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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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464 Squadron crest
06.12.1942 464 Squadron Ventura II AJ213 Sgt. Stanley C. Moss

Operation: Eindhoven (Operation Oyster)

Date: 6th December 1942 (Sunday)

Unit: 464 Squadron

Type: Ventura II

Serial: AJ213

Code: SB:N

Base: RAF Feltwell, Norfolk

Location: Vrouwenpolder (Zeeland)

Pilot: Sgt. Stanley Charles Moss 408513 RAAF Survived/wounded PoW No: 27441. * (1)

Obs: Sgt. Reginald Ambrose Wagner 1293901 RAF Survived/wounded PoW No: 952. **

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. John Albert Wallis 1377049 RAF Survived/wounded PoW No: 954. *

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Frederick George Lindsay 411921 RAAF Survived PoW No: 935. *

* Stalag 344, Lamsdorf (now called Łambinowice) in Silesia

** Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland. (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser, Bavaria)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 11:20 hrs from RAF Feltwell, Norfolk. A daylight raid on the Philips radio and valve factories in the Dutch town of Eindhoven. The first operation that 464 squadron took part in of the war.

The operation was carried out at very low level and little opposition had been encountered on route to the target. Once crossing the Dutch coast though, things changed quickly with a large amount of light flak. This due to the squadron being slightly off track and crossing an enemy emergency landing ground which was well defended.

Shots taken during the raid (IWM)

The operation was very successful and as the bombing had been planned for a Sunday, reduced civilian casualties were expected.

Severe damage caused to the factory during the raid but a few bombs fell in nearby streets killing some 148 Dutch citizens and a few German soldiers. The factory production was reduced for a further six months.

Left: Crew of Ventura II AJ213 Right: Stan Moss taken during training 1941(Courtesy Stan Moss)

464 Squadron Ventura 'Bombing up' at Feltwell, Norfolk (IWM)

AJ213 was one of the first aircraft hit, but the pilot, Sgt. Moss could not give the order to bale out to the crew as the intercom was damaged. He managed to crash land the aircraft at 12:18 hrs, all the crew were quickly captured and became a PoW for the war.

Ventura II AJ213 in a field at Vrouwenpolder (courtesy Hans van Dam - see link/credit)

A total of sixteen aircraft were lost or written off during this operation, the highest number of casualties from 2 Group in a single raid since the start of the war.

464 squadron lost 3 aircraft this day:
Ventura I AE702 SB:Q piloted by Fg Off. Maurice Gordon Moor J10139 RCAF killed with all four crew after being shot down by flak over the target. See Paradie Canadian Archive
Ventura II AE945 SB:E piloted by Flt Sgt. Beverly Morton Harvey R88469 RCAF killed with all four crew after being shot down by flak over the target. See Paradie Canadian Archive

(1) Stan Moss survived an amazing incident just four months previous to this during training.

Film of the actual raid (courtesy Bomber Guy)

Burial details:

None - all became Prisoners of War.

Researched for Stanley Charles Moss in preparation to his story on his PoW days, another one to be published by Aircrew Remembered.

With thanks to Stanley Moss, Fay and Gerald McPherson, Hans van Dam. Reinstatement of video (Jan 2022).

RS 06.01.2022 - Reinstatement of video.

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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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