Relatives of 51 Squadron who would like us to put them into contact with the 51 Squadron Society please do not hesitate to contact us.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 22.56 hrs from Snaith, Yorkshire to join 790 aircraft to bomb the city of Hamburg. Window (2) was used for the first time during the war. The dropping of this new device totally confused the German Night fighters resulting in a very low loss rate for the bombers. A total of 2,284 tons of bombs were dropped during the 50 minute raid. Severe damage caused with 1,500 people killed on the ground - the highest number so far. The main police station, the main telephone exchange was hit as well as the Hagenbeck zoo where 140 animals were killed.
The losses to the allied bombers amounted to 12 (Plus another 2 lost on take off and landing) with 78 aircrew killed and a further 7 made P.O.W.'s.
Halifax HR940 was shot down by Oblt. Gunther Koberich of 11./NJG3 at 01.24 hrs 3 km. North of Sonderborg, Denmark. Oblt. Koberich became an ace with over 14 kills before he lost his life on the 8th August 1944 at Quakenbruck airfield during a raid by American B-17's of the 38D, 8th U.S.A.A.F.
5 of the crew were killed in the crash but the other 2, Sgt McLaughlin and Sgt Livermore survived, but died later. The crew were given a proper burial by the German authorities on the 29th July 1943.

Left - Right rear: P/O. Rohrer (1), Sgt. Fleming
Left to Right front: Sgt. Harry Cousin, Sgt. Murray, Sgt. Walsh.
(Courtesy of Pam Bossick (4) - niece of P/O. Rohrer)

  
Sgt. William John Murray and also on his wedding day to Gwendoline (Courtesy of Pam Bossick (4) - niece of P/O. Rohrer)

(1) The usual navigator on this crew was P/O. Francis Richard Rohrer - he was hospitalised at the time with Impetigo (3). P/O. Rohrer was later killed on another operation with 51 Squadron on the 24th February 1944 on Halifax LV778 C6-B (Article in preparation)
(2) Window - Tinfoil strips dropped by bombers to disrupt enemy radar system - on this raid it is known that 92 million strips of foil were dropped!
(3) Impetigo - Bacterial skin infection.
(4) Pam Bossick is also the daughter-in-law of Fl/Sgt. Harry Bossick of 218 Squadron (See article "HERE")

    
Above L - R: Sgt. Douglas Courtney Ford (Courtesy Steve Shaw and Sandra Colley) Sgt. Bernard Thomas Walsh (Courtesy 51 History Association and Sandra Colley) and memorial erected to the crew near to the crash site .


Aabenraa Cemetery (Courtesy C.W.G.C.)

Burial details:

Sgt. William John Murray. Aabenraa Cemetery Allied Military Plot. Row 3. Joint grave 13
Son of William and Olive Murray; husband of Gwendoline Murray, of Alcombe, Minehead, Somerset.
Sgt. Douglas Courtney Ford. Aabenraa Cemetery Allied Military Plot. Row 3. 15
Son of Bernard and Edith Kate Ford, of Woking, Surrey.
Sgt. Thomas McLaughlin. Aabenraa Cemetery Allied Military Plot. Row 3. 12
Son of Charles and Eleanor McLaughlin, of Carluke, Lanarkshire.
Sgt. Ronald Arthur Fleming. Aabenraa Cemetery Allied Military Plot. Row 3. 14
No further details as yet
Sgt. Reginald Ernest Livermore. Aabenraa Cemetery Allied Military Plot. Row 3. 11
Son of Frederick F. and Phyllis M. Livermore; husband of Olive Grace Livermore, of Dollis Hill, Middlesex.
Sgt. Harry Cousin. Aabenraa Cemetery Allied Military Plot. Row 3. Joint grave 13
No further details as yet
Sgt. Bernard Thomas Walsh. Aabenraa Cemetery Allied Military Plot. Row 3. 16
Researched by: Sandra Colley and the 51 Squadron History Association, Kelvin T. Youngs (A.R. Society) for relatives of the crew.
Acknowledgments: With thanks to the following: Pam Bossick - niece of P/O. Rohrer for the superb photographs. Sandra Colley and the 51 Squadron History Association for the great work that they do and for working with the Aircrew Remembrance Society. Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses", Theo Boiten - "German Nightfighter War Diaries", Martin Middlebrook "Bomber Command War Diaries". The superb work of the C.W.G.C. Further information on this raid can be found in Martin Middlebrook's superb publication: "The Hamburg raids."

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