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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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12 crest

Operation: Bremen

Date: 02/03 July 1942 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit: No. 12 Squadron (motto: Leads the Field) 1 Group

Type: Wellington II

Serial: Z8579

Code: PH-?

Base: RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshre

Location: Barchem, Netherlands

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Ian Clarke Dunn AUS/404927 RAAF Age 27. Killed

Obs: Sgt. Geoffrey Hugh Butler-Williams NZ/402848 RNZAF Age 24. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Sgt K.W. Hawkins 1073118 RAFVR Age ? Pow No: 25025 Camp Stalag Lamsdorf

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. David Evans 1313522 RAFVR Age ? Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. S. Morris 948566 RAFVR Age ? Pow No: 24988 Camp Stalag Lamsdorf

REASON FOR LOSS:

At 23:35 hours on 2 July 1942, Wellington Z8579 took off from Binbrook to attack Bremen, Germany.

Sgt. Morris reported later that the aircraft crashed at Lochem, Holland. Sgt's Williams, Dunn and Evans were still in the aircraft when I left. Both Williams and Evans were killed in the engagement with an enemy night fighter when the aircraft exploded. Hawkins was a PoW. 'Sgt. Hawkins reported “Morris baled out before me, and the other three were still in the aircraft. Morris is a PoW like myself'.

Shot down by the Luftwaffe ace Lt. August Geiger of 8./NJG1(shown right) at 02:49 hrs. flying a Bf 110. His 7th claim of the war. He went on to claim 54 victories before he was killed on the 30th September 1943. (courtesy Kracker Archive)

Burial details:

Fl/Sgt. Ian Clarke Dunn. Laren General Cemetery (Barchem). Plot 2. Row A. Joint grave 6. Born on the 11th December 1914 at Laidley, Queensland. Son of Robert and Elizabeth Dunn, of Laidley, Queensland, Australia. B.A. (Queensland). Grave inscription: 'Greater Love Hath No Man Than This, That He Lay Down His Life'.

Sgt. Geoffrey Hugh Butler-Williams. Laren General Cemetery (Barchem). Plot 2. Row A. Grave 5. Born on the 23rd October 1917 at Sydney. A clerk for J.J. Craig Ltd. in Auckland prior to service. Son of Hugh Evan Butler-Williams and Catherine Maud Butler-Williams (née Cuddon), of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Sgt. David Evans. Laren General Cemetery (Barchem). Plot 2. Row A. Joint grave 6. No further details. Are you able to assist?

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, Kracker Archive, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 07-01-2021

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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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