Date: 27/28th January 1944
Unit: No. 467 Squadron (R.A.A.F.)
Type: Lancaster I
Serial: ME575
Code: PO-G
Base: RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire.
Location: Ziegenhagen
Pilot: P/O. Stephen Charles Grugeon 413855 R.A.A.F. Age 22. Killed
Nav: Sgt. William Alfred Taylor 1321329 R.A.F.V.R. Age 21. Killed
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Alec Bryce 1497914 R.A.F.V.R. Age ? Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Keith Molyneux 1436972 R.A.F.V.R. Age 21. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Dennis Alfred Taylor 1320825 R.A.F.V.R. Age 20. Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Kenneth Edwin Schiedel R/169831 R.C.A.F. Age 21. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 17.42 Hrs. from Waddington, Lincolnshire to join a total of 515 Lancaster's and 15 Mosquitoes on the first night of 3 continuos night bombing on the German capital, Berlin.
The city was covered in cloud and sky matching had to be used. No assessment of the raid was possible by Bomber Command except that the bombing was widely spread. Local reports confirmed that some 61 small towns and villages outside the city were hit with 18 being killed.
In the city itself a further 567 people were killed including 132 foreign workers. 20,000 people were bombed out of their homes.
Lancaster ME575 was probably hit by flak as nothing was heard from them since it left Waddington and no night fighters claimed this Lancaster. Another 467 Squadron Lancaster, ED539 PO-P flown by P/O. Cecil O'Brien was also lost with all crew on the same raid. The raid cost the allies, with 33 aircraft lost, with 183 aircrew killed, a further 52 being made P.O.W's.
Hanover War Cemetery (C.W.G.C)
Burial details:
P/O. Stephen Charles Grugeon. Hanover War Cemetery Collective grave 1.A. 1-6
Son of Francis and Alta Doris Grugeon; husband of Merle Phyllis Grugeon, of Woolooware, New South Wales, Australia.
Sgt. William Alfred Taylor. Hanover War Cemetery Collective grave 1.A. 1-6
Son of Herbert John Taylor, and of Margaret Isobel Taylor, of Shepherd's Bush. London.
Fl/Sgt. Alec Bryce. Hanover War Cemetery Collective grave 1.A. 1-6
Son of John and Sarah Ellen Bryce, of Sutton Oak, St. Helens, Lancashire.
Sgt. Keith Molyneux. Hanover War Cemetery Collective grave 1.A. 1-6
Son of George Leonard and Florrie Molyneux, of Waterloo, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire.
Sgt. Dennis Alfred Taylor. Hanover War Cemetery Collective grave 1.A. 1-6
Son of Herbert John Taylor, and of Doris May Taylor, of Harold Hill, Essex.
Fl/Sgt. Kenneth Edwin Schiedel. Hanover War Cemetery Grave 1.A. 7.
Son of Leonard and Mary Schiedel, of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
With thanks to Bomber Command War Diaries (Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt) for raid information. See book section where to purchase. The Commonwealth Graves Commission.
