Operation: Leipzig
Date: 19th/20th February 1944 (Saturday/Sunday)
Unit No: 9 Squadron
Type: Lancaster III
Serial: W5010
Code: WS:L
Base: RAF Bardney, Lincolnshire
Location: Near Stendal, Germany
Pilot: Flt Sgt. Denis 'Denny' Percy John Froud 1390463 RAFVR Age 22. KiA
Flt Eng: Sgt. Fred Harman 1391110 RAFVR Age 23. KiA
Nav: Sgt. David Brynmor Carlick 1586665 RAFVR Age 21. KiA
Bomb Aimer: Flt Sgt. Leonard Thomas Fairclough 1450687 RAFVR Age 20. KiA
WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Wilfred Henry Shirley 1436419 RAFVR Age 19. KiA
Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Stanley Lewis Jones 1652966 RAFVR Age? KiA
Air Gn (Rear)r: Flt Sgt. Robert Lloyd Biers R188272 RCAF Age 19. KiA
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off from RAF Bardney in Lincolnshire at 23:48 hrs. to attack the Messerschmidt factory - Luftwaffe night fighters and anti-aircraft batteries were ready and attacked as soon as they flew over the coast. Some 70 of the bomber stream were shot dow with over 400 aircrew killed, over 100 taken PoW.
The aircraft was claimed by Fw. Josef Handing, his 1st Abschuss, from 10./NJG5 - South West of Stendal (i.Zus.Arb, probably Himmelbett) at 6,000m at 03:15. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (1 January - 15 March 1944) Part 1 - Theo Boiten). The aircraft crashed at Luderitz/Dolle.
The crew were initially laid to rest in Gohre Cemetery Stendal.
In the post-war years the crew were re-interred in the 1939-1945 Berlin War Cemetery.
The following is an extract from a report by Flt Lt. W J Taylor, 21 Section No.4 MREU dated 29 May 1947:
On the 26 May 1947 I proceeded to the village of Gohre with Capt Fitzgerald of 56 GCU to try by means of search and exhumation to identify the unknown airmen buried in the local cemetery.The Burgomeister conducted us to the cemetery which was situated about 1km to the East of the village. The grave, which is about 75ft long by 10ft wide was situated beside a ploughed field and the only marking was that of a propeller of a Halifax aircraft. The Burgomeister stated that seven aircraft to his knowledge had been shot down in the vicinity of Gohre at approximately the same time 05:00 on the morning of 20 February 1944. Of these aircraft only 15 persons were taken prisoner. He could not say how many were taken prisoner from each aircraft or how many were dead in each. To his knowledge there were 48 persons buried in the grave but only five coffins. Of the five coffins, 4 contained one body each and the fifth one was a box 4ft x 4ft containing the remains of 8 persons. The remainder were buried in the ground with no covering whatsoever. The records he did have had names numbers and ranks for most of the bodies but this list had been removed by the Americans when they visited the cemetery so this left no records in the village.
Burial details:
Flt Sgt. Denis Percy John Froud. 1939-1945 Berlin War Cemetery. Grave 8.E.2. Inscription reads: "IN LOVING MEMORY OF DENNY. BELOVED BY ALL". Son of Percy Lewis and Florence Marion Froud of Leyton, Essex, England.
Above Fred Harman as a civilian (credit: Alan Futter)
Sgt. Fred Harman. 1939-1945 Berlin War Cemetery. Grave 8.E.3. Born during 1920. Son of Fred and Hyacinth (née Hackney) from Maidstone, Kent, England.
Sgt. David Brynmor Carlick. 1939-1945 Berlin War Cemetery. Collective grave 8.G. 1-16. Inscription reads: “SOME DAY SOME TIME BUT OH, NOT YET: YES, WE WILL WAIT AND NOT FORGET.” Born on the 11th of June 1922, David was the only son of Samuel and Beatrice May (née Andrews) Carlick of Treharris, Glamorgan, Wales, grandson of Mr T. Andrews, JP of Treharris, the veteran miners leader.
David Carlick was educated at Quakers Yard Secondary School where he was an outstanding athlete and a member of the rugby team. He later joined the Saltley College, Birmingham which was evacuated to Exeter.There he became a member of the University ATC. He was also a member of the Tabernacle chapel, Treharris and a playing member of its orchestra.
The family of Sgt. David Brynmor Carlic donated a brass Lectern to Tabernacle Chapel, Treharris, South Wales in the memory of Sgt. David Brynmor Carlick. Sadly we were notified in March 2018 that the chapel is to close. In order to preserve the Lectern for the family, Eirlys Emery is taking steps to donate this to a local museum. Aircrew Remembered are working with Eirlys to make this happen. The Marble plaque will remain at the chapel. Translation (kindly supplied by Eirlys) "In Loving Memory of Sgt Nav D Brynmor Carlick, RAF who fell in the 1939 - 1945 War. A faithful member of the church, the Sunday School and the orchestra". Ian Grant also sent a photo of the grave of Davids parents and other family members situated in Beechgrove Cemetery, Edwardsville. Translation: "In Loving Memory of Our Dear Mother Mary Andrews, Teg-Fryn-Tâf, Treharris, who died September 23 1939, at 65 years old. Thomas Andrews J.P., who died August 23 1945, at 94 years old. Also their grandson David Brynmor Carlick, Sgt/Nav. RAFVR who gave his life near Leipzig, February 20 1944 at 21 years old."
Above: The Lectern which, with the help of Eirlys Emery will be placed in a local museum for future generations to view following closure of the Tabernacle Chapel.
Flt Sgt. Leonard Thomas Fairclough. 1939-1945 Berlin War Cemetery. Grave 8.E.5. Grave inscription reads: “LET LIGHT PERPETUAL SHINE UPON HIM.” Son of Paul and Alice Evelyn Fairclough of Adlington, Lancashire, England.
Sgt. Wilfred Henry Shirley. 1939-1945 Berlin War Cemetery. Grave 8.E.6. Son of Mrs W.H. Shirley of Langley, Worcestershire, England.
Sgt. Stanley Lewis Jones.1939-1945 Berlin War Cemetery. Grave 8.E.4. No further details - are you able to assist?
Flt Sgt. Robert Lloyd Biers. 1939-1945 Berlin War Cemetery. Grave 8.E.1. Grave inscription reads: “IN LOVING MEMORY OF A DEAR SON AND BROTHER”. Born on the 21st July 1924 in Cochrane, Ontario. Son of Harold James and Sadie Myrtle (née Barnes) Biers of Cochrane, Ontario, Canada.
Robert had three brothers, Harold James and Kenneth George who served in the Royal Canadian Army serving overseas and Wallace Earl who served in the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR). All three survived the war.
Flt Sgt. Biers was commissioned and promoted to Plt Off. (J86395) with effect 18th February 1944.
The Bomber Command Museum (formerly the Nanton Lancaster Air Museum) built "Canada's Bomber Command Memorial" during the summer of 2005 and it was dedicated at a ceremony on August 20, 2005. The Memorial is made of five panels (8' wide and 4' high) of 3" thick, polished, black granite. Four of these each have about 1,600 names engraved per side. The central panel (6' high and 3' wide) includes the name and purpose of the Memorial (on both sides) as well as the Bomber Command Crest and a photo of a Canadian Bomber crew. Surrounded by a 5' sidewalk, the total length of the Memorial is 41'. It has been placed on the front lawn of the Bomber Command Museum.Clearly national in significance, the Memorial's 10,673 engraved names includes Canadians from every part of the country.
Researched by Aircrew Remembered, researcher and specialist genealogist Linda Ibrom for relatives of this crew - June 2016. Special thanks to Ian Grant and family for photos and information on his relation Sergeant Carlick. Also to Dave Champion for photo of Flt Sgt. Biers - June 2018. Thanks to Sheila Marie Biers for image of Plt Off. Bier's Grave marker and for the images of the Canadian Bomber Command Memorial. Thanks to John Jones for the MREU report and German Night Fighter claim (Dec 2019). Thanks to Alan Futter for the photograph of his uncle Flt Sgt. Harman (Jun 2021). Thanks to Sheila Marie Buers for the additional information regarding the brothers of Flt Sgt. Biers (Now 2023).
Other sources listed below:
RS 11.11.2023 - Update to brothers of Flt Sgt. Biers
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them. - Laurence
Binyon
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