Date: 30/31st March 1944 (Thursday/Friday)
Unit: 101 Squadron
Type: Lancaster III
Serial: DV276
Coded: SR-R
Location: Röthenbach
Pilot: P/O. John Batten-Smith D.F.C. 171042 R.A.F.V.R. Age 22. Killed
Co/pilot: P/O. Howard Ernest Beer 172469 R.A.F.V.R. Age 21. Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Robert Armstrong 1567337 R.A.F.V.R. Age 20. Killed
Nav: P/O. Graham Harries Williams 173444 R.A.F.V.R. Killed
W/OP/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Robert Russell Roberts 1341705 R.A.F.V.R. Age 23. Killed
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Allan Henry Ross 1344679 R.A.F.V.R. Age 22. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Hugh Fleming McClenaghan 1822320 R.A.F.V.R. Age 19. Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Arthur Haynes 1454945 R.A.F.V.R. Age 21. Killed (1)
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off from Ludford Magna at 22.05 hrs. Part of a huge raid of over 795 aircraft, mainly Lancaster's and also one of the costliest in the history of Bomber Command with 105 aircraft lost and over 500 aircrew killed. 7 lost from this squadron alone.
Lancaster DV276 was claimed by Oblt. Helmut Schulte of II./NJG5 at 01.25 hrs near the autobahn at Röthenbach which was 16 km East North East of Nürnberg.
(1) Arthur's brother, Denis was also killed just 9 days later whilst serving in the 2nd Btn. Suffolk Regiment. Age 20. (see below)
Durnbach War Cemetery
Burial Details:
P/O. John Batten-Smith D.F.C. Durnbach War Cemetery. 8. B.15.
Son of John Batten-Smith, and of Kathleen Beulah Batten-Smith, of Fernhill, Nilgiris, India.
P/O. Howard Ernest Beer. Durnbach War Cemetery. 8. B.20-25.
Son of Douglas Howard Beer and Hilda Beer, of Mutley, Plymouth.
Sgt. Robert Armstrong. Durnbach War Cemetery. 8. B.16.
Son of James and Agnes Armstrong, of Auldgirth, Dumfriesshire.
P/O. Graham Harries Williams. Durnbach War Cemetery. 8. B.17.
No further details as yet.
Sgt. Robert Russell Roberts. Durnbach War Cemetery. 8. B.20-25.
Son of John and Annie McGregor Roberts, of Stenhousemuir, Stirlingshire,husband of Margaret Roberts.
Fl/Sgt. Allan Henry Ross. Durnbach War Cemetery. 8. B.20-25.
Son of Henry J. G. Ross, and of Mary J. Ross, of Edinburgh
Sgt. Hugh Fleming McClenaghan. Durnbach War Cemetery. 8. B.18.
Son of John and Sarah McClenaghan, of High Blantyre, Lanarkshire.
Fl/Sgt. Arthur Haynes. Durnbach War Cemetery. 8. B.19.
Son of Wilmot and Ann Haynes, of Foxton, Cambridgeshire.
(1) Pte. Denis Haynes. Imphal War Cemetery. 8. C.21.
With thanks to the following: Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses Vol 3", Theo Boiten - "German Nightfighter War Diaries Vol 2", Martin Middlebrook "Bomber Command War Diaries". The Commonwealth Graves Commission
