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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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76 Squadron Crest
02/03.03.1944 76 Squadron Halifax III LW629 MP-M Flt.Sgt. Davies

Operation: Stuttgart

Date: 02/03rd March 1944 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit: 76 Squadron

Type: Halifax III

Serial: LW629

Code: MP-M

Base: RAF Holme-On-Spalding Moor, Yorkshire

Location: Celles-Sur-Plaine, France

Pilot: Flt.Sgt. Hiram Tom Davies 1388039 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Flt.Eng: Flt.Sgt. C.W. Jackson 1433366 RAFVR PoW No: 267 Camp: Stalag Luft Bankau (Bakow, Poland), near Kreuzburg (Klucsbork, Poland) L7

Nav: Sgt. Albert Fenwick 996901 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

Air Bmr: Flt.Sgt. Ronald Barnard Basford 1580529 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

W/Op Air Gnr: Sgt. Albert Drake 1049379 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Mid Upp. Gnr: Sgt. George Dalgetty Greenhill 1567926 RAFVR Age 26. Killed

Rear Gnr: Flt,Sgt. Kenneth George Wilson 1603668 RAFVR Age 26. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Holme-On-Spalding Moor in Yorkshire at 23:29 hrs - 557 aircraft leaving to attack Stuttgart. The Laufende reportage came on air at 00:30 hrs some 15 minutes prior to the bombers crossing the French coast. Details passed to the night fighter squadrons. However the bombers had the advantage of flying over thick cloud and left the Luftwaffe guessing the bombers objective.

Many of the night fighters were grounded due to poor weather conditions, however some 51 twin engined aircraft did take off and proceeded to intercept them. They were up in the air for some two hours and many returned due to lack of fuel. So the bombers continued to the target, with very little combat.

At 02:58 hrs some five minutes after the allied had arrived over the city was then Stuttgart was mentioned as the target - all available fighters were ordered to intercept. Most had completed their bombing runs and had returned to make their way home.

Left: Hptm. Gerhard Friedrich (courtesy Kracker Archive)

It is understood that Halifax LW629 was intercepted at 04:04 hrs and shot down by Hptm. Gerhard Friedrich (1) of 1./NJG6 with the aircraft coming down at Celles-Sur-Plaine in France having already released their bomb load and on their return journey home.

(1) This was Hptm. Gerhard Friedrich’s 8th confirmed claim of the war. He went on to claim a total of 30 kills before he was himself killed on the 16/17th March 1945 near Stuttgart after a collision with a 576 Squadron Lancaster PB785 UL-L2. The pilot of that aircraft Fl/Lt. Frank Dotten J/12642 RCAF and all 7 crew were also killed. (6 Canadians and 1 British)


Burial details:

Flt.Sgt. Hiram Tom Davies. Choloy War Cemetery. Grave 1A.B.17. Son of Cpl. Hiram Morecroft Davies, 6th Middlesex Bn. Home Guard (died on active service. 11th September, 1940 - age 54 and buried in South Ealing Cemetery, London, England), and of Ethel Gwenllian Davies, of Bellevue, Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa. Grave inscription reads: “Abide With Me”.

(Left: Courtesy of Di Ablewhite) Sgt. Albert Fenwick. Choloy War Cemetery. Collective grave 1A.B.19-22. Son of George Frederick and Eliza Ann Fenwick, of Sheffield, England. Grave inscription reads: “A Beautiful Star Shines On This Grave Of A Loving Son We Could Not Save”.

Flt.Sgt. Ronald Barnard Basford. Choloy War Cemetery. Grave 1A.B.18. Son of Mr. and Mrs. M. Basford, of 98 Becher Street, Derby, England. Grave inscription reads: “Until The Day Breaks And Shadows Pass Away”.





Sgt. Albert Drake. Choloy War Cemetery. Collective grave 1A.B.19-22. Born on the 17th July 1922 in Wigan, the son of Levy and Sarah Helen Drake, of Lowton St. Mary's, Lancashire, England. Husband of Annie Drake, of Lowton St. Mary's. Grave inscription reads: “Sweet Is The Memory Of One We Loved And Never Forget Loving Wife, Daughter Doreen”.

Sgt. George Dalgetty Greenhill. Choloy War Cemetery. Collective grave 1A.B.19-22. Son of John Dalgetty Greenhill and Charlotte May Greenhill, of Forfar, Angus, Scotland. Grave inscription reads: “Only Those Who Have Lost Can Feel The Grief Borne Silently For One We Loved Well”.

Flt.Sgt. Kenneth George Wilson. Choloy War Cemetery. Collective grave 1A.B.19-22. Son of Zachariah and Ada Wilson of Outwell, Cambridgeshire, England. Further information: volunteered for the RAF at the outbreak of war but was turned down as he was engaged in"important work"- he worked at Hall Farm. After five subsequent attempts he was accepted in May 1942, and began a course as wireless operator. He was then posted to the school of gunnery and at the end of his course started on "Ops". He gained his crown in around 1943. Posted to 76 Squadron Holme-on-Spalding Moor. Detailed in the Operations Book and Air 27 records with sorties in January and February 1944. On January the 20th 1944 he was on Halifax V LL189 "C" with Flt.Sgt. Eaton, Flt.Sgt. Neal, Sgt. Harding, Sgt. Wallis, Sgt. Becker and Sgt. Watson on an attack on Berlin. Prior to this date they had been grounded for 22 days due to poor weather conditions.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Gail Wilson-Waring - relative of Flt.Sgt. Kenneth George Wilson, Ian Macdonald relative of Sgt. Albert Drake. Ben on the ‘Find A Grave’ website for grave photographs. Also thanks to Graham Eaton, son of Pilot Flt.Sgt. Eaton (76 Squadron pilot) for correction of details on Flt.Sgt. Kenneth George Wilson. Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vol's. 1 and 2. Thanks to Di Ablewhite on behalf of the Sgt. Fenwick's family for his photograph.

RS 05.03.2020 - Addition of photograph for Sgt. Fenwick

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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