Date: 23/24th September 1944
Unit: No. 9 Squadron
Type: Lancaster I
Serial: LL901
Code: WS-V
Base: Bardney, Lincolnshire
Location: Kleve-Zutphen
Pilot : Fl/Lt. Charles Berrie Scott 176377 R.A.F.V.R. Age 22. Killed (1)
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Jack Edward Simkin 1448546 R.A.F.V.R. Age 23. Killed
Nav: Fl/Sgt. Louis Arthur Harding 574518 R.A.F. Age 23. Killed (2)
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Maurice Edward Hayward 1602875 R.A.F.V.R. Age 21. Killed
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. L.W. Langley P.O.W. No further details available. (Advised by Mike Harding that he escaped and was hidden by the Dutch resistance until war end)
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Frank Alfred Saunders 1803522 R.A.F.V.R. Age 30. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Leslie Joseph Hambly 3010857 R.A.F.V.R. Age 19. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 19.02 hrs. from Bardney, Lincolnshire to bomb the German Night fighter airfields in Münster. The two 9 Squadron aircraft were carrying the "tallboy" bombs. 113 aircraft took part in this supporting raid with 617 Squadron bombing the canals in Dortmund (Using the 12,000 lb. "Tallboy" bombs.)
Some 100 H.E. bombs from the 107 Lancaster's fell on the town itself but no fatalities were recorded.
The bombing force were not so lucky with 4 Lancaster's lost. 2 from 9 Squadron, this one LL901 and LL914 Piloted by F/O. Begg (All 7 crew members killed) another Lancaster from 61 Squadron ED470 with F/O. Albert Hornibrook R.A.A.F. as pilot (6 crew killed and another made P.O.W.) and PD318 from 207 Squadron, F/O. Ray Kerwin R.A.A.F. (All 7 crew members killed).
It is understood that LL901 was shot down by Hptm. Heinz Wolfgang Schnaufer from Stab IV./NJG1 (Night fighter ace with already 97 to his credit at this stage, 121 by the end of the war from which he survived) Interception took place at 23.25hrs at 4,100 metres.
(1) His brother Lt. John Simon Scott age 26, was also killed serving with the 19 Battery, 25th Mountain Regiment Royal Indian Artillery on 16th August 1944
(2) Fl/Sgt. Louis Harding is the father of the famous English comedian/poet/songwriter Mike Harding.
Back row L - R: Sgt. Simkin, Fl/Sgt. Harding, Fl/Sgt. Langley, Sgt. Hambly
Front L - R: Sgt. Hayward, Fl/Lt. Scott, Sgt. Frank Alfred Saunders (Courtesy Gordon Thorburn)
L - R; Lt. Rumpelhardt, Hptm Schnaufer, Ofw. Gänzier (Courtesy of Fritz Rumpelhardt)
Lancaster LL901 WS-V
Holten General Cemetery (Courtesy of Jan Armstrong of El Paso, Texas for allowing the A.R. Society use of these photographs)
(If any relative would like an individual grave photo we do hold them in our archive and Jan would be pleased to provide them to you via A.R. Society for no fee)
Holten General Cemetery (Courtesy of Jan Armstrong of El Paso, Texas)
Burial details:
Fl/Lt. Charles Berrie Scott. Holten General Cemetery Plot 15. Grave 15
Son of John Moffat Scott and Helen McCredie Berrie Scott, of Glassgow.
Sgt. Jack Edward Simkin. Holten General Cemetery Plot 15. Grave 14
Son of Charles Frederick and Mary Simkin, of Seaford, Sussex.
Fl/Sgt. Louis Arthur Harding. Holten General Cemetery Plot 15. Joint Grave 13
No further details as yet
Sgt. Maurice Edward Hayward. Holten General Cemetery Plot 15. Joint Grave 13
Son of Maurice and Edith Hayward, of Ludgershall, Wiltshire.
Sgt. Frank Alfred Saunders. Holten General Cemetery Plot 15. Grave 10
Son of Andrew and Mary Ann Saunders; husband of Ellen Smith Edwards Saunders,of West Kensington, London.
Sgt. Leslie Joseph Hambly. Holten General Cemetery Plot 15. Grave 12
Son of John C. and Ruth Hambly, of Millom, Cumberland.
(1) Lt John Simon Scott 240750 R/A Kohima War Cemetery 4.C.3.
With thanks to Mike Harding for further information and to Gordon Thorburn - "Bombers. first and last", Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses Vol 4", Theo Boiten - "German Nightfighter War Diaries Vol 2", Martin Middlebrook "Bomber Command War Diaries". Jan Armstrong for the superb grave pictures in Holten Holland.
