 Oboe* Mosquitoes were to mark the aiming point for the raid with red Target Indicates (TI's). To guard against failure of the Mosquitoes, two further waves of the aircraft, 18 a t01:30 and 13 at 01:57 hours were detailed to drop yellow TI's blindly on H2S** if no red TI's were seen on arrival. Between 01:32 and 02:18 hours, 37 “back-ups” were to drop green TI's at the red if seen,but otherwise at the estimated centre of the concentration of yellow TI's. If neither red or yellow TI's were seen, green TI's were to be aimed at the established centre of the existing pattern of green. All TI's dropped after 01:45 hours were to cascade from 10,000 feet, before this time all were to be dropped from 3,000 feet.
The routes for the raid were to be:
8 Gp – Aldeburgh – TARGET – turn left – Noordwijk –Happisburgh.
1 Gp – Southwold – TARGET – turn left – Noordwijk –Mablethorpe.
3 Gp – Aldeburgh – TARGET – turn left – Noordwijk –Southwold.
4 Gp – Southwold – TARGET – turn left – Noordwijk –Southwold.
5 Gp – Routes passed verbally, unknown to author.
6 Gp – Base – TARGET – turn left – Noordwijk - Base
The Attack
9 out of the 10 Oboe Mosquitoes detailed to mark the target dropped their red TI's accurately but at irregular intervals. The use of the “back-up” marking aircraft was excellent and a concentrated attack was delivered on the centre of Krefeld. Although there was a tendency for the attack to drift backwards along the line of approach, night photography indicated that about 75% of the force bombed within 3 miles of the aiming point. Eleven identified factories and 12 other small industrial areas were destroyed or severely damaged. The gas works was damaged along with 2 gas holders damaged by fire. However, the greatest damaged was to business and residential property, including many public buildings.
Enemy Defences.
Flak and Searchlights
Ground defences at Krefeld consisted of moderate heavy flak and very little light flak. Predicted heavy flak decreased in intensity as the attack proceeded and in the later stages some barrage fire was reported. Only a smaller number of searchlights exposed and these operated to the North and South of the target. They were hampered by smoke and moonlight and gave little assistance to the flak. En route, heavy flak was reported over Eindhoven, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Utrecht and Leyden and also from the Dutch Islands and a ship off Noordwijk, and some intense light flak was reported from Katwijk. In all 28 aircraft were damaged by flak, two being totally destroyed and five other seriously damaged.
Fighters
Intercepted enemy wireless traffic disclosed 12 enemy patrols. It was estimated from reports of returning aircrew that 8 aircraft were shot down by flak and 30 by fighters. Of the aircraft lost, one was seen to crash near the Dutch Island, the cause being unknown.
Official recored RAF Losses Were:
1 Gp
1 Lancaster - 460 Sqn
1 Lancaster - 101 Sqn
1 Lancaster - 100 Sqn
2 Wellingtons - 305 Sqn
1 Wellington - 300 Sqn
1 Wellington - 166 Sqn
3 Gp
2 Stirling - 218 Sqn
1 Stirling - 149 Sqn
1 Stirling - 90 Sqn
1 Stirling - 15 Sqn
4 Gp
1 Halifax - 158 Sqn***
3 Halifax - 77 Sqn
1 Halifax - 51 Sqn
1 Wellington - 431 Sqn
5 Gp
1 Lancaster - 619 Sqn
1 Lancaster - 57 Sqn
1 Lancaster - 44 Sqn
6 Gp
4 Wellingtons- 429 Sqn
1 Wellington - 419 Sqn
3 Wellingtons - 408 Sqn
8 Gp
1 Halifax - 405 Sqn
1 Lancaster - 156 Sqn
2 Lancasters - 83 Sqn
6 Halifaxs - 35 Sqn
4 Stirlings - 7 Sqn
*Oboe was a sophisticated set of electronic equipment that could receive radio signals from transmitters in England. The difference in the pulse times etc could be worked out by the receiver and give an exact location over the enemy target. When this information was computed the bomb aimer was given a signal exactly when to drop his marker or bomb load.
**H2S was the first airborne ground scanning radar system and on 30[SUP]th[/SUP]January 1943 it was used by the RAF bombers for navigation for thefirst time, so became the first ground mapping radar to used incombat. At first fitted to Stirling and Halifax bombers.
***This aircraft crashed at Skellingthorpe near Lincoln soon after takeoff. It was reported that the aircraft dived vertically into theground from 6,000 feet, all the crew were killed.
The reason why I have posted this is that a number of years ago I was given, by my wife, the Flying Log Book of grandfather, Sergeant John Atkinson. He was a crew member of the only Stirling bomber that was lost from 149 Squadron on the raid of the 22th June. The aircraft was reported as crashing at 02:39 hours into the Ijsselmeer off Makkum, The Netherlands.
He was 28 years old when we died, one of the oldest members of the crew who's average age was just 23 years. John had been posted to 149 Squadron from 1657 Conversion Unit on the 18th April 1943 and took up his duties as a Flight Engineer. We was to undertake only 9 operational sorties before his death and had only been on the Squadron for 66 days.
There is one entry in his log that has and I think will always stick in my mind, it is on the 25th May 43 on a sortie over Dusseldorf which he states “Both wing bomb doors hand wound down and up at 16,500 ft”
In all he completed just over 63 daylight flying hours and 75 nighttime hours.
The crew on that last flight were:
Sergeant James Lowrie, 148179, Pilot, RAFVR aged 21. James commission to Pilot Officer had come through, but never got to wear it.
Sergeant John Atkinson, 1017417, Flight Engineer, RAFVR aged 29.
Flying Officer Donald Harrison Lyne, 125540, Navigator, RAFVR aged 23.
Sergeant Alexander Coull, 1559064, Bomb Aimer, RAFVR aged 19.
Sergeant Donald Charles Holmes Fudge, 1312340, Wireless Operator / Air Gunner, RAFVR aged 22.
Sergeant Ernest Claude Waite, 1279016, Mid Upper Gunner, RAFVR aged 21.
Sergeant Ernest Graham Hird, 1319154, Rear Gunner, RAFVR aged 29.
The morning after the crash local people collected the remains of the crew and they were buried in mass grave, except for two gunners Sgts Hird and Waite, they were buried separately. Later the Germans salvaged most of the wreck.
The crew is now buried at the Wonseradeel (Makkum) Protestant Churchyard, The Netherlands.
Further research reviled that BK799 was shot down by Oblt Ernst Drunkler of 12./NJG1. He recorded the combat at 5,000 mtrs and claimed the aircraft came down about 2 kms west of Makkum. He lived through the war and was credited with 47 “kills” of which 45 were night attacks.
As an Ex-member of the RAF, I feel honoured to have this Flying Log, it gave me an insight into the life of bomber aircrew and just showed how short their life could be. Also, it gave me the chance to undertake research for my wife and give her information about her grandfather whosee never knew.
Mick Gladwin 29th May 2013
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