Operation: Frankfurt, Germany

Date: 12th/13th September 1944 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit No: 15 Squadron, 3 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: NF958

Code: LS:M

Base: RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk

Location: Wielblingen near Heidelberg, Germany

Pilot: Fg Off. Norman Rupert Overend 422090 RNZAF Age 21. KiA (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. Barry James Howarth 575933 RAF Age 22. PoW * (2)

Nav: Sgt. George Buchanan Thomson 1572977 RAFVR Age 21. PoW No. 870 * (2)

Bomb Aimer: FIt Sgt. John Davies Jones 573430 RAF Age 22. PoW No. 850 * (3)

WOp/Air Gnr: FIt Sgt. Robert Eric Kendall 1457152 RAFVR Age 22. PoW * (3)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): FIt Sgt. Harry Albert Beverton 1880277 RAFVR Age 30. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Isador Spagatner 1896294 RAFVR Age 28. PoW No. 817 * (4)

* Stalag Luft 7, Bankau nr. Kreuzburg O.S." (O.S. standing for Oberschlesien, Upper Silesia). Today called Bąków nr. Kluczbork (Poland).

Above the crew of NF958.

Standing, left to right: Sgt. George B. Thomson, Flt Sgt. Robert E. Kendall, Flt Sgt. John D. Jones, Sgt. Barry J. Howarth, Fg Off. Norman R. Overend. Front left to right: Sgt. Isador Spagatner, FIt Sgt. Harry A. Beverton

REASON FOR LOSS:

NF958 was one of thirteen (13) bombers from 15 Sqn that took off from RAF Mildenhall to join a force of 378 Lancasters and 9 mosquitoes that were detailed to bomb Frankfurt. Reports stated that the target was attacked in clear conditions with crews reporting a very good attack observing several large fires.

NF958 was one of two (2) aircraft from the Sqn that failed to return from this operation.

NF958 was claimed by Ofw. Heinrich Schmidt, his 2nd Abschuss, from 2./NJG6, over Grossachsen east of Mannheim at 3000 m. at 22:55 hrs.

Note: also claimed by Flak of 1., 3. and 4./gem. Flak Abt. 491 (o), 4. and 5./schw. Flak Abt. 492 (o) and 3./schw. Flak Abt. 418 (Eisb) ('Lancaster , 5200 m. 22.49 hrs'). Flak claim annotated by OKL (Luftwaffe High Command) 'Jäger', ('Shot down by fighter'). (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (24 July 1944 - 15 October 1944) Part 4 - Theo Boiten).

The aircraft crashed on the western outskirts of the city near the Wielblingen railway station at 23:00 hrs.

NF958 took off at 18:41 and brought down over Heidelberg, crashing in the western outskirts of the city near the Wielblingen railway station at 23:00.

NF958 was claimed by Ofw. Heinrich Schmidt, his 2nd Abschuss, from 2./NJG6, over Grossachsen east of Mannheim at 3000 m. at 22:55 hrs.

Note: also claimed by Flak of 1., 3. and 4./gem. Flak Abt. 491 (o), 4. and 5./schw. Flak Abt. 492 (o) and 3./schw. Flak Abt. 418 (Eisb) ('Lancaster , 5200 m. 22.49 hrs'). Flak claim annotated by OKL (Luftwaffe High Comman) 'Jäger', ('Shot down by fighter'). (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (24 July 1944 - 15 October 1944) Part 4 - Theo Boiten).

The squadron lost another crew:

Lancaster I LM110 LS:G Flown by 26 year old, Plt Off. Allan Douglas Macdougall 405955 RAAF from Beaufort, Victoria, Australia. He and his entire crew were KiA.

(1) Norman Rupert Overend was educated at Christchurch Technical College. Worked as a slipper worker for Carlyle Slipper Company of Christchurch. Enlisted at Rongotai on the 19th March 1942. With No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School 5th September 1942. No. 1 Service Flying Training School on the 28th November 1942. Pilot badge awarded on the 19th February 1943 and promoted to Sgt. on the 9th April 1943.

Embarked for England on the 12th May 1943. No. 12 Personnel Reception Centre (PRC) on the 20th June 1943. Further training with 11 Operational Training Unit (OTU), 1657 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) and No. 3 Lancaster Finishing School (LFS).

Above: L-R: Rear; W.C. Campbell, H.R. Wootten, Edward Nigel Jeffreys Thomson 416552 ✞, C.C. Dumbleton, Nigel Llewellyn-Langston, Kenneth Macindoe MacKay 421829 ✞, C.G. Fantham, A.C. Iversen.
Centre; C.A .Megson, H.G. Irons, D.W. Mann, B.C. Cornish, J.H. Atkinson, Harold Hayward Beard 422076 ✞, Trevor Gerrick Page 422999 ✞, Norman Rupert Overend 422090 ✞, Marcel Launcelot Hore 422402 ✞.
Front; E.J. Lawson, Edward Percival Smith 428798 ✞, W.L. Stewart, Plt Off. R.J. Walton, Sgt. W.H. Smart, H.W Thoms, R.H. McAlister, Norman Harold Benton 428759 ✞. Donald Cook 422373. (Courtesy Ar Museum of New Zealand)

He joined 15 squadron on the 18th June 1944. He was appointed to a commission and promoted to Plt Off. on the 5th August 1944. Carried out 19 operational sorties, with 586 flying hours logged.

(2) After they had baled out Flt Sgt. Howarth and Sgt. Thomson landed south of Mannheim and joined up. They evaded without any assistance from the local population until the 20th September when they captured by soldiers from the Wehrmacht at Rastatt, some 68 km (42 miles) to the south as the crow flies.

They were transported to Dulag Luft, Oberusel for the statutory interrogation and solitary confinement. They were then transferred to Stalag Luft 7 arriving there on the 3rd October 1944.

On 17th January 1945, they joined the 1,500 prisoners that were marched out of camp in bitter cold. They crossed a bridge over the river Oder on 21st January, reached Goldberg on 5th February, and were loaded onto a train. On the 8th February they reached Stalag 3A located about 52 km (32 ml) south of Berlin near Luckenwalde, which already held 20,000 prisoners, consisting mainly of soldiers from Britain, Canada, the US and Russia.

Finally, as the Russians approached the guards fled the camp leaving the prisoners to be liberated by the Red Army on the 22nd April 1945.

Barry James Howarth was born on the 5th March 1922 in Paddington, London. He was a scholar prior to enlisting in the RAF on 24th January 1939 . Barry passed away on the 12th September 1998 in Winchester, Hampshire.

George Buchanan Thomson was born on the 10th January 1924 in Glasgow, Scotland. He was employed as a Bank Clerk prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 9th October 1942. George sadly passed away on the 10th November 2023, 2 months shy of his 100th birthday.

(3) FIt Sgt. Jones and FIt Sgt. Kendall were captured near Mannheim that day. They were transported to Dulag Luft, Oberusel for the statutory interrogation and solitary confinement.

From here their PoW story was the same as for Flt Sgt. Howarth and Sgt. Thomson.

John Davies Jones was born on the 7th February 1922 in Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales. He was scholar prior to enlisting in the RAF on the 22nd January 1938. John passed away on the 27th February 2017 in Usk, Monmouthshire, Wales.

Robert Eric Kendall was born on the 23rd August 1922 in Liverpool. He was employed as a Clerk in a warehouse prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 2nd September 1941. Robert passed away on the 28th February 2014 in Beeston, Yorkshire.

(4) Sgt. Spagatner was captured that day and was transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel arriving there on the 18th September and remained there until the 21st September. He was then transferred the transit camp at Dulag Luft, transit camp Wetzlar the next day. On the 25th September he was transferred to Stalag Luft 7 arriving there on the 9th October 1944.

Whilst at the camp he and thirteen other PoWs dug a tunnel beneath the fireplace of their room in order to build a chamber to hide out until the Russian came. They started just before Christmas 1944 and had almost completed it when it was discovered by accident by the Germans on a 02:00 hrs surprise inspection.

He also reported that whilst at the camp a German High Command order was enacted in November 1944 to segregate Jewish PoWs from the other PoWs. It is not known if this was carried out or resisted.

On 17th January 1945, he joined the 1,500 prisoners that were marched out of camp in bitter cold. They crossed a bridge over the river Oder on 21st January, reached Goldberg on 5th February, and were loaded onto a train. On the 8th February they reached Stalag 3A located about 52 km (32 ml) south of Berlin near Luckenwalde, which already held 20,000 prisoners, consisting mainly of soldiers from Britain, Canada, the US and Russia.

Finally, as the Russians approached the guards fled the camp leaving the prisoners to be liberated by the Red Army on the 22nd April 1945.

Isador Spagatner was born on the 28th November 1906 in Whitechapel, London. He was a Sales manager in Catford, London prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 12th June 1943. Isador Spagatner died on the 18th December 1995 in Peacehaven, East Sussex.

Burial details:

Fg Off. Overend was initially buried at the Heidelberg Hillside cemetery and finally laid to rest at the Durnbach War Cemetery on the 5th December 1947. Flt Sgt. Beverton was initially buried in at the Dossenheim Civilian cemetery and finally laid to rest at the Durnbach War Cemetery on the 1st November 1947.

Fg Off. Norman Rupert Overend. Durnbach War Cemetery, Grave 7.A.19. Born on the 22nd November 1922 in Christchurch. Son of Rupert David (died 24th December 1971) and Anslie Winchester (née Adams - died 5th February 1977) Overend of Otahuna, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.

Fit Sgt. Harry Albert Beverton. Durnbach War Cemetery, Grave 7.A.18. Grave inscription: ‘IN MEMORY OF HARRY. REST IN PEACE, DEAR. ESTHER, LITTLE MAUREEN, MUM AND DAD’. Born on the 9th July 1913 Wandsworth, Surrey. Son of Arthur Jarmain and Edith Mary Beverton. Husband of Esther Beverton of Croydon, Surrey, England.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland. (Mar 2023). Thanks to David Howarth, the son of Sgt. Barry Howarth, for identifying the members in the crew photograph and for providing the information about the passing of George B. Thomson. (Dec 2023). Other updates by Aircrew Remembered (Dec 2023). New PoW information added by Aircrew Remembered (Feb 2026).

Other sources as quoted below:

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