Panel 133 - Runnymede Memorial - CWGC ref. Panel 152 - Runnymede Memorial - CWGC ref. Walter Douglas Hall - RAFVR - Age: 23 - Wimbledon, Surry, UK Grave 452 - Ruinerwold General Cemetery - CWGC ref. Navigator - Andrew Colbourne - RAFVR - Age: 20 - Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, UK Grave 450 - Ruinerwold General Cemetery - CWGC ref. R/145968 - W/O Class II - Air Bomber - Robert Edward Roos - RCAF - Age: 20 - Mount Forest, ON, CAN Grave 449 - Ruinerwold General Cemetery - CWGC ref. Pilot - Paul Brian Green - RAFVR - Age: 22 - Dunstonon-Tyne, Co. Sgt T G F Kingham RAFVR (Bomb Aimer) - POWį/Sgt D C Grant RAAF (Air Gunner) - Killed, never recovered, commemorated on Panel 192 at Runnymedeĭavid's regular aircraft was Halifax JD314 Z-AX which, sadly, went down over Holland just a week later on 29th Dec 1943 with the loss of all hands. Sgt J M H Rochecouste RAFVR (Air Gunner) - killed, buried in the Rheinberg War Cemetery Sgt T Paling RAFVR (Wireless Operator) - Killed, never recovered, commemorated on Panel 161 at Runnymede Sgt A Hayes RAFVR (Flight Engineer) - POW Sgt W Borthwick RAFVR (Pilot) - Killed, never recovered, commemorated on Panel 143 at Runnymede He was filling in for the regular tail gunner on HX186 and the crew mmebers were: All crew members except for two were lost and my uncle was one of the ones whose remains were never located. I had contact with this page many years ago when researching my late Uncle David Charles Grant (tail gunner RAAF serving with the RAF) who was shot down over Germany on 20/ on Halifax HX186. i have a picture of harry but none of the crew, would love to see a picture of the crew/aircraft Hello just responding to this old message Harry Chadwick was my grandmothers brother. Perhaps the other researchers here can add to this, please bounce back with any further info you have and we can help fill in more info for you. Preston, Thomas Baxter - father/mother John + Margaret of Edinburgh Hopkin-Hill, James no address - Squadron leaderĭouglas, Philip Hulme - wife was Agnes Davis Douglas of Edinburgh With regard to your fathers crew and their relatives I found the following: This must be part of the story of the loss of JP167 and her crew. It should be pointed out that after mid-1943 the Uboat crews were told by their command to shoot it out with the Allied submarine partol aircraft and not to dive underwater when the aircraft attacked. I will look further on his missing Halifax. In my record sources I find at least five 58 Squadron Halifaxes that were shot down by U Boat crews so this was dangerous duty.īUT none of these Halifaxes that were recorded as shot down by the Uboats fit the date and time of the patrol of your fathers Halifax. RAF 58 Squadron was used for anti-submarine duties to hunt down U-boats. Not probably what you want to hear, but it is part of the 'general facts' of air warfare.ĭear Christine, I have just checked my sources and found out your father was on a Coastal Command Halifax and not a Bomber Command Halifax. Remember it would only take one shot from a machine gun into a fuel tank, to create a fire, and that fire would have spread rapidly, and then if able, the crew's whole time would be taken up in trying to save the aircraft, not sending messages. The average engagement was perhaps 2 or 3 minutes at most, in the case I researched the Halifax was intercepted by a Nightfighter at 22:49, Berlin time and was recorded as destroyed at 22:52! Messages: they simply never had time to get one off, even if they were able to. Most reports of shoot downs refer to the aircraft blowing up, or becoming a 'ball of fire'.ģ. Probable reason: there was little or no armour plate on the aircraft, (too heavy).Ģ Crew reports: these aircraft were unlike those you are probably familiar with! Dark, cramped, smelling of oil, and fuel. During my own research into a family member, I noticed that many Halifax's 'went down' without sending a message, and very few crew members managed to bail out. "Do you think that my fathers plane would have been blown apart in the sky or they would have been on fire and knew they were going to die if so wouldn't they have got a message back to say they were going down as they had been hit"ġ. Perhaps, I can offer some 'insight' into the loss, and your remark of: Like the last poster, I also came across this by accident.
0 kommentar(er)
