Date: 22/23rd April 1944
Unit: No. 76 Squadron
Type: Halifax III
Serial: MZ578
Code: MP-I
Base: Holme-on-Spalding Moor
Location: Gulpen
Pilot : Sq/Ldr. Stanley Alan Somerscales D.F.C. 136222 R.A.F.V.R. Age 26. Killed (1)
Fl/ Eng: F/O. Sid W. Stephen P.O.W: No further details. (1)
Nav: F/O. Jim Lewis. Evaded capture (1)
Air/Bmr: F/O. S. Tom Wingham. Evaded capture (2)
W/Op/Air/Gnr: F/O. Jack H. Reavill D.F.M. Injured - repatriated on the Arundel Castle 06-02-1945 (1)
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Harry R. Poole 1576815 R.A.F.V.R. Age 22. Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. F. John Rowe P.O.W: No further details.
(1) All former 10 squadron aircrew who completed their first tour of operations with them. F/O Tom Wingham served his first tour with 102 Squadron, Fl/Sgt John Rowe served his first tour with 76 Squadron and Fl/Sgt. Harry Poole with Lancaster's.
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 22.36 hrs from Holme-on-Spalding Moor to join 595 aircraft to bomb Dusseldorf. 2,150 tons of bombs were dropped causing widespread destruction with over 1000 people on the ground killed and 56 very large industrial premises and over 2,000 homes destroyed. Nearly 600 heavy bombers went to Dusseldorf on the 22nd and crews returned to speak of extremely heavy night fighter activity. Sq/Ldr. Somerscales recently arrived to take charge of B Flight, was shot down by a night fighter as he approached the Ruhr from the direction of Holland. Burning furiously, his bomber crashed at Gulpen, just a few Kilometres east of Maastricht"
The German night fighters had a huge impact on bringing down 29 aircraft.
The Luftwaffe night fighter ace claiming MZ578 (44 kills at this stage) by Offw. Rudolf Frank of 3.NJG3 at 02.11 hrs after a combat at 6.000 Mts. Offw. Frank was killed shortly after on 26/27th April 1944 in a crash at Heeze near Eindhoven after being hit by debris from 12 Squadron Lancaster III ND873 PH-H flown by P/O. George Edwin Nicholls 172475 R.A.F.V.R from Heamor, Cornwall together with the crew of 7.
Top Left to Right: Sq/Ldr. Somerscales D.F.C. F/O. Sid Stephen, F/O. Jim Lewis.
Top Left to Right: F/O. Tom Wingham, F/O. Reavill D.F.M. Fl/Sgt. John Rowe.
(All crew pictures courtesy Tom Wingham via David Mole)
(2) The Aircrew Remembrance Society recommend the superb publication by Tom Wingham of "Halifax Down" where the full details can be read of this loss and we appreciate the permission from Tom for using the crew photo's for this article together with David Mole for sending the information.
Offw. Rudolf Frank of 3.NJG3 (Courtesy Mike Harrison)
Maastricht General Cemetery (A.R. Society archives)
Burial details:
Sq/Ldr. Stanley Alan Somerscales D.F.C. Maastricht General Cemetery Row 2. Grave 114.
Son of John and C. E. Somerscales, of Keelby, Lincolnshire.
Fl/Sgt. Harry R. Poole. Maastricht General Cemetery Row 2. Grave 115.
Son of Thomas Henry and Elsie Poole, of Stirchley, Birmingham.
Researched by: David Mole for A.R. Society, Also to Tom Wingham, and Kelvin T. Youngs A.R. Society.
Acknowledgments: With thanks to the following (Purchase them "HERE"): Tom Wingham "Halifax Down", Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses", Theo Boiten - "German Nightfighter War Diaries", Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt "Bomber Command War Diaries". . The Commonwealth Graves Commission.
