Operation: Schweinfurt, Germany

Date: 26th/27th April 1944 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit No: 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron, 5 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: ME730

Code: KM:R

Base: RAF Dunholme Lodge, Lincolnshire

Location: Boblingen, Germany

Pilot: Plt Off. William Edward Kewley 421811 RNZAF Age 25. KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Denis Booth 1583384 RAFVR Age 19. KiA (1)

Nav: Flt.Sgt. Leonard Jeathto Mitchell 429357 RNZAF Age 21. PoW No: 3562 *

Bomb Aimer: Sgt. John Reseigh 948888 RAFVR Age 23. PoW No: 3577 *

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Maurice James Webber 1315671 RAFVR Age 22. KiA (2)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt George Douglas Lees R184325 RCAF Age 24. KiA (3)

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. John Rutzki R181154 RCAF Age 33. KiA

* Stalag 357, Kopernikus at Thorn (Toruń) in Poland (Moved to Stalag 357, Fallingbostal but officially the designation was Stalag 357, Oerbke.

Left to right Plt Off. William E. Kewley (Courtesy Annette Lees and Glenys Elaine), Sgt George D. Lees and Sgt. John Rutzki (Courtesy of their Service Records)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 21:33 hrs to attack Schweinfurt, where factories manufacturing ball-bearings were located - in what is described as a failure with very light damage done on the ground due to strong head winds making the markers inaccurate from the Mosquito Pathfinder force.

The resulting bombing was very poor with much of it falling outside the target area. 2 people on the ground were killed but following the fierce fighting with the Luftwaffe Night fighters, the Allies lost a total of 21 aircraft of the 215 taking part!

ME730 was claimed by Oblt. Martin Becker of 2./NJG6, his 29th Abschuss and second of two, over Bösingen West of Echterdingen, at 4,800m at 01:36 hrs. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (16 March 1944 - 11 May 1944) Part 2 - Theo Boiten)

Oblt. Martin Becker, who survived the war and went on to become a commercial pilot. He was credited with fifty-two (52) Abschüsse. He died on the 8th February 2006, age 90.

(1) Sgt. Dennis Booth and Olwen Mavis James were married in early in April 1944 in Glamorgan.

Above: Marriage of Sgt. Booth and Olwen Mavis James (Courtesy of Paul McCarthy)

(2) The following is an extract from report by Fg Off. P. Ellwood of No. 2 MREU dated 16th May 1947:

The following information was obtained when a visit was made to Boesingen. This aircraft crashed shortly after midnight 2km South West of the village. Kewley, Rutzki, Booth and Lees were found dead amongst the wreckage and are buried in the small cemetery of Boesingen. Two being in one coffin and tow in another as from the information obtained. Their bodies being crushed badly. In the same grave are two coffins belonging to six members of another crash. The large grave is in excellent condition having planks on it and being regularly attended by the local cemetery keeper. It is marked by a large wooden cross having a metal plate bearing all the names. It is situated in the centre at the bottom of the cemetery opposite the entrance. It cannot be mistaken as the cemetery is very small. The grave is not registered. Sgt Webber was found severely wounded amongst the wreckage and was taken to hospital at Nagold. He died en-route to the hospital. Records show that he was buried in the cemetery there.A visit was paid to the cemetery where the grave was found to be No 14 in Section 24. The cross is marked “Webber (Sargeant) Engl Flg”. It is not registered. A request for exhumation for the grave at Boesingen had been made to establish individual identification.

(3) The brothers Lees.

Above: The Lees brothers (courtesy Annette Lees)

26 year old Pt. Eli Arthur Lees B59117 was killed just 3 months later, serving with the 1st. Battalion Royal Regiment of Canada on the 18th July 1944 in France. Buried Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery Reviers Plot III, Row C, Grave 9. Grave inscription: “PARTED ON EARTH TO MEET IN HEAVEN”.

Another brother, 22 year old, Sgt. Melville Francis also served as an air gunner in the RCAF, he survived.

A second aircraft from the Sqn Lancaster I LL920 KM:V failed to return. Flown by Fg Off. Gordon William Oldham DFC 160013 RAFVR.

Burial details:

Durnbach War Cemetery - The quality of these photographs shown here can not be fully appreciated when the size is reduced for the web page - scroll to bottom of page for detail. (courtesy David Franklin - David has kindly provided us with permission to release high definition copies to relatives)

Those who perished were initially buried in Boesingen Cemetery except for Sgt Webber who was buried Nagold Cemetery and were moved to Durnbach after war end.

Plt Off. William Edward Kewley. Durnbach War Cemetery, Coll. Grave 8.D.26-29. Son of Ida Kewley and stepson of Cyrus Davie of Eketahuna, Wellington, New Zealand.

505 hours flying hours logged, this was his 6th operation.

Sgt. Denis Booth. Durnbach War Cemetery, Coll. Grave 8.D.26-29. Son of Fredrick William and Evelyn Booth. Husband of Olwen Mavis (née James) Booth of Barry Dock, Glamorgan, Wales.

Sgt. Maurice James Webber. Durnbach War Cemetery, Grave 8.A.26. Grave inscription: "MEMORY'S TRIBUTE TO OUR DEAR SON. MUM, DAD AND HIS DEVOTED BROTHERS". Son of Frederick and Elizabeth Ann Webber of Eastville, Bristol, England.

Sgt. George Douglas Lees. Durnbach War Cemetery, Coll. Grave 8.D.26-29. Born on the 16th October 1919 at Blind River, Algoma, Ontario. Son of Arthur Boyter and Eva Marion (née Pickens) Lees of Blind River, (later of Walford, Sudbury, Canada) Ontario, Canada. Husband to Margaret Elaine (née Germain) Lees.

Flt Sgt. John Rutzki. Durnbach War Cemetery, Coll. Grave 8.D.26-29. Grave inscription reads: "WITH TENDER LOVE AND DEEP REGRET, WE WHO LOVED HIM WILL NEVER FORGET". Born on the 23rd September 1911 in McKim, Saskatchewan. Son of John and Madeleine Rutzki of McKim, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Further information can be found on the Saskatchewan Virtual War Memorial website.

Researched with Annette Lees, relative of Sgt. George Lees. With thanks to Glenys Elaine for pilot photograph (Mar 2015). Map added (Sep 2019). Thanks to John Jones for the No.2 MREU report (Jun 2020). Reviewed and updated with new information and images with thanks to Paul McCarthy for the photograph of his mother’s first wedding (Jun 2026).

Other sources listed below:

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