Date: 27/28th August 1942
Unit: No. 15 Squadron
Type: Stirling I
Serial: BF327
Code: LS-D
Base: Bourn. Cambridgeshire
Location: East of Culemborg
Pilot : P/O. John Riley Thornton 112299 R.A.F.V.R. Age ? Killed
Fl/ Eng: Sgt. Williams Richard Hopkins 610971 R.A.F. Age ? Killed
Obs 1: Sgt. Herbert Clegg 1495772 R.A.F.V.R. Age 28. Killed
Obs 2: P/O. John Wheelhouse Frazer 118620 R.A.F.V.R. Age 22. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr 1: Sgt. Edward William Margetts 591580 R.A.F. Age 20. Killed
Air/Gnr: P/O. Dennis Stanley Masur J/15164 R.C.A.F. Age 21. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr 2: Sgt. Marcus Heppell Burtt 1119750 R.A.F.V.R. Age ? Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 20.45 hrs from Bourn, Cambridgeshire to join 306 aircraft (21 Wellington's, 5 Stirling's, 3 Lancaster's 1 Hampden and 1 Halifax) to attack Kassel. Very little cloud over the city and the pathfinders illuminated the target very well. Widespread damage was caused and the town reported that 144 buildings was destroyed and a further 317 seriously damaged. Several military areas were also hit and 43 people were killed on the ground but another 251 injured. The Henschel factory lost three of their factories and the city hospital lost the private wing. Over 73 large fires started but many bombs also fell outside the tone in fields.
The loss to the allied force was enormous with 142 Squadron losing 5 Wellington's on this single raid! The majority of the losses were attributed to the German Night fighters.
This Stirling was shot down by Hptm. Erich Simon (8 kills) from Stab III./NJG2 6 KM. East of Culemborg at 3,500 Mtrs. at 23.25 hrs.
Hptm. Erich Simon (total 10 kills) went missing on the 7/8-10-1943 in sea 15 KM North Tversted after being shot down by Stirling EF410 of 149 Squadron - credit given to Air gunners Sgt. S. Elridge and C.W. Buffham.
Sgt. Edward William Margetts (Courtesy of Cyrill Margetts brother of Edward - also thanks to Linda Ibrom)
Allied Loss report for this single operation:
15 Squadron Stirling I W7624 LS-E Fl/Sgt Barton-Smith all 7 crew killed.
15 Squadein Stirling I BF327 LS-D P/O. Thornton all 7 crew killed.
44 Squadron Lancaster 1 R5664 KM-R Sgt. Richards No injuries crashed near home airfield.
44 Squadron Lancaster 1 W4124 KM-D F/O. Suckling R.N.Z.A.F. all 7 crew killed.
57 Squadron Wellington III X3331 DX-? Sgt. Saunders 3 killed- 3 P.O.W.
75 Squadron Wellington III BJ708 AA -? Fl/Lt. Osborn D.F.C. all 5 crew killed.
97 Squadron Lancaster I W4139 OF-V Fl/Sgt. McKenna R.C.A.F. 5 killed - 2 P.O.W.
101 Squadron Wellington III X3649 SR-? Fl/Sgt. Brown R.N.Z.A.F. 2 Killed - 3 survived and returned.
101 Squadron Wellington III X3657 SR-? Sgt. Spinney all crew survived and returned.
101 Squadron Wellington III BJ698 SR-? P/O. Beale R.N.Z.A.F. all 6 crew killed.
103 Squadron Halifax II W1270 PM-? Fl/Lt. Frith all 7 crew killed.
115 Squadron Wellington III BJ710 KO-L F/O. Skelton 4 crew killed - 1 P.O.W.
142 Squadron Wellington IV Z1266 QT-M Sgt. Toombs 1 killed - 4 P.O.W.
142 Squadron Wellington IV Z1338 QT-D F/O. Paget 4 killed - 1 P.O.W.
142 Squadron Wellington IV Z1396 QT-B Fl/Sgt. Harker all 5 crew killed.
142 Squadron Wellington IV Z1411 QT-Z F/O. Keddy R.C.A.F. all 5 crew killed.
142 Squadron Wellington IV Z1424 QT-F F/O. Johnson R.C.A.F. all 5 crew killed.
150 Squadron Wellington III X3148 JN-? Sgt. Coombes all 5 crew killed.
156 Squadron Wellington III X3367 GT-? Fl/Sgt. Savage all 6 crew killed.
156 Squadron Wellington III Z1613 GT-? P/O.Longhurst all 6 crew killed.
156 Squadron Wellington III DF667 GT-? Sgt. James all 5 crew killed.
207 Squadron Lancaster I W4129 EM-E F/O.Brown 4 killed - 3 P.O.W.
214 Squadron Stirling I R9155 BU-Q F/O. Skone all 7 crew killed.
218 Squadron Stirling I R9160 HA-G F/O. McCarthy D.F.C all 8 crew killed.
218 Squadron Stirling I RF315 HA-F F/O. Gruber R.C.A.F. 5 crew killed - 2 P.O.W.
305 Squadron Wellington IV Z1245 SM-? Sgt. Pytlak P.A.F. 3 killed - 1 P.O.W.- 1 Evaded.
408 Squadron Hampden I P1244 EQ-Y Sgt. Jennings All 4 crew killed
460 Squadron Wellington IV Z1212 UV-V Sgt. Viney R.A.A.F. 4 killed - 1 P.O.W.
460 Squadron Wellington IV Z1259 UV-W F/O.Summers R.A.A.F. 5 killed - 1 P.O.W.
Graves of the crew (Courtesy of Richard van de Velde)
Burial details:
P/O. John Riley Thornton. Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) General Cemetery Plot 13. Row 4. Grave 60
No further details.
Sgt. Williams Richard Hopkins. Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) General Cemetery Plot 13. Row 4. Grave 58
No further details
Sgt. Herbert Clegg. Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) General Cemetery Plot 13. Row 4. Grave 57
Son of Fred and Isabella Clegg, of Oldham, Lancashire; husband of Edna May Clegg
P/O. John Wheelhouse Frazer. Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) General Cemetery Plot 13. Row 4. Grave 55
Son of William Henry and Ellen Mary Frazer, of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.
Sgt. Edward William Margetts. Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) General Cemetery Plot 13. Row 4. Grave 54
Son of Edward George and Ethel May Margetts, of St. John'S, Worcester
P/O. Dennis Stanley Masur. Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) General Cemetery Plot 13. Row 4. Grave 59
Son of Max and Gertrude Masur, of Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa.
Sgt. Marcus Heppell Burtt. Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) General Cemetery Plot 13. Row 4. Grave 55
For relatives of the crew. With thanks to the following: Richard van de Velde grave photographs, Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses Vol 2", Theo Boiten - "German Nightfighter War Diaries Vol 1", Martin Middlebrook "Bomber Command War Diaries". The C.W.G.C. for all their great work.
