Operation: Peenemünde, Germany

Date: 17th/18th August 1943 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit No: 426 (Thunderbird) Sqn, RCAF, 6 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster II

Serial: DS681

Code: OW:?

Base: RAF Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire

Location: Crashed west of Tutow airfield, some 64 miles (103 km) NW of Stettin, Germany

Pilot: Wg Cdr. Leslie Crooks DSO, DFC, 44054 RAF Age 33. KiA (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. John Carmichael Hislop 1567321 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

Nav: Flt Sgt. Alfred John Howes 1254491 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

Bomb Aimer: Sgt. Kenneth William Reading 1217087 RAFVR Age 20. PoW No: 222544 * (2)

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Lt. Francis Peter Marsh DFC, J15643 RCAF Age 25. KiA (3)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Plt Off. Theophilus Dos Santos J26605 RCAF Age 20. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): WO2. Henry Maxwell Smith R100881 RCAF Age 24. KiA

* Stalag 4B Mühlberg, Sachsen, Germany

Above left to right: Plt Off. Theophilus Dos Santos (Application for US Transit Certificate), WO2 Henry M. Smith (from his service record)

REASON FOR LOSS

On the 17th/18th August 1943 DS681 took-off from RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 21:32 hrs along with eight (8) other bombers from the squadron and joined a force of five-hundred and ninety-six (596) aircraft detailed to bomb Peenemünde in Germany. This was the first raid in which the 6 (Canadian) Group operated Lancaster aircraft.

Two (2) aircraft from the Squadron failed to return. These were the Squadron’s first casualties since completing their conversion programme flying the Lancaster.

DS681 was claimed as a probable 4-Mot by Lt. Dieter Mussett, his 3rd Abschuss and 3rd of four (4) this night, from 5./NJG1 over Peenemünde at 2.000m at 01:50 hrs.

Note: Lt. Mussett and his Bordfunker, Ogefr. Helmut Hafner were flying Bf110 G-4 G9+JN which was testing the new installation of “Schräge Musik” [Schräge Musik was a common name for the installation of an upward-firing pair of autocannon or machine guns to an interceptor aircraft, such as a night fighter]. (Ref 1, p-73-74)

Lt. Musset was killed on the night of the 9th/10th February 1945 in a crash at Harderode, 13 km SE of Hameln during a transit flight in bad weather, cause unknown (Ref 2, p68)

The aircraft crashed in a field on the edge of a wood within the western boundary of Tutow airfield, Germany.

Note: Tutow Fliegerhorst comprised two (2) separate airfields, Tutow/Nord and Tutow/Süd, separated by a large wooded area. Today called Flugplatz Tutow-Betriebs which is some 12 miles (20 km) SW of Griefswald.

The second aircraft was Lancaster II DS674 flown by Flt Lt. Douglas D. Shuttleworth DFC, J13018 RCAF which was lost without trace. Flt Lt. Shuttleworth DFC and his crew of six(6) were all posted MiA.

(1) As an Acting Flt Lt. with 58 Sqn he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) which was promulgated in the London Gazette on the 11th February 1941.

Wg Cdr. Crooks was awarded the Distinguish Service Order (DSO) on the night of the 26th/27th April 1943 for his actions in returning his crew safely back to England after his Wellington X HE867 suffered major damage from being attacked by a German night-fighter whilst on an operation to Duisburg in Germany.

(2) Sgt. Reading baled out of the aircraft at a low altitude and was the only one to do so. He witnessed the aircraft crash about 150 yds from where he landed. He was captured at Griefswald that day and was held in solitary confinement for the next three (3) days, and was not provided with any food for 48 hrs. During this time he was interrogated before being transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel. Here he spent another three (3) days in solitary confinement and was again interrogated.

On the 1st September he arrived at Stalag 4B Mühlberg in Sachsen. The camp was liberated by the Soviet Army which arrived on the 23rd April 1945. The camp held some 30,000 and of these 7,250 were British. The Soviet’s held the British and American prisoners in the camp for over a month. The then Warrant Officer (WO) was interviewed on the 28th May 1945.

Kenneth William Reading was born on the 10th November 1922 in Chesham, Buckinghamshire. He was employed as an Insurance Clerk prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 27th January 1941. Kenneth passed away in May 2003 in Lincolnshire, England.

(3) Flt Lt. Marsh was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on the night of the 26th/27th April 1943 for his actions in assisting Wg Cdr. Crooks in returning his crew safely back to England after his Wellington X HE867 suffered major damage from being attacked by a German night-fighter whilst on an operation to Duisburg in Germany.

When Francis enlisted in the RCAF his brother, William Hedley Clavering Marsh was a Lt. serving overseas with the 1st Armoured Car Regiment, Royal Canadian Dragoons, 1st Canadian Corps, Royal Canadian Army. Lt. Marsh was awarded the Military Cross (MC) and was seriously injured, losing a foot in action.

Burial details:

Those that perished were buried in an isolated grave on the 21st August at Tutow airfield, between Peenemünde and Rostock in Germany. They were finally laid to rest at the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery on the 4th October 1947.

Above: The Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery (Courtesy of the CWGC)

Wg Cdr. Leslie Crooks DSO, DFC. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Collective Grave 7.Z. 11-13. Grave Inscription: “GONE FROM OUR HOME BUT NOT FROM OUR HEARTS. LOVED AND REMEMBERED ALWAYS”. Born in the 4th Qtr of 1910 in Auckland, Durham. Son of Arthur Pearson and Bertha (née Hull) Crooks. Husband of Flora Grace (née Moulding) Crooks of Peterborough, Northamptonshire, England.

Sgt. John Carmichael Hislop. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, 7.Z.8. Grave inscription: “"THY WILL BE DONE"”. Born on in 1922 in Pollokshaws, Glasgow. Son of Samuel Raymond and Harriet Cameron (née Carmichael) Hislop of Glasgow, Scotland.

Flt Sgt. Alfred John Howes. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, 7.Z.9. Grave Inscription: “"ONLY FOR EVER"”. Born on the 20th November 1921 in Camberwell, London. Son of Alfred and Ellen (née Clayton) Howes. Husband of Marie Beatrice (née Tompkins) Howes of Shepherd's Bush, London, England.

Flt Lt. Francis Peter Marsh DFC. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, 7.Z.10. Born on the 11th June 1918 in Toronto. Son of Francis Hedley and Hazel Reed (née Peverley-deceased) Marsh of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His step-mother Bettie-Murial (née Chapman) Marsh raised him after his mother died.

Plt Off. Theophilus Dos Santos. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Collective Grave 7.Z. 11-13. Grave Inscription: “OF TRINIDAD, B.W.I. " I LAID ME DOWN AND SLEPT; I AWAKED; FOR THE LORD SUSTAINED ME"”. Born on the 31st July 1923 in Trinidad, British West Indies. Son of Patrick Emanuel and Fanny (née Williams) Dos Santos of Port of Spain, Trinidad, British West Indies.

Plt Off. Henry Maxwell Smith. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Collective Grave 7.Z. 11-13. Grave Inscription: “IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DEAR SON HARRY. REQUIESCANT IN PACE”. Born on the 9th July 1919 in Toronto, Ontario. Son of Henry James and Mary Grace (née Doyle) Smith of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

WO2. Smith was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J18388 Plt Off. effective on the 8th August 1943.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the crew and their relatives (Aug 2026).

References:

1. Nachtjagd Combat Archive (23 September - 31 December) 1943 Part 3 - Theo Boiten.
2. Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies - Theo Boiten.

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