Date: 21/22nd January 1944 (Friday/Saturday)
Unit: No. 76 Squadron
Type: Halifax V
Serial: LK922
Code: MP-L
Base: Holme-On-Spalding-Moor, Yorkshire
Location: Helmstedt, Germany
Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Henry Boyes 1078689 R.A.F.V.R. Age ? Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Reginald Sydney Western 1642409 R.A.F.V.R. Age 21. Killed
Nav: Sgt. T. Fraser P.O.W. Injured. Prisoner No: 929 Camp:Stalag Kopernikus
Air/Bmr: F/O. D.H. McVie R.A.A.F. P.O.W. Injured. Prisoner No: 3376 Camp:Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. C.M. Bennett P.O.W. Injured. Prisoner No: ? Camp:Stalag Luft Barth Vogelsang
Air/Gnr: Sgt. James McCurry 1301467 R.A.F.V.R. Age ? Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Rudolph Angelo Antonio Forte 1565064 R.A.F.V.R. Age 21. Killed (1)
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off from R.A.F. Holme-On-Spalding-Moor, Yorkshire at 20.06 hrs. to make the first major attack of the war on the Magdeburg/Rothensee plant that produced synthetic oil from lignite coal. Part of a force of 648 aircraft, made up from 421 Lancaster's 224 Halifax's and 3 Mosquitoes.
The German night fighters were ready as the bomber stream had been followed by the German controllers. They were very slow though to identify the target but anyway the night fighters were in the area with the bomber stream. During the raid a huge amount of losses were experienced by the attacking group with 35 Halifax's and 22 Lancaster's lost which were mainly due to the attacking night fighters.
This huge loss was not even rewarded with a successful attack as the strong winds brought some of the force into the target area before the pathfinders and as a result 27 bombers bombed before the pathfinders had marked the area. Most of the bombing fell outside the city.
It is reported that Halifax LK922 was shot down by a German night fighter and exploded in the air. The records of the Nachtjagd do not have any confirmed claims against this aircraft although a total of 19 Halifax's lost were not possible to be placed against a German pilot such was the fury of the combat and confusion this night.
Article researched for a relative of Air Gunner Sgt. Rudolph Forte, Paul Forte. If anyone has further information on the crew or the aircraft we would like to hear from you and will pass on the information to the relatives.
Graves of Sgt. Forte and Sgt. McCurry Berlin War Cemetery (Courtesy of Paul Forte via Mike Harrison)
Burial details:
Fl/Sgt. Henry Boyes. Berlin War Cemetery Collective grave 6.A. 13-16
No further details known as yet
Sgt. Reginald Sydney Western. Berlin War Cemetery Collective grave 6.A. 13-16
Son of Stanley and Rose Sarah Western, of Stanmore, Middlesex.
Sgt. James McCurry. Berlin War Cemetery Collective grave 6.A. 13-16
No further details known as yet
(1) Sgt. Rudolph Angelo Antonio Forte. Berlin War Cemetery Collective grave 6.A. 13-16
Son of Masimino and Maria Pace Forte, of Galashiels. Selkirkshire. Correct name was Rodolfo, but known as Rudolph.
With thanks to the following: Mike Harrison and Paul Forte, Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses Vol 4", Martin Middlebrook "Bomber Command War Diaries". The Commonwealth Graves Commission.
