Date: 22/23rd May 1944 (Monday/Tuesday)
Unit: No. 630 Squadron
Type: Lancaster III
Serial: JB546
Code: LE-A
Base: East Kirkby, Lincolnshire.
Location: Quakenbrück, Germany
Pilot: P/O. Edward Frank Champness 421858 R.A.A.F. Age 20. Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. John Peacock Craig Johnstone 1822545 R.A.F.V.R. Age ? Killed
Nav: F/Sgt. V.S.J. Zucker R.A.A.F. P.O.W. Stalag Luft Bankau-Kreulberg P.O.W. No 105
B/Aim: P/O. Gerald Melbourne Naugler J/92151 R.C.A.F. Age 21. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. E. Adair P.O.W. Stalag Lamsdorf P.O.W. No 71
Air/Gnr: Sgt. L. Jones P.O.W. Stalag Luft Bankau-Kreulberg P.O.W. No 29
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Alan Leslie Pickering 1623919 R.A.F.V.R. Age ? Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 22.40 hrs. from R.A.F. East Kirkby, Lincolnshire. Part of a 225 Lancaster and 10 Mosquitoes to attack Braunschweig (Brunswick), Germany. The raid was considered a failure as although the weather forecast was for clear skies - the marker aircraft found a complete covering of cloud - there was also interference on the master bombers radio communications. Most of the bombing fell in the country areas around the city. Records show that only a few bombs fell on the city and no ground casualties. A reconnaissance aircraft flying through the target area an hour later found that the cloud had completely cleared.
14 Lancaster's were lost on this raid. 81 crew members being killed and a further 18 being made P.O.W.
Lancaster JB546 is thought to have been shot down by Oblt. Heinz Ferger of 2./NJG3 - combat occurred at a height of 5,400 mtrs. South East of Quakenbrück at 00.30 hrs. Oblt. Ferger went on to become a night fighter ace with over 23 claims (23 confirmed - 3 probables) but was killed on the 13/14th April 1945, shot down by a Mosquito on finals to Lübeck airfield.
East Kirkby Airfield
It would seem that P/O. Gerald Melbourne Naugler took over as Bomb aimer for this flight as the regular B/A. Sgt. N.C. Scullard was injured on a training flight with the Lancashire Finishing School (L.F.S) on the 13th March 1944 on a dual flight training mission.
The instructor was at the controls when after taking off from Syerston, Nottinghamshire during the flight the aircraft suffered an engine failure as it approached the runway at 18.05 hrs.
The Instructor (Fl/Lt K. Ruskell) banked steeply to avoid a building when a gust of wind lifted the starboard wing and a crash landing followed almost immediately. Four of the crew were injured, 1 seriously (Sgt Scullard) and he was taken to RAF hospital in Rauceby, Lincolnshire. It is understood that he recovered and survived the war, however we have no further information on him.
RAF Rauceby Hospital, Lincolnshire - during the demolition process.
Rheinberg War Cemetery - insert - P/O. Edward Frank Champness (C.W.G.C. - A.R. Society archives)
Burial details:
P/O. Edward Frank Champness. Rheinberg War Cemetery Grave 17.C.6
Son of Edgar Frank and Vera Champness, of St. Marys, New South Wales, Australia.
Sgt. John Peacock Craig Johnstone. Rheinberg War Cemetery Grave 17.B.12
No further information
P/O. Gerald Melbourne Naugler. Rheinberg War Cemetery Grave 17.B.13
Son of Melbourne Charles and Etta May Naugler, of Upper La Have, Lunenburg Co., Nova Scotia, Canada.
Sgt. Alan Leslie Pickering. Rheinberg War Cemetery Grave 17.A.5
No further information
Researched by: Kelvin T. Youngs / David King (A.R. Society November 2009) for Dave Knowler relative of P/O. Gerald Melbourne Naugler.
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.
