Scroll through each aircrew listing on Plaque Four, it's 61 to 80

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 61

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron - Stirling Mk. III

EE895.  HA-S

29 / 30 JULY 1943 - OP: HAMBURG - GERMANY

T/O: 2232 HRS                                                                                                                      THURSDAY 29TH JULY 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 62

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron - Stirling Mk. III

BF578.  HA-A

29 / 30 JULY 1943 - OP: HAMBURG - GERMANY

T/O: 2240 HRS                                                                                                                      THURSDAY 29TH JULY 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Beautiful Photograph of Stirling BF578 HA -  Apple, Captured outside the construction of a T2 Hangar, the Oak woods dispersal area, at RAF Downham Market, spring 1943, which there would be by the end of the year, x2 T2 aircraft maintenance hangars.  Photo Via Stephen C. Smith, 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron  Association.

Sergeant Raymond Pickard and crew would last just eight days on the squadron, a heartbreakingly short time even by 218 Squadron standards. They were posted from No. 1651 Conversion Unit on 21 July 1943, during the maximum effort and Operation Gomorrah. On 27 July, Raymond joined 'A' Flight Pilot Officer John Overton's crew on a raid against Hamburg. The following day, the crew prepared for their first operation, a mining sortie to the West Frisians aboard Stirling BF446 HA-C. This was completed without mishap. Hamburg was the target on the 29th, and ten squadron crews were detailed and briefed. One of them was Sergeant Raymond Pickard's crew. They never returned from this, their second operation. Stirling BF578 was damaged by flak over the target and later shot down by a night fighter, possibly flown by Uffz Walter Rohlfing, at 01.31 hours, crashing at Ahrenswohlde, 12 miles southwest of Buxtehude, Lower Saxony. Five of the crew escaped by parachute. Pickard was initially buried in the Aspensen Cemetery, while Canadian Bray was buried in the Stade Communal Cemetery.

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 63

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron - Stirling Mk. III

BF519.  HA-E

30 / 31 JULY 1943 - OP: REMSCHEID - GERMANY

T/O: 2248 HRS                                                                                                                               FRIDAY 30TH JULY 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Flight Sergeant Robert (Bobby) Taylor and his crew arrived at the end of April 1943 from No. 1651 Conversion Unit; his first operation (Second Dixie sortie ) was on 12 May 1943, alongside 'C' Flight Commander, Squadron Leader Anthony Beck MiD  It would be almost two weeks before he took his own crew on a minelaying operation aboard the veteran Stirling N3721 HA-J on 25 May 1943. The crew's second operation took place three days later, once again aboard HA-J, and it was another successful minelaying sortie. Their first bombing raid took place on 29 May 1943, targeting Wuppertal, and was completed without incident. In June 1943, the crew participated in seven operations, attacking some of the most heavily defended targets in the Ruhr. They encountered prowling night fighters twice during the month. On 11 June 1943, while bombing Düsseldorf, they had a brief engagement with a Messerschmitt Me 110, which the crew claimed as "destroyed." Then, on 22 June 1943, five miles from the target, both gunners opened fire on a prowling Messerschmitt Bf109, which was enough to drive the German pilot off, thanks to the alertness and skill of air gunners Sergeant Eddy Bartlett, RAF VR, who was age 36  and his young 19-year-old Sergeant Caz Barnes, RAF VR.

During their last raid of the month against Cologne, a young New Zealander joined them, Sergeant Keith Shaw RNZAF, for operational experience. July 1943 began with an attack on Cologne, and upon returning, the crew labelled it as the "best Ruhr trip to date." It wasn't until 27 July 1943 that they flew over Germany again, targeting still burning Hamburg. Just two nights later, they were bound for Hamburg once more. This time, the gunners were in action again. While returning at 01:20 hours, Sergeant Barnes spotted a Fw190 approaching. Three short bursts from the rear turret, along with a brief burst from Stand gunner Sergeant Stevens in the mid-upper turret, were sufficient to discourage the German pilot. 

Stirling BF519 HA-E 'Easy' was shot down by Feldwebel Helmut  Ternieden of Erganzungsstaffel Nachtjagdgeschwader 2, flying a Junkers Ju 88 C-6 from Gilze-Rijen airfield. Flak also claimed the Stirling BF519, which crashed into the Sabina Henrica polder, Heijningen, Noord-Brabant. The body of the rear gunner, Sergeant Barnes, washed up at Nieuwendijk harbour on 9 August 1943. Sergeant Stevens was first buried at Dinteloord on 7 August 1943. All other crew members were initially buried in the temporary military cemetery along the Wouwscheweg at Bergen op Zoom. Some of the wreckage of BF519 was recovered in February 1971 from the Volkerak by a recovery team of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNethAF).

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 64

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron - Stirling Mk. III

EE885.  HA-G

10 / 11 AUGUST 1943 - OP: NUREMBERG - GERMANY

T/O: 2200 HRS                                                                                                                 TUESDAY 10TH AUGUST 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Flight Lieutenant Stuart Reginald Fillmore RCAF was on his second tour when he and his crew were reported missing from an operation to Nuremberg on 10 August 1943. Stuart began his operations with No.419 RCAF Squadron based at RAF Mildenhall in 1942 when he flew Vickers Wellingtons. In May of that year, he was involved in an accident while taking off for a test flight when the airspeed indicator (ASI) aboard Wellington X3470 failed. Unsure of his speed, Stuart aborted the take-off, and the Wellington overran the runway and hit the boundary fence and lighting with its port wing. On completion of his time with No.419 RCAF, he was instructing at No.11 Operational Training Unit when he came close to being seriously injured. While attempting to remove a fusing pin from an 11 1/2-pound practice bomb beneath a Wellington, it dropped onto the hardstanding and exploded. Fillmore was sent to the SSQ and then to Halton Hospital with a badly damaged left knee. Having completed his rest period, he was back for his second tour, arriving on No.218 Squadron on 18 June via No.1651 Conversion Unit.

Stuart's first operation occurred almost immediately after his arrival. On the 19th, he joined Flight Lieutenant Ian Ryall, DFC, for the Le Creusot raid. On the 22nd, he took his crew on a minelaying trip to the East Frisians. This was followed by another "Second Dickie" trip alongside Flight Lieutenant Howard Saunders, RCAF, on the 24th, targeting Elderfeld. On the 28th, while attacking Cologne, the crew encountered a Me 110, which they successfully engaged and drove off. On 3 July, they returned to the cathedral city of Cologne, this time accompanied by a second pilot, London-born Sergeant Stanley Goodman. Hamburg and Remscheid were bombed on the 29th and 30th without incident. However, on 2 September, during an operation against Hamburg, the crew was unable to complete the raid because the bomb doors of their aircraft, designated EH885 HA-G, refused to open. On 10 August, the crew, along with a second pilot, Sergeant Leslie Molyneux, was briefed for a trip to Nuremberg. Leslie had joined the squadron on 5 August after completing his training at No. 1651 Conversion Unit, making this operation his first. 

Stirling Coned by searchlights and shot down by flak at 01.25 hours, crashing in flames while circling the village of Offenhauser south of Hersbruck. While circling the town, Flight Lieutenant Fillmore held the blazing Stirling steady while his crew bailed out. The body of Stuart Fillmore was found 500 meters from the wreckage, and it is believed he bailed out too low; the parachute was partially opened. It is on record that an incendiary bomb may have hit the Stirling, dropped from above, which resulted in the initial fire and was the reason the Stirling may have been circling, looking for a suitable place to crash land. Two crew members were reported injured, Tannock, sprains and a broken ankle and Anderson, cuts and bruises to the thighs due to parachute straps.

Stirling EE885 HA-G 'George' was coned by searchlights and shot down by flak at 01.25 hours, crashing in flames while circling the village of Offenhauser south of Hersbruck. While circling the town, Flight Lieutenant Fillmore held the blazing Stirling steady while his crew bailed out. The body of Stuart Fillmore was found 500 meters from the wreckage, and it is believed he bailed out too low; the parachute was partially opened. It is on record that an incendiary bomb may have hit the Stirling, dropped from above, which resulted in the initial fire and was the reason the Stirling may have been circling, looking for a suitable place to crash land. Two crew members were reported injured. Tannock with sprains and a broken ankle, and Anderson with cuts and bruises to their thighs due to parachute straps.

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 65

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron - Stirling Mk. III

EF452.  HA-O

12 / 13 AUGUST 1943 - OP: TURIN - ITALY

T/O: 2135 HRS                                                                                                             THURSDAY 12TH AUGUST 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Raked by machine gun fire from another bomber in the main force, killing Sgt. Brennan instantly. F/S Aaron was mortally wounded and died the following day after making a crash landing at Bone airfield, Algeria. The instrument panel had been severely damaged and the front section of the windscreen shattered. Larden and Mitchem, the bomb aimer and flight engineer respectively, took turns at the second set of controls as Aaron was slumped at the main controls, unconscious. Between them, they were able to bring the aircraft back to the straight and level. By now, Aaron had come round and, unable to speak due to severe facial injuries, gave instructions to the crew by scribbling notes on the back of Brennan's logbook. It read that the crew should return to England, but with the aircraft now at only 4000ft in the Alps and severe damage to the trim cables and hydraulics, this did not seem like an appealing option. Instead, Larden headed for Austria but once clear of the Alps, turned west in the hope of reaching Sicily. They crossed into the Mediterranean at La Spezia (where they released their bomb load over the naval base) and on reaching Sicily, they issued a distress call, which was responded to by Bone airfield, North Africa, who took control of the situation and instructed them not to attempt a landing at Sicily but to proceed to Bone. As they approached Bone, Aaron had collected himself enough to insist that he return to the controls despite his grievous injuries and, helped by the other crew, he was able to do just that. After two abortive attempts to land, Larden once again took the controls and landed on the third attempt. Aaron was quickly conveyed to Bone hospital, where he was immediately operated on. Meanwhile Larden and Mitchem, who had scarcely had time to even realise that they had also been hit by gunfire, were also attended to. Although the surgeons were initially pleased with how Aaron had responded, he sadly died the following day. Aaron was a mild mannered individual, but commanded discipline amongst his crew and insisted that all were able to carry out at least some of each others' roles in case anybody should be incapacitated during an operation. This discipline, as it turned out, saved the crew but sadly not Aaron himself. Larden was awarded the CGM whilst Mitchem and Guy received the DFM.

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 66

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron - Stirling Mk. III

EH884.  HA-X

16 / 17 AUGUST 1943 - OP: TURIN - ITALY

T/O: 2019 HRS                                                                                                                 MONDAY 16TH AUGUST 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Sergeant Stanley Chudzik RCAF and his crewmates were posted from No.1657 Conversion Unit on 24 June. Like his fellow squadron captains, he passed through the OTUs without significant issues and quickly converted to the massive Short Stirling. Thanks to both parents, Stanley was fluent in Polish and Ukrainian, and he took pride in his heritage.  Stanley flew his first operation as captain on 27 June aboard N3721 HA-J to the Frisian Islands, where they successfully planted six sea mines.  The following night, he joined the crew of 'A' Flight Sergeant Arthur Aaron as second pilot for an attack on Cologne. In July, the crew would attack Cologne, Hamburg, Essen, and Remscheid. The latter, the crew described as a 'Good Prang’. However, August began on a less fortunate note. On 8 August, icing and cloud cover prevented the crew from reaching Hamburg, forcing them to jettison their bomb load. On 10 August, the starboard inner engine of Stirling HA-X failed, resulting in the bomb load being dropped on Rushforth Range instead of the intended target, Nuremberg. Nonetheless, on 12 August, the crew successfully attacked Turin without any issues. The next operation was again to Turin; however, on this occasion, the crew's luck ran out. 

While en route to the target, Stirling EH884 HA- X 'X-Ray' was attacked by Luftwaffe night fighter pilot  Oberleutnant  Hans Kulow of 9 / Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 flying a Messerschmitt Bf110 G-4 carried a head at  00:43 hours over Ambérieu, 9 miles northeast of Lyon. Five of the crew, including 24-year-old Skipper Stanley Chudzik, were killed, Rear Gunner Warrant Officer I,  Sergeant McKinnon, was captured and taken as a  Prisoner of War, while Mid-Upper Gunner Sergeant James Paterson managed to escape and evade capture, returning to the UK by January 1944. When Paterson returned, he was able to give a complete statement of the attack by the night fighter that brought Stirling EH884. down.  There is a memorial to the crew some 25 miles northeast of Lyon on the main road to Ambérieu-en-Bugey in the Department of the Ain. The airmen were initially buried in a local cemetery but were later transferred to Lyon (La Doua) French National Cemetery. 

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 67

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron - Stirling Mk. III

BF522.  HA-N

23 / 24 AUGUST 1943 - OP: BERLIN - GERMANY

T/O: 2040 HRS                                                                                                                 MONDAY 23RD AUGUST 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Canadian Skipper, Pilot Officer William Martin arrived on the squadron on 4 June 1943, on completion of the conversion at No.1651 RAF Waterbeach. It would be a week before he undertook his customary second pilot operation (Second Dickie). William Martin and his crew commenced operations on 20 June 1943, with a mining sortie to the Gironde Estuary. Four operations followed in quick succession. Krefeld, another minelaying sortie, Elderfeld, and Cologne went without incident. July was a busy month for Bomber Command, reflected in the operations flown by William and his crew. They attacked Aachen on the 13th, with Sergeant William Clague joining them for operational experience. This was followed by raids on Hamburg, Essen, and two more operations against Hamburg and finally Remscheid on the 30th, during which the crew had to abort their mission due to two defective engines on Stirling BF522 HA-N. returning the base safely.

August 1943  would see the final raids on Hamburg flown. On the 2nd, the crew had to abort when the starboard inner engine caught fire aboard Stirling EE449 HA-J, forcing the crew to jettison.  Nuremberg, the birthplace of the Nazis Party, was bombed on the 10th without a problem. The opening rounds of the summer battle of Berlin began on 24 August 1943. 218 Squadron detailed 12 aircraft that night. Pilot Officer William Martin RCAF and crew took off in Stirling BF522 at 2022 hours and didn't return. This is what was reported. The Stirling was attacked and damaged by Luftwaffe Pilot Oblt Hans-Hermann Muller of 10. /Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 at around 02.15hrs over the sea, 3 miles Southeast of Hornum.

An S.O.S was sent at around 03:34 hours, indicating that the crew was preparing to ditch their aircraft. They came down approximately 160 miles northwest of Helgoland. The following day, two aircraft were involved in the search, one from 149 Squadron, piloted by F/Sgt E.W. Bower (OJ-A), and one from 199 Squadron, piloted by Sgt W.A. Drayton (EX-E). They discovered a dinghy during their air-sea search, which appeared to have five survivors on board. Once alerted, two Hudson aircraft from 279 Squadron at Bircham Newton were dispatched to patrol the search area. About two hours later, they sighted the dinghy along with the circling Stirlings. A special lifeboat was lowered into the water at 16:00 hours, allowing the survivors to board. Both Stirlings then returned to base. Shortly thereafter, at 16:30 hours, two Bf110s arrived and, in a brutal act, opened fire on the lifeboat and its defenceless occupants. Observing the Bf110s, the two Hudsons bravely closed in to provide protection. Unfortunately, one was shot down into the sea. Seven more Bf 110s approached the area but did not engage in the attack. The second Hudson managed to evade the enemy fire and safely landed back at base at 17:54 hours.

Ofw Brannicke and Ofw Statzinger of ErpKdo 25 reported a dogfight with a Lockheed and a Beaufighter. Tragically, the crew of HA-N, despite surviving the ditching, was all lost under these heartbreaking circumstances. Only two bodies were recovered. On 24 September, the body of McArthur was found on a beach near Fjand on the Danish west coast. He was laid to rest in Lemvig Cemetery on 28 September. The Flight Engineer, Keith Robson, was found drifting near Bjerghuse on 30 September and was laid to rest in Gravlunden in Esbjerg on 4 October 1943. 

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 68

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron - Stirling Mk. III

EH986.  HA-X

23 / 24 AUGUST 1943 - OP: BERLIN - GERMANY

T/O: 2040 HRS                                                                                                                MONDAY 23RD  AUGUST 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Walter Stanley Williams and crew joined the squadron on 29 June 1943, directly from No.1651 Conversion Unit. Walters's first introduction to operations was a minelaying operation on 8 July with his crew. Stanley then accompanied the crew, led by Sergeant Michael Nesbitt, on his first bombing raid over Aachen on 13 July. The crew's next outing was against Hamburg on 24 July aboard Stirling EH923 HA-W. The following night, they launched an attack on Essen. Nuremberg was attacked on 10 August. On this trip, their Stirling EH923 HA-W was raked by friendly machine gun fire from a twitchy Stirling gunner. The crew was Alps-bound on the 12th with the Turin works as the objective, followed by a return trip on the 16th.  

Stirling  EH986 HA-X 'X-Ray' was coned by searchlights over Berlin. Shot down by a night fighter flown by either Oblt Gerhard Raht of Stab II. /NJG3 at 00.58 hours or Hptm Frederich Karl Muller of Stab II. /NJG2 at the same time. Crashed onto Tempelhof airport in Berlin, only two survived to become PoWs.

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 69

623  Squadron (No Badge Authorised) Stirling Mk. III

EH925.  IC-C

23 / 24 AUGUST 1943 - OP: BERLIN - GERMANY

T/O: 2052 HRS                                                                                                                MONDAY 23RD  AUGUST 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

The loss of Squadron Leader Waldo 'Wally' Hiles, DSO, DFC, was a tragic and unnecessary event that should never have occurred. Born in Swansea, Wales, in 1913, Waldo enlisted in the Royal Air Force (RAF) in September 1939. After earning his wings, he joined No. 49 Squadron in 1941 and completed his first tour flying the Handley Page Hampden in 1942. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in December 1942. During his second tour with No. 218 Squadron, which began in October 1942, he participated in 20 raids, bringing his reported tally to 50. Soon after completing his second tour with No.218 Squadron, he was awarded the DSO. His DSO was promulgated without citation in the London Gazette on 11 June 1943, and would be collected by Waldo's wife from the King at Buckingham Palace on 20 February 1945. It must have been a mixed day of emotions for Elizabeth, his young wife. During Waldo's second tour, he started to make a name for himself on the squadron as something of a "press-on type”. He had a particular habit of attacking goods trains, which he seemed to excel at. It was not long before Waldo's Press-on-Spirit came to the attention of senior officers.

 Squadron Leader Waldo Hiles, DSO DFC, arrived at Downham Market on the morning of 23 August from No. 3 Group HQ, where he was serving as a Staff Officer. The reason for Waldo's visit to Downham Market that morning has never been established, but it was believed he was there to inspect the recently formed No. 623 Squadron. Flying Officer John Overton, who later commanded 'A' Flights of both 623 and 218 Squadrons, mentioned in a letter to the author that Waldo was present in an official capacity.  At some point during that day, it would have been confirmed that the target for the night was Berlin, with a maximum effort expected. Waldo had previously attacked Berlin once in September 1941, during which his aircraft was hit by flak. It is highly doubtful Waldo was at Downham Market to fly operationally. If that assumption holds, then the decision to participate that night was likely Waldo's own, influenced by his personality and the excitement of returning to his old squadron after months at No. 3 Group HQ, along with the prospect of attacking Berlin. This thrill may have overridden his better judgment. Waldo required permission to fly from either Wing Commander Little, DFC, Wing Commander Oldbury, or the Station Commander; one of them had to grant their approval, although this remains unknown. What is clear is that Waldo assembled a makeshift crew consisting of five inexperienced aircrew from 218 Squadron and his former rear gunner, Canadian Desmond De Silva DFM. Shortly after the briefing, Flying Officer John Overton spoke to Waldo, who was a two-tour veteran, to give him a friendly update on the current defences over Germany. However, Waldo's response was not what John Overton had expected, foreshadowing a tragic night ahead. Of the selected crew, only De Silva DFM had prior experience. Two members, Kershaw and Curren, had completed just two operations since their arrival on 11 June. The bomb aimer, John Basten, had participated in one raid, while the recently assigned John Ure from No. 7 Pathfinder Squadron had yet to operate. The crew from No. 218 Squadron took off for Berlin in a No. 623 Squadron Short Stirling at 20:52 hours; they never returned. Born in New Amsterdam, British Guyana, Desmond De Silva joined the RCAF in Ottawa. He died one day before his 23^rd birthday, 25 August. Desmond was awaiting posting on completion of his first tour.

 Stirling  EH925 IC-C 'C' was shot down by Luftwaffe night fighter pilot Uffz Heinz Oberheide of 4. /NJG3 at 01.35 hours south west of Berlin. The crash location is recorded at 3 miles south of Zossen. In the 1990s, a German researcher contacted the author, explaining he had positively identified the crash site, close to Lake Mellensee, East of Mellensee, south of Zossen, Germany. Both 4lb and 30lb Incendiary bombs were found, plus .303 cartridges and other wreckage.   

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 70

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron - Stirling Mk. III

EF448.  HA-P

27 / 28 AUGUST 1943 - OP: NUREMBERG - GERMANY

T/O: 2135 HRS                                                                                                                     FRIDAY 27TH  AUGUST 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Noel Michael Davis was a 21-year-old from Waratah, New South Wales, Australia. He and his crew arrived from No. 1657 Conversion Unit on 24 July 1943. According to the Squadron Operational Record Book (ORB), Noel may have flown his first operation on 10 August against Nuremberg, alongside Canadian Pilot Officer Robert Cochrane RCAF. However, this is not confirmed. What is certain is that the mixed RAF, RAAF and RCAF crew flew their first operation together on 25 August to the Gironde Estuary aboard Stirling EF448 HA-P. Within two days, they were detailed and briefed for a long and challenging raid to Nuremberg, which proved to be their final operation.

 Stirling EF448 HA-P 'Peter' was shot down by Luftwaffe night fighter pilot Oblt Werner Husemann of Stab Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 at 03.15 hours near Münstermaifeld. EF448 crashed near a railway culvert at Münstermaifeld and only a few hundred yards from the local cemetery, killing five of the crew. The few remains found of the crew were placed in two coffins and buried in the nearby cemetery.

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 71

623  Squadron (No Badge Authorised) Stirling Mk. III

EE909.  IC-H

27 / 28 AUGUST 1943 - OP: NUREMBERG - GERMANY

T/O: 2135HRS                                                                                                               FRIDAY 27TH  AUGUST 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Griffith 'Griff' Llewellyn Jenkins was a proud Welshman and had the distinction of being the first operational loss of No.623 Squadron. Griff, an Old Boy of Cowbridge Grammar School (1934-38), was a keen sportsman who excelled at rugby, hockey, cricket, and high jumping.  

 Griff Jenkins arrived from No.1657 Conversion Unit in May 1943. He and his crew were posted onto 'A' Flight under the guidance of Squadron Leader Geoff Rothwell DFC. He flew his first operation on 15 May alongside Sergeant James Hoey RCAF to Bochum. However, the port inner engine failure meant the raid was aborted. Three minelaying operations followed, flown on the 16th, 20th and 21st, all without incident. Dortmund was attacked on the 23rd, where they were held by searchlights while on their bomb run. June would be a hectic month, and it would see the navigator replaced by New Zealander Ted Pierce of the RNZAF. Ted had flown with Sergeant Nichols, who had crashed at RAF Chedburgh on 13 May on return from Bochum.  Yet another minelaying trip was flown on the 3rd, followed by six trips to the Ruhr and the attack on the Schneider Armament Factory at Le Creusot. The last raid of the month against Cologne was aborted due to starboard outer engine failure. August would be equally challenging, with three raids on Hamburg and raids on Essen and Cologne, where flak hit them. An abortive trip to Hamburg on 2 August would be the crew's last operation with No.218 Squadron. They had been selected to help form No.623 Squadron. The crew's first operation and 623 squadrons were on 10 August. The target was Turin, Italy. They undertook the long and perilous journey back over the Alps on 16 August, again aiming for Turin. On 23 August, they successfully bombed Berlin, the Big City. Griff was now a pilot officer and a highly respected member of 'A' Flight and the squadron. Nuremberg would be the crew's 22nd operation.

 There are conflicting reasons for the loss of this crew. It may have been started by a nervous rear gunner aboard a Halifax who inadvertently opened fire and set an engine on fire, or it could have been due to flak. However, the final blow was likely delivered by a night fighter, possibly Oblt Heinz Feger from 3. /NJG3, at 01:50 hours. The blazing Stirling crashed at Birkenfeld, taking with it a brave young Welshman who did everything possible to give his crew the chance to parachute to safety and paid with his life.

He was awarded the DFC, gazetted in 1945, which reads, "Pilot Officer Jenkins has shown courage and determination in pressing home his attacks in the face of intense enemy opposition. In May 1943, while making his bombing run, his aircraft was illuminated and severely damaged by anti-aircraft fire, one engine being put out of action. Nevertheless, with grim determination, he completed his mission, and although another engine failed on the return journey, this officer reached base and made a safe landing. On another occasion, although his aircraft was illuminated by searchlights and one engine was rendered useless, he released his bombs on his target. Later, a second engine failed, but this officer skilfully piloted his bomber to base. Pilot Officer Jenkins is an excellent captain of an aircraft".

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 72

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron - Stirling Mk. III

BK650.  HA-T

30 / 31 AUGUST 1943 - OP: MONCHENGLADBACH- GERMANY

T/O: 0044 HRS                                                                                                                 TUESDAY 31ST  AUGUST 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Sergeant William Henry Clague and his crew reported from No.1651 Conversion Unit on 2 July 1943. Their first operation was on 8 July, a minelaying operation to La Pallice. Two-second pilot operations were followed, the first on the 13th against Aachen with Sergeant William Martin, RCAF, which was aborted, and on the 24th alongside Flight Lieutenant Keith Balding, RAAF, to Hamburg. They operated again, attacking Hamburg on the 27th, describing the raid as a 'Wizard Prang'. August began with a gardening trip to the Gironde Estuary, followed closely by raids on Nuremberg, two trips to Turin, and an operation over Berlin on 23 August, all of which were completed. On 30 August, nine crews were briefed for a raid on Monchengladbach, but unfortunately, two of those crews failed to return.

Stirling BK650 HA-T 'Tommy' was shot down at 04.01 hours by Luftwaffe night fighter pilot  Hptm Kurt Fladrich of 9. /Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 near Dorplein killing four of the crew, including the pilot, Flight Sergeant William Clague. With the starboard wing set ablaze, the 26-year-old pilot ordered the crew to bail out. The rear gunner, Sergeant August Frederickson RCAF, the navigator, Sergeant Ian Robb, the wireless operator, Sergeant Harold Butler and Pilot Officer Gerald Lorne all complied. It transpired that the pilot, William Clague, had inadvertently taken off without his parachute, and there was no spare aboard the aircraft. (Never confirmed) The bomb-aimer, Pilot Officer Gerald Lorne, pleaded with the pilot to jump attached to him, but he refused, and with the Stirling now starting to nose over, he had no other option than to leave the brave young pilot to his fate. Almost immediately, the aircraft blew up, and Lorne was showered with burning wreckage as he parachuted down. Such was the force of the explosion that a piece of the Stirling struck and fractured his foot and shredded his flying boot. The wireless operator was found dead on the ground with severe head injuries, believed to have been caused by the explosion. The Stirling crashed onto the farm "De Voorhoeve" near Dorplein in Holland.  Unconscious until about 09.00 hours the following day, Lorne found himself lying in a wood north-west of Weert. He was aided by a brave Dutch family, who supplied first aid and refreshments and put him in touch with those who could pass him along the escape network. By these means, he eventually made his way back to the U.K. via Gibraltar, arriving home in February 1944. The navigator, Sergeant Ian Robb, landed near Ophoven, where the local resistance picked him up. He spent the next four months travelling across Belgium and France, from Tongeren via Liège and Brussels to Paris, before eventually moving eastwards to Reims, where he would be flown out. In December, his group was betrayed, and the Gestapo captured Robb.

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 73

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron - Stirling Mk. III

EE903.  HA-Q

30 / 31 AUGUST 1943 - OP: MONCHENGLADBACH- GERMANY

T/O: 0040 HRS                                                                                                                 TUESDAY 31ST  AUGUST 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Sergeant Stanley George Bennett and his mixed RAF, RCAF and RAAF crew were posted to the squadron from No.1651 Conversion Unit on 18 August 1943. Within days, the young pilot found himself sitting beside Flight Lieutenant Keith Balding on a raid against Berlin. On this occasion, the crew returned early due to severe icing en route. Wasting no time, the crew conducted two quick operations. On the 24th, they made a minelaying trip to the Frisian Islands, and the following night, a trip to sow mines in the entrance to the Gironde River. The crew's third and last operation was to München-Gladbach.

Stirling EE903 HA-Q 'Queenie' was shot down by night fighter pilot Leutnant Helmut Perle of the Erganzungsstaffel / Nachtjagdgeschwader 2, flying in a Bf 110 G-4 aircraft combat livery code 'R4+BA'  at 03.33 hours. It is believed that the Stirling crashed in the target area. Only Air Gunner Sergeant John  Lynch RAAF and Air Gunner Sergeant Francis Pryde RAFVR were initially identified, and the remaining crew were recorded as buried on 7 September in the Hauptfriedhof Cemetery.

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 74

623  Squadron (No Badge Authorised) Stirling Mk. III

EE949.  IC-Q

31 AUGUST / 1 SEPTEMBER 1943 - OP: BERLIN - GERMANY

T/O: 2029 HRS                                                                                                                 TUESDAY 31ST  AUGUST 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Wing Commander Edwin John Little, DFC 3 x M in D, was the recently appointed commanding officer of No.623 Squadron. He was a vastly experienced bomber pilot and a highly respected commander. Born 28 September 1914, at Elstree, Herts. He was educated at Watford Grammar School. Before joining the RAF, he worked as a clerk with an estate agent from 1931 to 1932 and as a Laboratory Assistant at Watford Grammar School from 1932 to 1935. Jack, as he was known, was a keen sportsman who played rugby, cricket, swimming, and tennis, playing at county level. His first squadron was the Blenheim-equipped No.101 Squadron, where he flew six operations between July and August 1940. A posting to No.40 Squadron would see him fly a further 13 Blenheim operations before the squadron converted to the Vickers Wellington and transferred to No.3 Group. Jack then flew an additional 18 operations, bringing his total for the first tour to 37. He was awarded a DFC in October 1941. Assumed duties as chief ground instructor (CGI) on 26 September 1941, at No.22 Operational Training Unit. Wing Commander Little, DFC, became well known during his time as CFI, not only to those on the O.T.U. but also to the local community. He was remembered as a considerate and prayerful officer.   During his time at No.22 O.T.U., he preached at the local Methodist Chapel. Promoted Acting Wing Commander on 1 July 1943, he was posted to command No.623 Squadron on 18 August 1943. Flew his first operation alongside Flying Officer John Overton to Berlin as second pilot on the 23rd. Attacked by a Bf 110, the crew was lucky enough to survive. A minelaying trip to the ‘Deodars' Garden area followed on the 25th. On the 27th, he flew on a raid to Nuremberg, taking an inexperienced crew on both occasions. On the 31st, he took Oliver Tanner RAAF, a recently posted Australian pilot, to Berlin. It would be the young Aussies' second, but tragically, last operation. 

Stirling EE949 IC-G 'George' was shot down by Luftwaffe night Fighter ace Fw Hans Kugler of 6. /Jagdgeschwader 300  Wilde Sau unit,  in a Focke-Wulf  Fw190A at 00.35 hours, 18 miles west of Brandenburg. The Stirling and the entire crew crashed at Werbig, a district of Brandenburg. There were no survivors

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 75

623  Squadron (No Badge Authorised) Stirling Mk. III

EH878.  IC-I

 5 / 6  SEPTEMBER 1943 - OP: MANNHEIM - GERMANY

T/O: 0044 HRS                                                                                                          MONDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Stirling EH878 IC-I 'Ink' was shot down at 00:45 hours by Luftwaffe night fighter Pilot  Lieutenant Karl-Heinz Augenstein of 7. /Nachtjagdgeschwader 1, flying a Messerschmitt Bf110 G-4.  The aircraft crashed in a field near a small wood at "Latscherberg" near Schoenborn. In the late 1990s, Hans Gunther Ploes, a military historian, questioned the local mayor of Schoenborn about the crash site. The mayor, who recalled the event from his childhood, remembered four holes in the ground where the Hercules engines had landed. He noted that the Stirling was flying very low, somersaulted, and disintegrated upon hitting the ground.

One crew member was discovered on 6 September 1943. Sergeant Bull had bailed out too low, and his body was found with his unopened parachute impaled on the branch of a tree in the nearby valley of "Kauerbachtal." Of the other five crew members, only six fragments were recovered. Sergeant Robinson was the sole survivor and was reported to have been captured at the nearby railway station in Kirchberg-Simmern, Germany.

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 76

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron - Stirling Mk. III

BK700.  HA-L

 22 / 23  SEPTEMBER 1943 - OP: HANNOVER - GERMANY

T/O: 1850 HRS                                                                                              WEDNESDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Sergeant Carmen Colquhoun RCAF and his RAF crew arrived at RAF Downham Market on 13 June 1943, from No. 1651 Conversion Unit. He undertook his first operation on 21 June, flying alongside Flight Sergeant James Smith on a raid to Krefeld. The following night, Carmen and his crew conducted a minelaying operation aboard Stirling N3721 HA-J, which was completed without incident. Later in June, they conducted raids on Elderfeld, Gelsenkirchen, and Cologne, completing each one. In July, the crew only flew three operations, all of which were carried out safely. An attempted operation to Hamburg on 2 August, aboard Stirling BK700 HA-L, was aborted due to severe icing conditions. However, on 10 August, they returned to action with an attack on Nuremberg, where the crew reported "good fires." This was followed by two successful attacks on Turin, bringing the month to a positive conclusion. On 5 September, they attacked Mannheim, and on 15 September, they targeted the Dunlop Plant at Montlucon, France. No. 218 Squadron briefed 15 crews for operations on 22 September. Tragically, three crews were reported missing. 

Stirling BK700 HA-L 'London was coned by searchlights and hit by heavy Flak,  crashing at Neustadt am Rübenberge, six miles from Wunstorf, Germany, killing all on board. The crew was recovered from the wreckage and buried on 25 September at Wunstorf Cemetery.

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 77

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron - Stirling Mk. III

EJ105.  HA-N

 22 / 23  SEPTEMBER 1943 - OP: HANNOVER - GERMANY

T/O: 1850 HRS                                                                                              WEDNESDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Australian Skipper, Pilot Officer Rodney Duffy and his mixed RAAF, RAF and RNZAF crew reported to No.218 Squadron on 23 August 1943, from No.1657 Conversion Unit. The young Aussie pilot flew his first operation on 31 August against Berlin, joining the crew of Squadron Leader Ian Ryall DFC, 'B' Flight Commander. The crew's first operation was a minelaying trip on 4 September to the Frisian Islands, where they planted six sea mines. Rodney next joined the crew of Flight Lieutenant Robert Cochrane RCAF on a raid against Mannheim on the 5th. Three operations, all in France, followed this. On 8 September, Boulogne, followed by the Montlucon Dunlop plant on the 15th and the railway yards at Modane on the 16th. The Hanover trip would be the crew's fifth and final operation.

Soon after leaving the target area, Stirling EJ105 HA-N was hit by flak. In the ensuing confusion, Sergeant Charles Kemmery, the mid-upper gunner and flight engineer, and Sergeant Cyril Rutherford bailed out. An RAAF report details the discovery of Flight Sergeant Roy Gehrig's body, found 1 km northeast of Bernstorff on 24 September. Although some parts of the Stirling EJI05 HA-N 'Nuts' were located, no significant wreckage was discovered. One piece was found half a mile northeast of Bernstorff, while another was located 6 miles away, just past Goeau. The piece found near Bernstorff included a gun turret. Gehrig's body was recovered 50 meters from this wreckage. When discovered, he was not wearing a parachute and had sustained head injuries along with a broken leg. Members of a Luftwaffe team examined the body and removed his ID tags, which they kept. The body was subsequently buried in a local village cemetery the following day, 24 September. It is suggested that the damaged Stirling may have struck raised ground near Bernstorff while flying low on its return journey, or possibly flak hit the rear turret, resulting in the turret and the unfortunate gunner falling to their deaths. The items found were collected and taken to the Luftwaffe base in Hildesheim. What is clear is that Flight Sergeant Rodney Duffy from the RAAF and the remaining crew somehow managed to pilot the Stirling across Germany and back to East Anglia. Tragically, the aircraft crashed near Hall Farm in Barrow, just five miles from Bury St Edmunds, resulting in the death of the remaining crew members.

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 78

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron - Stirling Mk. III

EF139.  HA-B

 22 / 23  SEPTEMBER 1943 - OP: HANNOVER - GERMANY

T/O: 1900 HRS                                                                                              WEDNESDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

The predominantly Canadian crew of Flight Sergeant Norman' Normie' Spencer RCAF joined the squadron on 18 August 1943, after arriving from No. 1651 Conversion Unit. Within five days, Norman was flying over the Nazi capital, seated alongside Squadron Leader Howard Saunders RCAF, who had recently been appointed as the flight commander of ‘A’ Flight. During the last week of August, the crew participated in two minelaying operations, an unsuccessful raid on Nuremberg, a mission to Münster-Gladbach, and the major raid on Berlin on 31 August. On 5 September, over Mannheim, their entire bomb load had to be jettisoned in the target area due to a malfunction. The flak from enemy defences also caused damage to one of the propellers. Following this, they completed two operations against French targets: Montlucon on the 15th and Modane the following night, both flown aboard Stirling EF139 HA-B. The crew's final operation was against Hannover.  

Stirling EF139 HA-B 'Baker' was damaged by Luftwaffe Night Fighter Pilot Leutnant Robert Wolf of the 3. / Nachtjagdgeschwader 5, flying a Bf 110 at 22.52 hours. The aircraft was hit by flak over the target area and was also claimed by the Enemy. The rear gunner, Arnold Baker, stated after the war that his aircraft had been brought down due to being hit by incendiaries just after bombing. The Stirling exploded mid-air, and the two survivors were blown clear and came down by parachute, injured. The crew's rear gunner, Sergeant Baker RCAF, was found in a ditch by school children the following day, next to his parachute, suffering from shock. In contrast, flight engineer Sergeant Morement was found injured, having landed heavily in a cherry tree. Sergeant Morement recalled: "The Machine was on fire and exploded mid-air, both Bill and I were blown out with our chutes on, luckily. Bill smashed his shoulder, I badly cut my face. We did not get shot down, somebody bombed us". Witnesses to the crash state that the aircraft crashed into a wheat field ¾ mile south of Pohle, Lower Saxony, at 23.30 hours. Five bodies were found 400 feet from the wreckage. They were each put into coffins the next day and buried in the Lauenau Village Cemetery.

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 79

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron - Stirling Mk. III

EJ104.  HA-G

 23 / 24  SEPTEMBER 1943 - OP: MANNHEIM - GERMANY

T/O: 1925 HRS                                                                                              THURSDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Stirling EJ104 HA-G 'George' was shot down by Luftwaffe Pilot Oblt. Schnaufer of 12. /Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 at 23.00 hours flying in a Messerschmitt Bf110 G-4 (Code G9+DZ) (also claimed by flak).  Stirling EJ104 crashed at Bauwaldthal at Kirchenbolanden, approximately 18 miles west of Worms. There was one survivor, Wireless Operator Sergeant Reginald Smith RAFVR.  Who ended up in the hospital, badly wounded but otherwise alive. He was repatriated aboard the Arundel Castle on 6 February 1945.  The crew was buried in the Rhein War Cemetery.

RAF DOWNHAM MARKET AIRFIELD CAIRN MEMORIAL (PLAQUE 4.  AIRCREW No. 80

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron - Stirling Mk. III

BF472.  HA-D

 27/ 28 SEPTEMBER 1943 - OP: HANNOVER - GERMANY

T/O: 2000 HRS                                                                                                        MONDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER 1943                                                                                                 RAF Downham Market

Keith Baldwin RAAF was born on 24 September 1916 in Victory, Australia. He arrived at Downham Market on 16 April 1943, carrying out two successful second pilot operations on the 18th and 26th. The crew, which would change throughout their time on the squadron, flew their first operation on 27 April, a 4 ½ hour minelaying sortie aboard BF472 HA-V. The Baldwin crew operated on five occasions in May, visiting Dortmund twice, Düsseldorf, and Wuppertal, as well as conducting another minelaying sortie. All but one flight was flown in HA-V. June was a relatively quiet month, with only two operations carried out: Le Creusot on the 19th and Krefeld on the 21^st. In July, the pace of operations intensified with a series of attacks on German cities, including Cologne, Hamburg (targeted three times), and Remscheid, all conducted aboard Stirling BF472 HA-V. On the 24th, a new second pilot, Sergeant William Clague, joined the crew for experience. August 1943 began with another assault on the still-smouldering remnants of Hamburg on the 2nd. The crew undertook a long flight over the Alps to Turin on 12 August 1943, and again on 16 August 1943. They were then briefed for a raid on Berlin, referred to as the Big City, on the 23rd. During this raid, they were accompanied by Sergeant Stanley Bennett. However, severe icing forced the crew to turn back, marking their final raid in August. On 8 September, they bombed the coastal guns at Boulogne while flying a Short Stirling from 623 Squadron. They conducted another operation on the 22nd against Hannover, followed by a bombing raid on Mannheim the following night, where they released their payload from an altitude of just 12,200 feet.

Stirling BF427 HA-D 'Dog' was coned by searchlights and shot down by Luftwaffe night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Robert Plewa of 2—/Jagdgeschwader 300, who was flying a Messerschmitt  Bf 109G from Bonn-Hangelar airfield at 23.26 hours. Stirling BF427crashed 1 mile northeast of Bothfeld, Hannover, Niedersachsen. Local witnesses report that the aircraft crashed after being hit by flak while flying at low altitude. The Stirling went into a steep dive but appeared to straighten up before it hit the ground, skidding for 200 meters before hitting a tree, where the aircraft exploded, showering debris and body parts over 500 meters. The remains of the crew were collected after the wreckage had been cleared. The body parts were recorded as 'Unknowns'.