Operation: Karlsruhe, Germany

Date: 26th/27th September 1944 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit No: 467 (RAAF) Squadron (motto: 'Recidite Adversarius Atque'), 5 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: LM239

Code: PO:M

Base: RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire

Location: South east of Spielberg

Pilot: Fg Off. Kenneth Verdun Millar 415948 RAAF Age 28. PoW No: 6176 * (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. John Howard Barnes 9645530 RAFVR Age 24. PoW No: 970 ** (2)

Nav: WO. Keith Alan McKay 408709 RAAF Age 30. PoW No. 6173 * (3)

Bomb Aimer: Flt Sgt. Angus Murray Hughes 417845 RAAF Age 20. PoW No: 1069 ** (4)

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. Alan Maxwell Meggs 419412 RAAF Age 20. PoW No: 990 ** (5)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Plt Off. Alan John Perkins 432256 RAAF Age 20. KiA (6)

Air Gnr (Rear): Flt Lt. Francis James Cleary 400870 RAAF Age 29. PoW No. 6088 * (7)

* Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang, today situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.

** Stalag Luft 7, Bankau nr. Kreuzburg, Upper Silesia now Bąków nr. Kluczbork in Poland.

Above LM239 crew left to right: Rear: Flt Sgt. Alan Meggs, Flt Lt. Francis Cleary, Flt Sgt. Angus Hughes, Plt Off. Alan Perkins: Front: WO. Keith McKay, Fg Off. Kenneth Millar and Sgt. John Barnes (Courtesy of John Williams)

REASON FOR LOSS:

LM239 took-off at 00:44 hrs with 16 others from the squadron. The pilot Fg Off. Millar had completed thirty-two (32) operational missions and was right at the end of his tour. The squadron gunnery leader, Flt Lt. Cleary was on his 13th trip on his second tour.

The crew of LM239 in front of their aircraft during an inspection by the Duke of Gloucester. (Courtesy John Williams)

Weather limitations threatened to spoil a 5 Group attack on Karlsruhe on the night of the 26th/27th September but, as this time the bomb-load was almost entirely incendiary, once the attack started there were sufficient ground fires to give a reasonable aiming point for crews arriving after the target indicators were extinguished.

This raid caused widespread devastation in the centre of Karlsruhe; mainly administrative and commercial buildings, but munitions factories and military barracks all suffered but the important railway repair shops, already attacked early in the month by the USAAF received little extra damage. Thirty-one (31) crews of 463 and 467 squadrons commented on the difficulty of identifying the target markers at Karlsruhe but were generally satisfied with the raid.

The pilot later reported:

'The aircraft was hit by Flak and damaged. The port wing was hit and the port outer on fire. Could not feather port outer as still windmilling. The fire from this engine was spreading rapidly along the whole port wing the petrol tanks apparently being holed.

Ordered put on chutes but not jump. Immediately the fire enveloped the whole wing and abandon order given and acknowledge. No crew injured. It is possible that Perkins the mid upper gunner could have been in the aircraft at time of abandoning as the I/C was still working but I could not get any more response from the two gunners who were the only two I had not personally seen abandon. I presumed they had left and as my position was getting intensively hot I abandoned about 10000 feet. Aircraft was under control but port wing burning fiercely.

The aircraft crashed about 6 kms south of Karlsruhe. All the crew were safe except Perkins. The last person to see him was the Wireless Operator when he was standing at the rear door as if in readiness to jump after him. He had definitely left his turret and was standing by the rear door. Nothing else is known regarding Plt Off. Perkins. I was liberated from Stalag Luft 1 by the Allied armies on the 19th May 1945'.

LM239 was hit by Flak in the target area from an unidentified Flak unit with the aircraft crashing at Spielberg (Ref 1, p87).

(1) Kenneth Verdun Millar was born on the 23rd April 1916 in Southern Cross, Western Australia, enlisted in Perth. Discharged from the RAAF on the 30th January 1946. Married Carmel Margaret Grace (née Millar) in 1958. Passed away on the 25th April 2002, age 86.

(2) John Howard Barnes was born on the 20th April 1920 in Cardiff, Glamorganshire, Wales. He was employed as a Colliery Fitter and Machinist prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 23rd April 1940. John passed away on the 2nd June 1968 in Caerleon, Monmouthshire, Wales.

(3) Keith Alan McKay was born on the 2nd May 1914 in Brunswick, Victoria. Enlisted in Adelaide. Discharged from the RAAF on the 4th December 1945. Passed away on the 11th February 1972, age 57.

(4) Angus Murray Hughes was born on the 7th October 1923 in Adelaide, Western Australia. Discharged from the RAAF on the 17th December 1945.

Link to the funeral of Angus Murray Hughes on the 14th August 2026

(5) Alan Maxwell Meggs was born on the 22nd December 1923 in Bendigo, Victoria. Enlisted in Melbourne on the 15th October 1942. Discharged from the RAAF on the 17th December 1945. Passed away on the 5th December 2003 in Melbourne, Victoria aged 79.

(6) Alan John Perkins was employed as warehouseman prior to service. Enlisted on the 5th December 1942. Trained with 27 Operational Training Unit (OTU) on the 12th October 1943 then with 1660 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) on the 2nd April 1944 - 21st May 1944. Joined 467 squadron from Lancaster Finishing School (LFS) on the 8th June 1944 with this crew.

(7) Francis James Cleary was born on the 5th April 1915 in Warrnambool, Victoria. Enlisted in Melbourne on the 2nd December 1940. Discharged from the RAAF on the 3rd October 1945. Passed away on the 15th November 1975, age 60.

Burial details:

Plt Off. Alan John Perkins. Durnbach War Cemetery, Grave 1.B.13. Epitaph: 'GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE'. Born on the 2nd July 1924 in Carlton, New South Wales. Son of William Harold and Naomi (née Browning) Perkins of 26 The Crescent, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to NAA, National Archives of Australian, National Archives and John Williams for the crew photographs (Nov 2022). Reviewed and updated by Aircrew Remembered with thanks to David Franklin for notification and link to the forthcoming funeral of Angus Murray Hughes (Aug 2026).

Other sources listed below:

References:

1. Nachtjagd Combat Archive (24 July 1944 - 15 October 1944) Part 4 - Theo Boiten.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2026 Last Modified: 09 August 2026, 09:13