Date: 15/16th October 1942
Unit: No. 149 Squadron
Type: Stirling I
Serial: W7526
Code: OJ-V
Base: Lakenheath, Suffolk
Location: Ingen / Lienden, Holland
Pilot : Fl/Sgt. John Crawford Brocket 405224 R.N.Z.A.F. Age 21. Killed
Fl/ Eng: Sgt. James Denny 1064390 R.A.F.V.R. Age 31. Killed
Nav: Fl/Sgt. Reginald George Blair R/79379 R.C.A.F. Age 26. Killed
Obs: Sgt. Mervyn James Howe 1284777 R.A.F.V.R. Age ? Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Trevor Charles Beckett Pike 412351 R.N.Z.A.F. Age 22. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Francis William O'Sullivan 411773 R.N.Z.A.F. Age 23. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Thomas Bernard Bywaters 1385190 R.A.F.V.R. Age 25. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 19.50 hrs from Lakenheath, Suffolk to make up a force of 289 aircraft (109 Wellington's, 74 Halifaxes, 62 Lancaster's and 44 Stirlings.) To attack Köln (Cologne)
Not a huge success as only 1 of the 71 4,000 lb. hit the target, 3 other high explosive bombs out of 231 and 210 incendiary bombs out of 68,590 landed with little effect. The German reports state that 226 houses were damaged and only 2 of these were classed as serious - 4 people on the ground were injured.
The allies lost 21 aircraft. 106 aircrew were killed and a further 15 made P.O.W.'s. The majority were taken down by the German night fighters and Stirling W7526 was shot down by Ofw. Bruno Eikmeier from 2./NJG1 at a height of 3,000 mtrs. at 23.33 hrs. Ofw. Eikmeier was killed flying a Bf 110 G-4 on the 3/4th September 1943 in a crash at Brummen near Zutphen after instrument failure in clouds. (an ace with 6 kills) His Bordfunker (Wireless operator) Uffz. Helmut Fischer was severely injured in the crash and unable to continue flying until June 1944, He survived the war, after being shot down twice in January 1945!
Graves of the complete crew (Courtesy Fred Blankstein and Richard Velde)
Fl/Sgt. John Crawford Brocket (Courtesy Mike Harrison)
Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) Cemetery (Courtesy C.W.G.C)
Burial details:
Fl/Sgt. John Crawford Brocket Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) Cemetery Plot 13, Row 4. Joint grave 7
Son of John William and Christine Crawford Brocket, of Paeroa, Auckland, New Zealand.
Sgt. James Denny Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) Cemetery Plot 13, Row 4. Joint grave 66
Son of James and Margaret Denny.
Fl/Sgt. Reginald George Blair Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) Cemetery Plot 13, Row 4. Joint grave 66
Son of George Augustin and Alice Winifred Blair, of Shawinigan Falls, Province of Quebec, Canada.
Sgt. Mervyn James Howe Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) Cemetery Plot 13, Row 4. Joint grave 66
No further details.
Sgt. Trevor Charles Beckett Pike Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) Cemetery Plot 13, Row 4. Joint grave 67
Son of Trevor Thomas Pike and Alice Margaret Pike, of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.
Sgt. Francis William O'Sullivan Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) Cemetery Plot 13, Row 4. grave 64
Son of Cornelius Joseph and Margaret O'Sullivan, of Hastings, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.
Sgt. Thomas Bernard Bywaters Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) Cemetery Plot 13, Row 4. grave 65
Son of Thomas Charles and Alice Maud Bywaters, of Hanwell, Middlesex.
For relatives of the crew. With thanks to Bill Chorley "Bomber Command Losses" Vol. 2, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt "Bomber Command War Diaries", Theo Boiton "Night fighter War Diaries" Vol 1 and 2.
