Date: 12/13th May 1944
Unit: No. 158 Squadron
Type: Halifax III
Serial: HX334
Code: NP-C
Base: RAF Lissett, Yorkshire
Location: Bokrijk, Belgium
Pilot: Fl/Sgt. John Haydn Evans 658281 Evaded capture
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Les E. Board 1604551 Evaded capture
Nav: F/O. Danny J.B. Daniels 136357 Evaded capture
Air/Bmr: F/O. Bill "Robbie" Robertson J/24485 R.C.A.F. Evaded capture
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Doug A. Lloyd 158587 Evaded capture
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Dick V.G. Colledge 426826 R.A.A.F. P.O.W Stalag Luft Bankau-Kreulberg. P.O.W. No:12
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Frank J. Tait 426928 R.A.A.F. P.O.W. Stalag Luft Bankau-Kreulberg. P.O.W. No: 60
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 21.56 hrs. to attack the railway yards at Hasselt, Belgium. 111 aircraft took part in the raid made up from 96 Halifax's, 20 Lancaster's and 4 Mosquitoes. Not classed as a successful raid as the majority of the bombs issued the target and landed in open fields - a few hit the railway yards.
8 Halifax's and 1 Lancaster were lost. The bomber force did not encounter many enemy attacks on the outward leg. Attacks came after the raid and on their home run. A total of 41 crew members were killed, 7 were made P.O.W's and a further 6 evaded capture and returned. 2 Aircraft in this total crashed on either take off or landing with 3 injured.
Halifax HX334 was shot down by a night fighter flown by Oblt. Heinz Wolfgang Schnaufer of Stab IV./NJG1 who was already an ace at this time with 64 kills. The combat took place at 00.36hrs. at 2,300 mtrs. with the aircraft coming down in Bokrjik 12 km East North East of Hasselt.
Oblt. Schnaufer went on to obtain a total of an amazing 121 to his credit. He survived the war but was killed in a car accident in France in 1945.
The evaders were hidden in the forests of the Ardennes by the "Comet line" until the area was over-run by the advancing allies.
Further information on the escape follows!
See below.
Back row L to R: Fl/Sgt. Colledge, Sgt. Lloyd, F/O. Daniels, Sgt. Frank Tait
Front row L to R: Sgt. Board, Fl/Sgt. Evans, F/O. Robertson
(Courtesy of Fl/Sgt. John Haydn Evans and David Mole who supplied this photo of the crew taken at R.A.F. Lissett)
F/O. Bill "Robbie" Robertson (Courtesy Mike Harrison)
Oblt. Heinz Wolfgang Schnaufer of Stab IV./NJG1
Burial details:
None - all survived.
Researched by: David Mole / Kelvin T. Youngs for Fl/Sgt. John Haydn Evans and the relatives of this crew November 2009
Below - front and rear cover of the book detailing the story of Fl/Sgt. John Haydn Evans amazing escape with the assistance from the "Comet Line" - David Mole is preparing a very short version to go on our website but we recommend that you invest in this book - shortly to be made available "HERE"
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".
