Operation: Scholven-Buer
Date: 06th October 1944 (Friday)
Unit: No. 78 Squadron
Type: Halifax III
Serial: LW511
Code: EY-Z
Base: RAF Breighton, Yorkshire.
Location: Gahlen, Germany
Pilot: W/O. John Henry Bradburn 1343450 RAFVR Age 22. Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. David Menzies 3020036 RAFVR Age 19. Killed
Nav: Fl/Sgt. Richard John Holland 1396475 RAFVR Age ? Killed
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Daniel Crerar 1561150 RAFVR Age 22. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Ronald Charles West 1811334 RAFVR Age ? Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Edward Borkofsky R/189482 RCAF Age 22. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Alexander Crew Lachie Todd 1554137 RAFVR Age 22. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off from RAF Breighton, Yorkshire at 14.17 hrs on a daylight operation to bomb the synthetic oil plant at Scholven-Buer. Another operation was being carried out at the same time on the plant at Sterkrade.
The weather was very clear and reports state that the bombing proved accurate although we have no details of the damage/losses on the ground. 10 aircraft were lost on these two raids. Understood that LW511 was hit by flak and came down in the village of Gahlen as shown on the map.Two other aircraft and crews were also lost on this operation:
Halifax III LL588 EY-O Flown by F/O. Raymond L. Stanley RAFVR killed with 6 other crew.
Halifax III MZ310 EY-U Flown by F/O. Charles W. Crawford RAFVR killed with 7 other crew.
Burial details:
Right: Panel erected at the South and Levern Parish Church, Barrhead (courtesy John Houston)
W/O. John Henry Bradburn. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Grave 20.F.11. Son of Stuart Bradburn and of Anne S.W. Bradburn, of Barrhead, Renfrewshire, Scotland.
Sgt. David Menzies 3020036. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Grave 20.F.8. Son of John Carson Menzies and Grace Blacklock Menzies, of Annan, Dumfriesshire, Scotland.
Fl/Sgt. Richard John Holland. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Grave 20.F.9. NoK details currently not available - are you able to assist completion of these and any other information?
Fl/Sgt. Daniel Crerar. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Grave 20.F.12. Son of Daniel and Agnes Crerar, of Airdrie, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
Sgt. Ronald Charles West. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Grave 20.F.10. NoK details currently not available - are you able to assist completion of these and any other information?
Fl/Sgt. Edward Borkofsky. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Grave 20.G.1. Son of Louis and Mary Borkofsky, of Russell, Manitoba, Canada.
Sgt. Alexander Crew Lachie Todd. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Grave 20.F.13. Son of Walter and Jean Todd, of Sighthill, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Researched for Tony Holland, brother of the navigator, Fl/Sgt. Richard Holland. For further details our thanks to the following, Piet Truren from Holland for pointing out incorrect location detail. Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vol's. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vol's. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries (Updated 2014 version), Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 05 October 2014, 19:51