People Stories – RAF North Luffenham Heritage

Lancaster crash in Edith Weston village – 4 March 1945

On the 4 March 1945 a Lancaster 1 PD431 crashed 100 yard east of the village church St Mary the Virgin. The aircaft was crewed by 8 men, 3 of which were Australian. In the crash 7 men died and 1 was injured. The 8th crew member (Sgt Ratcliffe) who was injured, died the following day in hospital.

The men were posted to 1953 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) and were training as a crew, before being posted to a unit, probably to serve in operations against Nazi Germany.

The entry from the Bomber Command HCU losse, shows that the takeoff was at 1130 for a cross country navigation exercise and they returned to base at 4pm. A bad landing and bounce led to a ‘go-around’ but a strike (undercarriage hitting something) on an obstruction (unknown – near airfield) meant the aircraft hit trees in the village and subsequently crashed into the village. It is not known if anyone on the ground was hurt.

Lancaster PD431 crashed Edoth Weston village 4 Mar 45

The entry also refers to 4 of the crew having been injured in a crash of a Stirling on night of 17/18 August 1944 where their aircraft had landing gear problems and they crash landed on a runway at RAF Wratting Common at 0206 hours , unfortunately hitting another Stirling that had been immobilised with a burst tyre on the runway.

The crash of PD431 was one of 11 Lancasters lost by 1653 HCU between January and March 1945. At the sister unit 1651 HCU operating at RAF Woolfox Lodge between January and March 1945 they lost 10 Lancasters. The operational units were flying Lancaster 3s and the HCU were probably flying older used machines.

I have yet to put further details of these losses togther. 1651 HCU also lost 2 aircraft due to enemy action on the night of 3/4 March 1945 – this tragic story is told in the post on this blog concerning Op Gisela. http://www.rafnorthluffenhamheritage.me.uk/?tag=op-gisela

On the 4 March 2025 the church bells were rung at 4pm and a roll call taken – near the memorial plaque erected outside the church. Lest we forget. The words spoken at the ceremony were:

Welcome. Thank you all for coming to be here today. I have some short words about the crash. Mr Michael Hoff – will read the roll of honour. I will say the Kohima address and then the bells will ring. You are welcome to join us afterwards – at the Memorial Hall for tea.

Firstly – I would like to say a few words based the sentiment on our Kings words at D Day ceremoniesn World War 2 our Nation and those which stood alongside us faced what King George VI, described as “The Supreme Test”. How fortunate we were, and the entire free World, that a generation of men and women in the United Kingdom and other Allied nations did not flinch when the moment came to face that test.

Today, we come together to honour those who fell nearby in the Lancaster crash on this day in 1944. This aircraft landed back at the airfield after a cross country navigation exercise, it bounced and hit an obstruction. Some sources say the obstruction was a van and a man on the ground was fatally injured dying next day. The aircraft was damaged and could not gain height and crashed in flames 200 yards that way – killing all on board. This was one of 13 Lancaster lost by 1653 Heavy Conversion Unit in just under a 2 year period.

Also it should be remembered that this aircraft is one of about 60 aircraft which have crashed in the vicinity of this aerodrome, including the Canadian fatalities in the 1950s Cold War, flying the Sabre jet. Overall, perhaps 150 men failed to survive within 3 miles of the aerodrome. The casualties on missions and prisoners of war from the airbase are another story. More recently the Army dog handlers – suffered 2 deaths on operations in Afghanistan.

As the King said – Our Armed Forces carried out their duty with a humbling sense of resolve and determination: qualities so characteristic of that remarkable wartime generation. Very many of them never came home. It is with the most profound sense of gratitude that we remember them, and all those who served at that critical time. We recall the lesson that comes to us, again and again, across the decades: free Nations must stand together to oppose tyranny.

The roll of honour.

The Kohima address. When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow we gave our today. They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them , nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them

2 relatives attended and a numberof local people particpated. An information board was available and local detail was discussed and the varying views of what happened. As further detail emerges form research I will endavour to post an update here.

Memorial on the Edith WEston Church gate to crashed Lancaster in Edith Weston

Refrences: Bomber Command Losses – volume HCUs. Avro Lancaster – the definitive record by Harry Holmes

Pilot Officer H L Cousins. Operation Sunrise – daylight raids on German battleships in Brest. Cold courage. Part 1.

During the Covid lockdown of 2020 Mr Leslie Cousins was surprised to discover his fathers personal diary amongst family papers. He was very generous and provided me with a copy.

This post is about Pilot Officer Herbert Leslie Cousins diary and the mission on which he paid the ultimate price. He was flying on a daylight called Operation Sunrise on 24 July 1941, as a member of 144 Squadron RAF based at RAF North Luffenham.

P/O Cousins and his wife Almer (married 28 October 1940) had one child, a son called Leslie, who was born in 1942 some nine months after his father’s death. P/O Cousins was killed by enemy fire during a raid on the Nazi capital ships docked in Brest, France on 24 July 1942. The Hampden aircraft he was the navigator/bomb aimer for returned to the UK but he had been fatally injured during the raid and was declared dead on landing. He is buried in St Illogan’s churchyard, near Redruth in Cornwall.

P/O Cousins joined the RAF on 3 June 1940 – leaving his role at Price Waterhouse and Co Chartered Accountants. He trained at RAF Cranwell, RAF Cranage, RAF Cottesmore (operational training unit) and was posted to a Hampden bomber squadron at RAF Hemswell in May 1941. The squadron moved to RAF North Luffenham on July 1941.

The diary covers the period 1 January 1941 to his death on 24 July 1942. It is written about his day to day experiences and observations about his domestic life. His diary reflects that life in 1941 was uncomfortable and sometimes unpleasant. His numerous rented accommodation (he had his wife Alma with him, whom he married in 28 October 1940) sounds hard.

In service life he had little income, travel across the country by train was tortuous and required many changes. He comments that his wireless and bicycle were sometimes rented and he had no car. He comments on some ‘dreadful’ Rutland land ladies!

In 1941 the winter weather was freezing and particularly in the air at altitude. He frequently mentions beer, and the lack of it. His most frequent off duty entertainments were ‘the flicks’and also bridge in the evenings. He did a lot of reading and spent much time wrestling with fiendish ‘Torquernada’ crosswords.

His diary reveals that weather was always commented on, other topics were frustration at bits of inadequate kit and orders, rumours (such as the invasion flap). He often comments that stuff was u/s – which is service slang for unserviceable.

One entry records that he has realised in July 1941 that 6 or 7 of his Cottemore course of 11 students were all dead. He also witnessed an Avro Manchester crash in flames near the airfield and he saw 2 airmen bale out, he desribed watching that as ‘horrible’ (this was probably a 61 Squadron Manchester, whose engines regularly failed resulting in fire).

In July 1941, the war was not going well. Britain stood alone and the Nazis occupied most of mainland Europe. Britain as always (as it is now) is dependent on imports of food and materials. After the fall of France, the Germans with battleships, U boats and the Focke Wulf Condor aircraft were once again trying to throttle Atlantic supply routes. The threat of invasion was also still present.

In May 41, the dramatic chase of the Bismark had taken place and she was hit by the HMS Prince of Wales and later by torpedoes launched by Fairy Swordfish aircraft. Whilst the Bismark was sunk the Nazis still had 3 of their largest fast offensive ships based in Western France which could challenge the Atlantic lifeline. This was a threat to national survival and at the time it was a critical target to be attacked.

The two battleships were the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau. These ships were about 236m long and carried 11 inch guns and were capable of over 31 knots. The third ship was the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen in Brest was armed with 8 inch guns, 207m long and was capable of over 30 knots.

The RAF was tasked with bombing the ships in port, mining approaches and also using torpedos. It was a major objective. The target was extremely well defended with fighters and flak. At the time the RAF jokingly referred to the three ships as the ‘Brest Bomb Target Flotilla’ and the RAF bombed and went back and bombed again and again to the French ports. Continually taking losses in machines and men. Eventually it led to the German Navy moving the ships in the Channel Dash on 11 February 1942.

Bombing and mining raids from North Luffenham and Woolfox would continue from early 1941 all the way through to the Channel Dash (e.g three 61 Sqn Manchesters were lost on the night of 31 Jan/1Feb 42 – 14 dead, 8 POW and 1 evader). A cursory count in Bomber Command Diaries shows that the target had been attacked 28 times before Op Sunrise.

On 24 July 1941 a major RAF operation called ‘Operation Sunrise’ was put into effect to bomb the ships Brest in daylight. However, the Sharnhorst had been moved to La Pallice which caused the raid plan to be modified. It was originally intended to task about 150 aircraft against Brest. This raid was now was split to the 2 ports. This would be no easy target. It was unlikely to be of any surpise to the defenders. The docks would be well defended with fighters, anti-aircraft guns and smoke to obscure the target. It would be considered a ‘cold courage’ target but because of its strategic significance, one where the RAF was prepared could expect to take heavy losses for the national effort.

During the Operation the RAF lost 21 aircraft for the 151 aircraft bombing (13.9 percent). Of the 660 men flying that day about 68 were killed, 38 went in captivity and 6 aircrew evaded capture (note these figures may be inaccurate). The Halifax and Wellington forces took serious casuaties. Hits were made on the warships – 4 on Gneisenau and 3 on Scharnhorst. The raid was judged a success, as the Sharnhorst was returned to Brest for repair, taking 4 months. The ships never sailed on raids and were moved to Bremerhaven in the Channel Dash (see post: http://www.rafnorthluffenhamheritage.me.uk/?tag=channel-dash

The individual losses are in the Bomber Command Losses book for 1941. Pilot Officer Cousins death was not recorded in Bomber Command Losses as the aircraft was not lost. His death is recorded in the unit operations record book (Form 540). Also a 144 Squadron Hampden was lost when it was shot down by fighters – Flt Lt Barr (3 killed and 2 POW).

Plt Off Cousins is buried in St Illogan’s Church in Redruth Cornwall.

This post is incomplete, as the detail of what the crew did exiting the target area and how they fought fighters back across the channel and semi-crash landed at Predannack in Cornwall needs to be told in Part 2 of this post about P/O Cousins.

As I have stated before, as the stories about individuals crystalise I become more humbled and P/O Cousins sacrifice is one of cold courage, knowing that an attack in daylight would be costly and a true determined fight against fighters, flak and the environment. This is the definition of a battle. The dramatic illustration below is from a painting in the RAF Club in London (artist unknown).

“For you the war is over” – prisoner of war – ‘kreigies’. Flt Sgt Shorrocks RCAF

Over over a 10 month period of operations from October 1941 to April 1942, around 40 North Luffenham/Woolfox airman went into the ‘bag’ (captured).

Apparently they were greeted by their captors with the saying “for you the war is over”. I don’t think that saying is true for the them, the war was not over at all, it was just really starting, some endured captivity to the end of the war.

It is difficult to comprehend today the feeling they must have had on capture, but it is known that for some the shock of capture and shame at their change of fortunes was overwhelming.

There were over 11000 RAF POWs held by the Nazis in World War II. Bomber Command aircrew made up 9838 of these. The prisoners called themselves ‘kriegies’ from the german word ‘kriegsgefangener’.

A book called ‘Footprints on the sands of time’ by Oliver Clutton-Brock comprehensively tells the story of the RAF Bomber Command prisoners of war in Germany in 1939 to 1945.

Impressions of POW camps will have been formed by the film ‘The Great Escape’. The realities of what happened when taken prisoner in Nazi Germany by the evil, brutal and repressive regime is quite grim reading. There of course are also uplifting tales of survival and the British character telling through.

The book documents the individual record of the way prisoners were treated and why one in twenty of those who entered captivity did not return alive at the end of the war. War crimes and occasional cases of treason are also documented. It is a book (like his other book RAF Evaders) where if you open a page at random, the content grabs you and it illuminates some deed, attitude or fact otherwise unthought about.

Other books ‘Walls and Worse’ and ‘Wire and Worse’ by Charles Rollings tell the detailed stories of early camps in the period 1940 to 1942.

As the war progressed it seems that the ideals of the Geneva Convention became less relevant in the captors minds. Certainly, later in the war, as the German cities were decimated, some airman landing alive on the ground failed to make it into captivity. They were killed by civilians or other people from the Nazi state. Overall, even in 1942 the story is of brutal treatment, lack of care, indaquate food, poor sanitation, war crimes and a few traitors.

There are also the tales of bravery, humour and great resilience of men under stress and difficult circumstances, and of course of escape attempts and the organisation of those attempts. It was the duty of an officer to escape and continue the fight even if only to achieve tying up enemy resources.

As the war progressed the training and equipping of aircrew, debriefing and support of escape became more sophisticated but also the detection of escapers by the Germans improved. The war crime of the murder of the ‘Great Escapers’ also took place.

The greatest escaper from North Luffenham was Peter Stevens, the German Jew, the story is relayed in another post on this blog. Stevens was an inveterate escaper who was awarded the military Cross for his activities in pursuing escape attempts while in captivity, including a part in the great escape. The post can be found at… http://www.rafnorthluffenhamheritage.me.uk/?p=67

S/L Peter Stevens in Oflag XX1b Schbin (Brausnshweig? Germany)

I can only find one ‘evader’ from 1942 who managed to evade capture and make it home, this the tale of Sgt Albert Wright, his story being recounted in this blog at … http://www.rafnorthluffenhamheritage.me.uk/?p=76

The record in ‘Footprints’ shows that most prisoners were housed in at least 2 camps until liberation. Some camps were run by the Lufwaffe (generally ‘L’ or Stalag Luft) and some by the Wermacht (just numbered). Many crew members would later meet up at Stalag Luft 3 Sagan in Poland, due to the sheer size of the camp. This camp later in the war housed thousends of aircrew, and from which the great escape took place. From this escape 50 escapers were murdered by the SS and Gestapo on Hitler’s orders. In the early days the North Luffeham airmen were introduced to camps where Army, Navy and Air Force prisoners from defeats at Dunkirk, Crete and North Africa were already inmates.

Some of the North Luffenham airmen also had a difficult time on bailing out or exiting a crashed aeroplane. Sgt Laing, Sauders and McV Smart spent 20 hours in a dinghy after an attack on Brest on the 1 Feb 42, before they were captured. P/O Graham broke his back in landing and spent time in Lubeck hospital before being moved to a camp. All of the captured men lost at least one of their mates in their crash. It seems that no complete crew went into captivity in the period of Hamden and Manchester operations at North Luffenham/Woolfox in 1941 and 1942.

One airman, Flt Sgt W H Shorrocks RCAF (61 Sqn RAF) who was shot down by flak in an Avro Manchester raiding Brest on 1 Feb 42, was housed in 5 diferent camps. He was in 3 camps in Germany (8B Silberberg, 344 Lamsdorf and 13C Nurnberg) and then was held in L6 Heydekeg in Lithuania and L4 Beninia in Poland.

Shorrocks also is recorded as having exchanged identify with Private E G Joslin of the Essex Regiment at some stage. This was because escape opportunities for enlisted non aircrew prisoners were better, as they took part on working parties, which was allowed under the Geneva Convention. For Joslin the aircrew seemed to be better treated than the Army prisoners. However, it is not recorded if Shorrocks escaped, but the identity exchange is evidence of his resistance to captivity.

Many also took part in the ‘March’ at the end of the war – where POWs were marched westwards away from the Soviets – Stevens took part in that as well.

In conclusion, it is difficult for me to really understand what these POW’s went through and for some being in captivity 4 years until liberation. However, their survival through captivity humbles me and as I read the accounts, it illustrates the positive foundation qualities of our airmen in the face of sustained hardship and Nazi brutality.

Later in the war there were more POWs from 218 Squadrom flying Short Stirlings from RAF Woolfox Lodge in 1944 prior to D Day. From their operations there is record of a remarkable number of evaders as well. This is the topic of a future post on this blog.

Empty chairs and empty tables – Operation Fuller – 12 February 1942 ‘the Channel Dash’

A major event in the Battle of the Atlantic took place on the 12 February 1942. An account from the bomber command perspective is recorded that the Bomber Command War diaries for 1939 to 45.

the story is taken up as follows… The ‘Channel Dash’ took place where the German battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the light cruiser Prinz Eugen set sail from Brest to move to Germany through the English Channel in a carefully prepared and well executed operation. Though the move had been anticipated the Germans gained surprise using bad weather. Despite best efforts of the Allies, the Germans suceeded and it was a national embarrasment that this had been achieved in ‘home waters’. The full story is recounted elsewhere. It was however, a significant tipping point as these ships did not sail again into the Atlantic and destroy shipping bringing supplies to the beleagured Great Britain.

Aircraft from North Luffenham were sent to the attack, although their departure was delayed until the afternoon as they had been on standby with armoured piercing bombs, which needed some height to use. Since the cloudbase was about 600 feet in the channel, the bomb load was switched to high explosive bombs, and this took time and I am sure a lot of groundcrew sweat powered by expletives.

My story links to this is when I served at RAF North Luffenham. When the station closed in 1998 I was present when a veteran called Jock Kennedy presented a painting to the last Station Commander, Group Capt Benstead. The painting had been hung in a corridor and showed Hampdens attacking battleships.

We gathered around for the presentation in the corridor leading into the dining room. The presentation was made and the veteran described why the presentation was in the corridor.

On 12 February 1942, 61 Squadron and 144 Squadron launched sorties (I do not know how many but this will be recorded in the operational record books) and that day 144 Squadron lost 2 aircraft. He said after having breakfast in the dining room with everyone, at the evening meal he had lost some friends and there were some empty seats at the table.

This stuck with me, having walked through that door many times. It is not easy to capture an event in time and space when the witnesses have gone or unless you were there. How can you capture these moments without witness testimony? Also also these events fade in time do people really care?

In the recent past I took the now ex chief executive of Rutland County Council to that spot and explained what had happened. Unfortunately, it seemed to me that she did not ‘get it’. It is highly likely that if MOD leave then the Officers Mess will be levelled and turned into houses.

The 2 aircraft lost were Hampdens AE141 and AT 175. With the loss of these two aircraft six men were killed including Wing Commander Simond (MID) the Officer Commanding 144 Squadron. Whilst AT 175 was lost without trace, with five crew members, AE141 was hit with flak managed to make an emergency landing at Norwich. Sgt Nightingale brought it home and died in hospital. Sgt Ivo Nightingale was from Kenya. He was awarded the distinguished flying medal (DFM) and is buried in Norwich cemetery. Further information on Sgt Nightingale is at Aircrew Remembered http://aircrewremembered.com/nightingale-ernest.html

Op Fuller Hamden losses — Entry from Bomber Command Losses 1942 – Op Fuller

I’m not sure how we can commemorate the sacrifice but perhaps by naming the main road within the Officers Mess complex Simond Road and Nightingale Road we might just forge a tenuous link to the past, the Channel Dash and commemorate their sacrifice.

On 12 February Bomber Command had dispatched 242 aircraft comprising 92 Wellingtons, 64 Hampdens, 37 Blenheims, 15 Manchesters, 13 Halifaxes, 11 Stirling’s and 10 Boston bombers. A large percentage of the aircraft crews never sighted the battleships due to the weather. 16 aircraft failed to return with the loss of 68 aircrew and five aircrew being captured becoming prisoners of war. You can read more about the Dash in wikepedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Dash

It may be that the mine laying by 61 and 144 Sqaudron prior to the breakout may have contributed to the damage sustained by the battleships entering German waters. Later missions were also launched to bomb them in harbour. At this time of the war, once again the nation’s food supply was being sunk by German U Boats. Due to the mine and bomb damage and on going bomb damage the battelships stayed in port.

Operation Gisela. Dying in sight of your airfield. German night fighter attack Woolfox Lodge – night 3/4 March 1945

In early 1945 the Luffwaffe had lost air battle over German soil. However, the application of air power can result in local impacts. On the night of 3/4 March (the 2000th night of the war) approximately 200 Junkers JU88 night fighters were sent to follow the bombers back to England. This offensive action took the British defences by surprise and 20 bombers were shot down, including 5 training aircraft.

The 5 training aircraft had been on a diversion flight consisiting of 95 aircraft on a ‘diversionary’ sweep. This was a mock raid designed to deceive the German air defences and increase the mission success of the main force attack. Wikepedia catalogues the British and German losses (see link in references).

Two of the losses were 1651 Operational Conversion Unit’s (OCU) Lancasters flying from RAF Woolfox Lodge. So whilst still in training to become operational crews, they were shot down by a JU88 nightfighter.

Of the 2 crews of 7 men, there was only one survivor only Sgt J Thompson. Lancaster ND387 was shot down at 0115 and crashed at Stretton and Lancaster JB699 was shot down at 0135 and crashed near Cottesmore. It is clear that the RAF were not expecting the attack as RAF aircraft were flying with navigation lights on, until warnings were received over the radio. Also airfield lights were on and only doused when warning was received.

The conversion unit had 13 Lancasters on strength in March 1945 and to lose 2 crews within sight of the airfield must have been devastating to the unit. It is difficult to imagine the impact. The risk of being shot down on operations must have been known, but to see your fellow crews being shot down as they close the base circuit, must have been tough for those left behind.

In addition to the Woolfox casualties, 1654 OCU flying from RAF Wigsley, (Nottinghamshire) lost 2 Lancasters (losing 8 killed out of 14 crew) and 1664 OCU flying from RAF Dishforth (Yorkshire) lost 1 Lancaster and all 7 crew were killed.

This all happenend when perhaps the end of the war in Europe was in sight? The Allies had been on German soil since September 1944, the Battle of the Bulge was over, and the Allies were on the way to cross the Rhine. Germany surrendered on 7 May 1945.

The Woolfox casualties were buried at various cemeteries, 6 in Cambridge City Cemetery, others in Scotland and Bradford. It is not known where the 2 New Zealanders and the Australian from the crews are buried. The casualties are listed in Bomber Command Losses 1945 – see below and more detail is provided in Volume 8 – see lower down the page:

1651 OCU casualties night 3/4 Mar 45 (as recorded in Bomber Command Losses Volume 6 – 1945 – pages 212

That night the Bomber Command effort was split between 3 missions:

Kamen. 234 aircraft (201 Halifaxes, 21 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitos) to attack the synthetic oil refinery at Bergkamen. The target was destroyed and no aircraft were lost over Germany.
Dortmund-Ems canal. 212 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitos attacked the Ladbergen viaduct, whichwas breached in 2 places and put out of action. 7 Lancasters were lost.
Support and Minor Operations. 95 aircraft in a diversionary sweep. 64 Mosquitos to Berlin and 32 to Wurzberg. 61 radio counter measure sorties. 29 Mosquito patrols. 31 Lancasters minelaying in Kattegatand Oslo fjord. 17 aircraft on resistance support missions. The Mosquito patrols I assume were doing what the Germans were doing and looking for night fighters, it is unknown what sucess they had.
Summary – 785 sorties. 8 aircraft lost over Germany and the sea, 20 aircraft shot down by intruders over England, a total casualty rate of 3.6 percent. 15 Halifaxes and 12 Lancasters (crews of 7 = 189 crew airborne). Wikepedia entry also lists 3 USAAF Flying Fortresses and an RAF Hudson shot down or damaged?
The Luffwafe lost 25 night fighters and the following night (4/5 March) a smaller effort was launched, but it was ineffective.

RAF Woolfox Lodge — Entry in Bomber Command Losses – Heavy Conversion Units Volume 8

References: Bomber Command Losses 1945 V6 by W R Chorley. Bomber Command Losses Heavy Conversion Units V8 by W R Chorley. Bomber Command War Diaries by Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt. Wings over Rutland by John Rennison. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Gisela

Tragic loss of 2 of the North Luffenham leaders – night of 2nd September 1941 . Gp Capt Barrett DSO+bar, DFC & Wg Cdr Valentine DSO and their crew.

St Georges Barracks Heritage. RAF North Luffenham heritage. RAF Woolfox Lodge Heritage

RAF North Luffenhan

On the night of 2 September 1941 at 2030 hours Manchester L7388 lifted off on a raid to Berlin carrying a crew of 7 men. Over Berlin the aircraft was shot down by flak and crashed in the Schronefeld district of Berlin. All crew were killed and are buried in a Berlin War Cemetry. The aircraft was carrying 2 of the handful of the stations ‘executive’ senior officers, with the loss of both 61 Squadron Commander and the Station Commander.

Wg Cdr Valentine’s Manchester crew – first eight headstones from the left

The raid on Berlin consisted of 49 aircraft and Wg Cdr Valentine’s Manchester was one of 5 aircraft lost that night (1 Manchester, 2 Hampdens and 2 Halifax). The overall losses that night for targets in Berlin, Frankfurt and minor operations, consisted of 12 aircraft out of the nights total of 201 sorties. This is a 6 percent loss rate. This would involve the loss from active duty of about 70 men for that night, although some of which would become POWs.

The loss of the 61 Squadron Commander and the Station Commander must have been a serious blow. The rules were changed after the loss, to ensure that squadron and station commanders could not fly operations together without special permission.

It is possible that as 61 Squadron (as with other Manchester squadrons) was struggling to get reliability out of the Manchester, that the flight was intended to show leadership from the front. The Manchester was withdrawn from service in June 1942 and was replaced by the Avro Lancaster powered by 4 reliable Merlin engines.

Group Captain J F T Barrett (DSO +bar, DFC) was 43 years old at the time of his death. His headstone also carries the epitaph – ‘A great gentleman’. I will see if I can get the medal citations for both of these commanders.

On the aircraft that night 5 other men, including another airman with a DSO – Flt Lt A B Harrison. I wonder what his citation is for? The other crew members were Sgt Dowse, Sgt Nicholson, Sgt Hamer RNZAF and Fg Off Duckworth. We will remember them.

The crew resides in a Berlin war cemetary – where there are 2601 WW2 aircrew (1828 RAF, 215 RAAF, 516 RCAF, 42 RNZAF, 5 Polish). Most are from the main bomber offensive later in the war.

In the book Avro Manchester by Robert Kirby, there is an account by Wg Cdr Weir DFC in the Forward. Weir replaced Valentine in command. He mentions that one night he was wounded by anti aircaft fire and was on sick leave, when he was informed that the squadron commander, Wg Cdr George Valentine was missing on a trip to Berlin, taking the station commander with him. He says “I was recalled immediately to take command of 61 squadron . At this time we did not seem to be a very effective part of the war effort. Morale was at a low level”. (in March 1942 conversion to the Lancaster started). I think this would be tough command, to lead a squadron with an aircraft that increased the chance of ‘going for a Burton’. Desperate times.

References: Bomber Command War Diaries, Bomber Command Losses, Avro Manchester by Robert Kirby. St Georges Barracks development https://www.stgeorgesrutland.co.uk/the-masterplan/

Squadron Leader James Donald Dickson RCAF. CD, DFM, DFC, AFC. WW2, Korea – bomber, transport and Sabre pilot.

Notes on Squadron Leader James Donald Dickson RCAF RAF North Luffenham

One of the war graves in North Luffenham churchyard is that of Squadron Leader Dickson, Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). This airman clearly had an eventful career flying in the Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force. His service started on October 23, 1940 and appears to have continued until his death on 26 July 1953.

Commissioned in Jun 1942. I have not verified the fact, but it appears his cause of death was polio. There were epidemics in the 50s of polio. it seems cruel that having survived many 2 wars, operational sorties, night fighters, bad weather and all the other hazards associated with military operational flying that he was cut down by what we now see as preventable disease.

The citation for his Air Force cross is shown below. I have not yet been able to ascertain how many hours he had recorded in this logbook, but clearly flying Wellingtons on operations in 57 Squadron RAF and being awarded his distinguished flying medal (DFM) must be an interesting story.

Followed by the award of a distinguish flying cross (DFC) flying Halifax’s on 419 Squadron also must have many stories. He also received mention in dispatches. I’ll try and see if I can find the citations for these decorations.

it also appears that Dixon had another connection with North Luffenham on 8 October 1942 when he was piloting Wellington X3 719 which hit a power line near North Luffeham. Heavy damage was caused to the aircraft nose, both propellers and starboard main plane but he was not court-martialled.

The award of the Air Force Cross (AFC) relates to outstanding leadership and flying in support of the Korean war airlift. The citation is below. A truly outstanding aviator.

Information provided to me by Don Dickson, nephew of JD in 2024.

JD (Don) Dickson was born the middle of 3 brothers. All three joined the RCAF during WW2. My father, the oldest was a wireless airgunner on maritime patrol. The youngest never left Canada but worked as ground crew. My thoughts go to their mother watching her 3 sons march off after loosing her brother in WW1. His name is inscribed on Menin Gate, his body was never found. Don was the daredevil of the 3. Playing sports, driving cars or anything else he was all in. My father certainly looked up to his little brother. It was not uncommon for Don to buz or land at the family farm .His dying wish was to buried at home back in Hammond River but the RCAF policy was not to repatriate bodies. So my dad erected a tomstione for him here as well.

Born October 29th, 1920, he volunteered in Moncton, October 23rd, 1940 and was in England by August 1941. During the war he flew with RAF 57, and RCAF 419, 435 and 1659 squadrons. Flying Wellington and Halifax bombers he completed his first tour.

One tour of 20 operational missions was all that was required of a bomber crew. This meant that Don was able to be repatriated back to Canada and train other pilots or resign completely. He tried both. After training for a few months and being accepted as a pilot for TransCanada Airline, he rejoined the effort back in England for another tour. This time he was a Flight Lieutenant. By the end of the war he had completed 53 operational sorties over enemy territory. With a statistical 90% chance of surviving each mission, he had a third of one percent of surviving all 53 missions.

Along the way he was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Medal, The Air Force Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross. His record shows a couple of court martials as well. One for drag racing jeeps on the runway and another for flying too low on training runs. But it was not all fun and games. He was seriously injured when the engines failed on a repaired bomber, he was taking up for a test flight. He managed to barely miss houses, crashing the plane in a field. He did not always return with all of his crew. On one mission his co-pilot was killed in the seat next to him and many times he nursed home his battered aircraft and injured crew.

Post WWII he continued with the Airforce in Various roles, including operation Muskox where the air force provide it could create and maintain a base in the artic during the winter. He was the pilot that brought the first jet transport plane to Canada with the arrival of the Comet in May 1953. This was the first jet transport plane of any air force in the world. By the time The Korean War started he was a Squadron Leader and in charge of all Canadian air operations for the war. Canada’s air role was Operation Hawk, the transportation of troops and supplies from the west cost along the Aleutians to Japan and then back via Hawaii. A round trip of more than 70 hours and trip of some 12000 miles in the four engine Northstar transport plane. At this time he was in charge of Air Operations over the Pacific. Don later declined further promotions as it would take him out of the pilot’s seat. “You can not fly a desk”, he said.

Another story about Don was that he was the best man for one of his fellow officers. On the night before the wedding he took the groom out for one last bash. At the end of the evening with the groom pasted out, they stopped at the base hospital. They bandaged up the groom with his torso and one arm in a cast. Then they put the clock in the room ahead and woke him up. The poor guy thought he had missed his own wedding.

In June 1952 he was the best man for his brother Laurence (my dad). That was the last time they would see each other. With over 6500 operational flying hours, he died 26 July 1953; buried North Luffenham. While transporting the Canadian Governor General to England, he took sick from polio meningitis. He died 3 days later.

Distinguished Flying Medal, 16 June 1942

Flight Sergeant Dickson has acted as captain of aircraft on numerous occasions. Throughout his tour of duty he has executed his tasks with the utmost vigour and determination. Undeterred by bad weather he makes every effort to locate his target and to bomb it accurately. He has participated in attacks on Brest, Hamburg, Lubeck, Rostock, Essen, Emden, and many equally important targets.

Distinguished Flying Cross, 1 September, 1943

This officer has taken part in a large number of flying operations. He has penetrated the defences of the Ruhr on eighteen occasions, in addition to participating in attacks on Berlin, Hamburg and Rostock. In March 1943, in the Bremen area, his aircraft was attacked by a Messerschmitt 110. The enemy fighter was destroyed by the front gunner. Shortly after, another attack was made by a Junkers 88. During the combat which ensued, Pilot Officer Dickson again displayed outstanding airmanship and again furnished his gunners with opportunities for retaliation. His skill undoubtedly made a safe return possible. Pilot Officer Dickson’s sustained gallantry over a very long period has been most meritorious.

Air Force Cross, 5 June 1952

Squadron Leader Dickson has served with No.426 Transport Squadron on the Korean Airlift as captain of a North Star aircraft since its inception. He has flown a total of 600 hours over the 11,000 nautical mile route, often through hazardous icing and fog conditions, without mishap. This is a direct reflection on his exceptional ability, resourcefulness and leadership. This officer was recently appointed second-in-command of the squadron, and is now directly responsible for all RCAF operations over the Pacific. His sterling qualities and abilities as a pilot were demonstrated forcibly on a flight from McChord Air Force Base, Washington, to Elmsdorf Air Force Base, Alaska on the 23rd November 1950. As on all trips the aircraft was loaded with troops and vital supplies for the United Nations’ effort in Korea. After completing two hours of the eight hour flight the aircraft encountered most severe icing conditions and head winds. In spite of the weather, Squadron Leader Dickson completed his flight, landing at his destination in a 74-knot gale. All other aircraft flying the route that encountered the same conditions, with the exception of another RCAF aircraft, aborted and returned to their points of departure. Had it not been for the superior skill and determination shown by this officer, a vital load would have been delayed. Squadron Leader Dickson’s qualities of leadership are an inspiring example to the officers and airmen under his command, and his untiring efforts have been an outstanding contribution to the success of the Royal Canadian Air Force’s participation in this operation.

An evader from North Luffenham. It was a long way home for Sgt Albert Wright

From all the aircraft lost from RAF North Luffenham I can only find one airman who managed to evade capture and escape back to Great Britain. The airman was Sgt Albert Wright, a Canadian serving in the Royal Air Force. He was shot down in an Avro Manchester on 31 December 1942 whilst attacking Brest. He finally made it back to Greenock in Scotland on 5 October 1942. 9 months ot make it back to the UK and a journey across Europe.

There is a comprehensive record of the thousands of escapers and their escape lines in Western Europe in 1940 to 1945. This is in a book called ‘RAF Evaders’ by Oliver Clutton-Brock.

While the story of Albert Wright’s escape is in the book, it is one of those books where you can open any page and find incredible stories on every page, I am not exaggerating!. The book records the stories of the evaders but also illuminate stories of the people that ran the escape lines to return Allied airmen to the fight. Their story is also incedible.

This is what the book records about Albert Wright:

Sgt Wright was the mid upper gunner of an Avro Manchester of 61 Squadron, which lost three of its aircraft and 23 airmen on attack on the German battle cruisers, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at Brest, on the nights of 31 January/1st of February 1942.

14 of the 23 airmen were killed, eight taken prisoner, and only Wright evaded capture. Hit by heavy flak defending the port, Wright’s Manchester was too low for the crew to bail out. Pilot Officer J R B Parsons had no choice but to land his aircraft as best he could.

Wright survived the crash, and so too did the rear gunner, Sgt Griffiths. Griffiths had a broken leg, and though Wright helped him out of the blazing Manchester, Griffiths was taken prisoner. Wright was soon found and sheltered by local Bretons.

After several days he was told about an organisation headed by a French Canadian called O’Leary, who would soon have him on his way to England by submarine. Unfortunately, the Germans arrested those that were about to help him and he found himself trapped in Brittany. Continually moved from house to house.

In mid-March he went to the Château Trefrey, home of the Compte and Contesse de Poulpiquet, where he stayed until May, when the Contesse herself helped him get to Quimper.

Another guide, a Jewish psychiatrist, took him as far as the demarcation line (the line between Nazi and Vichy control), where a young girl saw him across. She left him at a prearranged point where he walked on alone to a car. The driver of which, waiting to take him to LaHayediscards was Dr Vourc’h, one of those who would help them earlier in Brittany. Dr Vourc’h had to make good his escape to Vichy France, when he learnt that he was a wanted man by the Gestapo. He now took Wright to Montlucon. But on failing to make contact with the next human link in the chain, he escorted him to the American consulate in Lyon.

It was still possible at that time, June 1942, for telegraphs to be sent between Vichy France and England and while he was in Lyon Wright received the wonderful news that his wife had given birth to a son. The US vice consul, George Whittingdale, saw that Wright was well looked after. Within a few days someone from the PAO line took him and Dr Vourc’hht to Marseille. Wright was introduced to Pat O’Leary himself. Taken to an apartment, Wright actually arrived wearing a dinner jacket.

In reading this account I found that O’Leary had a very interesting past, but in the end he was betrayed by a man called ‘le Neveu’. After being arrested in Toulouse on 2 March 1943 O’Leary was sent to concentration camps and he was liberated in Dachau on 29 April 1945, later he was awarded the George Cross. His betrayer was a Gestapo agent and he himself was liquidated by the French ‘maquisards’ on the liberation of France in 1944

Back to Albert Wright’s story: Wright was moved to another safe house where other airmen had been placed. On 11 May a group of airmen and four Belgians who wished to join the armed forces, were all moved down the line, Banyons on 9 June. Setting off with 2 Spanish guides, it took the 12 men two days on foot to reach Spain, on 11 June the guides taking them to within 20 km of Gerona.

The escapers now split up into pairs but Wright was caught by Spanish police on a train to Barcelona. Wright was thrown into a police cell at Barcelona, before being transferred to a Spanish concentration camp, where all his hair was shaved off. He was released from the concentration camp on 23 September and was one of those to return to Scotland on HMS Malaya a week later.

What happened to Sgt Wright from the rest of the war and after the war is not recorded in the book.

a brave and tragic story – pilot officers Matthews and Williams – 9/10 Jan 42

I find the story of what happened to a 61 Squadron Manchester which crashed on the night of the 9th and 10th of January 1942, to be particularly tragic, because of the impossible situation that the airmen found themselves in. The situation is still occurring today where equipment is rushed into service and the operators have to make do. It is perhaps something that will always happen, recent examples would be Tornado pilots in the Gulf conflict never having practised with a particular real munition, and the first time they use it is on an operation at 200 feet at night.

This story is about the Avro Manchester, the forerunner of the Lancaster, having engines that did not deliver the power, leading to consequences like this story. The story can only be seen as bravery against an impossible situation.

The story is reflected in the book by Robert Kirby called Avro Manchester, the legend behind the Lancaster. This book documents the history of the aircraft, the losses, units and individual stories of operations. 61 Squadron was based at North Luffenham, and operating from RAF Woolfox Lodge.

On the night of the 9th and 10th of January 1942, 61 Squadron launched 12 aircraft as part of an operation to attack Nazi ships in Brest and Cherbourg. One of those aircraft serial number R5789 captained by Pilot Officer DS Matthews got airborne into the pitch black night.

There were eight people on board, the two pilots: Pilot Officer DS Matthews (already had a distinguished flying medal) and pilot officer TIR Wilson. On board was a flying control officer, Flying Officer CA Giles who was along for the ride. It was his first operation. Sgt Lorimer Sgt Fryer, Pilot Officer SP Walsh (presmably the navigator), Sgt Brown and Pilot Officer Lancaster (another passenger) made up the rest of the crew.

R5789 had reached a few thousand feet over the Wiltshire Hampshire border when the starboard engine lost power and caught fire. The propeller was feathered and the fire extinguished, but their position was immediately desperate.

With a full bomb load and most of the fuel still remaining their height loss was rapid and irreversible. In the pitch darkness Matthews had no idea of their precise position and bravely elected not to jettison the bombs for fear of killing innocent civilians.

The captain first steadied the aircraft while six of the crew bailed out, having safely accomplished this, the two pilots maintained their discipline and attempted a blind forced landing. Regrettably on this cruel night fate was against them and as Matthew.s flared for landing the aircraft crashed at a shallow angle into a belt of trees at Tidworth near Wiltshire Cross at 06:20. Both pilots were killed and the aircraft burnt and later the bomb load exploded.

To their eternal credit, in forfeiting their own lives the two pilots saved six more in the crew and avoided any casualties on the ground. Crash investigators were later unable to pinpoint the specific cause of the engine failure and speculated that icing may have been a contributory factor. Flying Officer Lancaster and the remainder of the crew escaped with minor injuries.

Having spent quite a lot of time on Salisbury plain I can picture the rows of beech trees that make up long lines of massive hedges across what is mainly a barren plain.

Pilot Officer Matthews was recorded in the London Gazette 7 March 1941 as being awarded a Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM). I have yet to find the citation. Matthews also had an incident on the 15 January 1940 when he was the pilot of a Handley Page Hereford from 14 OTU at RAF Cottesmore. He took off on a bombing exercise and the aircraft had engine failure and force landed at 13:25 to the SW of Pickworth, 8 miles SSW of Sleaford Lincs. There were no injuries sustained. (source Bomber Command Losses Vol 7 – OTUs)

That is the story. I think they were unlucky to hit one of these big beech hedges. Ultimately it’s because the engines were not fit for purpose. This of course led later to Avro putting four Merlin engines on the Manchester fuselage with a redesigned wing, and the Lancaster was born.

How brave to try and land a fully loaded bomber at night, I find it tragic and this story always brings a lump to my throat.

Squadron Leader Peter Stevens MC – a remarkable story – a German jew flying for the RAF and POW escaper

Squadron leader Peter “Steve Stevens” MC (Military Cross).
Royal Air Force 144 Squadron. This an example of the amazing stories of deeds done by people who were based at North Luffenham in WW2.

Sqn Ldr Peter Stevens (Copyright Marc Stevens)

Peter Stevens (born George Franz Hein) was the only German Jew known to have flown bombers in the RAF in World War II. He was sent to safety in London from Germany by his widowed mother in early 1934 when he was aged 14 to avoid the rise of Nazi antisemitism. Hein learned english and graduated from Regent Street Polytechnic in 1936. After a year at LSE he began working, but immaturity and bad feelings towards his mother got in the way. Gambling away the remainder of his family fortune (which had been sent to England for his care and that of his two siblings) Hein got into trouble with the law. In July 1939 he was sentenced to 3 months for petty theft. Released from prison six weeks early on September 1 (which was the day the Germans invaded Poland). Hein then committed identity theft taking the name of a dead polytechnic classmate, Peter Stevens.

Rather than reporting to the police station as an enemy alien (which would have meant internment for the duration) Hein as Peter Stevens reported to an enlistment station and joined the Royal Air Force for training as a fighter pilot. Selected instead for bombers, he was the object of a Metropolitan police manhunt during the 18 months he trained, and for five months he was flying combat operations as a Hampden pilot from North Luffenham.

Joining 144 Squadron at North Luffenham in April 1941, Stevens flew 22 combat operations before his aircraft was damaged by flak over Berlin on September 7, 1941. He ordered his crew to bail out and one rear gunner Sgt Ivor Roderick Fraser was killed when his parachute failed to open. Sgt Fraser has no known grave, but he is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial. The other air gunner, Sgt Thomas was captured and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner of war.

Sqn Ldr Stevens (copyright Marc Stevens)

Stevens realised that the aircraft was marginally flyable and made it back as far as Amsterdam before he ran out of fuel, and force landed in a farmers field. He destroyed the secret bits of the aeroplane and set fire to the wreckage before setting out cross-country with his navigator, Sgt Alan Payne. They were captured by German troops within a day.

Stevens as a POW in his own country was without protection under the Geneva Convention (as he was still a German citizen). For three years and eight months he lived with the knowledge that the Nazis could take him out of the prison camp at any time and shoot him. Nonetheless, he went on to become one of the most ardent escapers of the war. Stevens made eight escape attempts, and got outside the wire three times, but was captured each time. Stevens was imprisoned in 4 diferent camps over his captivity. These were Lubeck (10C), Dosel Bie Wurberg (6B), Braunshweig (21B) and finallt Stalag Luft 3 (L3). In Stalag Luft 3 Sagan in Poland (where the great escape took place) he was head of contacts the term for ‘scrounging’ in the East Compound ‘X’ organisation from April 1943 to evacuation in late Jan 1945.

In October 1941 just a month after being captured, he and a Canadian pilot Mike Lewis jumped off a Nazi prison train in a hail of bullets, and they went home to see Stephen’s mother in Hanover. They were looking for civilian clothing, food and money, they discovered instead that Stephen’s mother had committed suicide six weeks before the outbreak of hostilities.

This man spent 3 years and 7 months in captivity. He was one of 11,000 Bomber Command POWs – of which 1 in 20 failed died in captivity ( for a full account of Bomber Command POWs read Olvier Clutton-Brocks book – Footprints on the sands of time).

On May 17, 1946 Stevens was awarded the Military Cross (MC) for his escape activities, one of only 69 members of the Royal Air Force to receive the medal for bravery on the ground (see citation in the London Gazette below). Another of his escape attempts was characterised in a London newspaper on May 18, 1946 as the boldest escape attempt of the war. This man spent 3 years and 7 months in captivity before being liberated in April 1945.

The London Gazette. Of TUESDAY, the 14th of MAY, 1946

Military Cross

Flight Lieutenant Peter STEVENS (88219), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 144 Squadron. Flight Lieutenant Stevens was the captain of a Hampden aircraft detailed to bomb Berlin on 7th September, 1941. After the mission had been completed the aircraft was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire and had to be crash-landed subsequently, on the outskirts of Amsterdam. Flight Lieutenant Stevens set fire to the aircraft, destroyed all documents and then, in company with the navigator, commenced to walk towards Amsterdam. They met a farmer who took them to his house and gave them food, at the same time promising to put them in touch with an organisation. Both walked across country for an hour, and then hid in a hut on a football field. They were later found toy German Feldgendarmerie and taken to a Military prison, remaining therefor two days. They were then sent to the DulagLuft at Oberussel.

Flight Lieutenant Stevens was moved to Lubeck on the 20 th September, 1941. On 6th October, 1941, (he was entrained for Warbur and during the journey he made his escape, accompanied by another officer, by crawling through a ventilator and dropping to the ground while the train was in motion. Shots were fired and the train was stopped but he and his companion managed to reach a wood where they hid until the departure of the train. Shortly afterwards they jumped on a goods train and reached Hanover on 8th October. Here Flight Lieutenant Stevens made contact with some pre-war acquaintances who provided him with food, money and civilian clothes. He, with his companion, then entrained for Frankfurt. Here they were challenged by Railway Police and arrested being subsequently sent to Oflag Vi.B. at Warburg.

On 1st December, 1941, Flight Lieutenant Stevens made a further attempt to escape by disguising himself as a German Unter-Offizier. He led a party of 10 officers disguised as orderlies, and two officers disguised as guards with dummy rifles, and all marched through the gates of the camp. They had to return however, as the sentry was not satisfied that the gate pass was correct. Flight Lieutenant Stevens marched his party back to the compound and the sentry (the goon) was then quite unaware that the party was not genuine. A similar plan of escape was therefore, adopted a week later, but on this occasion the sentry was immediately suspicious and demanded of the party their pay-books. The party then had to disperse hurriedly but two of its members were arrested.

In September, 1942, Flight Lieutenant Stevens was moved to Oflag XXIB at Schubin. Here he made a fourth attempt to escape and managed to get away by means of a tunnel, carrying forged identity papers, wearing a civilian suit and carrying a converted great-coat. He took a train to Berlin, arriving there on the evening of 5th March, 1943. He bought a railway ticket to Cologne and, when on the journey to that town, he was asked for his identity card by a Gestapo official. The latter discovered that it was forged, and Stevens was then arrested and returned to the Oflag XXIB, receiving as a punishment 14 days in the cells (called the ‘cooler’).

Flight Lieutenant Stevens made a further attempt on 21st April, 1943. But it was unsuccessful and he served a sentence of 7 days in the cells. He was ultimately liberated by the Russian forces arrving at Stalag IIIA on the 21st April, 1945.

Sqn Ldr Stevens medals incluing military cross for escape activity (copyright Marc Stevens)

The amzing story does not end there.Stevens was naturalised as a British citizen in 1946 and then recruited to MI6 in 1947. He served five years in MI6 as an operative against the Soviets in Germany.

He emigrated to Canada in 1952, married in 1953 and had two sons. Stevens died of a heart attack brought on by chemotherapy in 1979 in Toronto. If that is not a remarkable story – what is?

Written by his son Marc, the biography of Peter Stevens called ‘Escape, Evasion and Revenge was published by Pen and Sword aviation in 2009. Further information at http://aircrewremembered.com/peter-stevens-mc.html