Mission to Bergen, 12th January 1945, Lancaster NF992/KC-B:
Ditched off Norwegian coast.
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F/O Ian Ross's luck ran out during a daylight operation to U-Boot pens at Bergen in Norway on the 12th of January 1945. His Lancaster was seen by Freddie Watts to be trailing smoke as it was chased out to sea by two FW 190 fighters. NF992 was clearly losing the fight with gravity, and the crippled Lancaster sank lower and lower over the cold ocean. Watts instinctively dived in pursuit of the pursuers, at the same time seeking and obtaining permission from Fauquier to do so. Both of Ross's port engines were by now feathered, but at least they had stopped smoking. The front turret of Watt's Lancaster opened up around 250 yards, and the two fighters broke away and disappeared. Ross was seen to ditch off the Norwegian coast, and he and his crew were then observed to climb out onto the wings and inflate their Mae Wests. Watts remained at the scene until his fuel situation forced him to leave. |
| The Text was taken from the book "617 Dambuster Squadron at War" written by Chris Ward (ISBN: 978-1-78303-516-8). |
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Information is also to find on the site of "The Dambusters":
NF992 KC-B Type Lancaster I took off from Woodhall Spa at 8.30am (12th January 1945) carrying tallboy bombs the mission was to attack the U-Boat pens at Bergen, they were attacked by German 190's off the Norwegian coast. The Lancaster was seen by other crews to have an engine fire, but made a perfect landing on the sea at approx 13.15 hours. All the crew managed to scramble onto the top of the aircraft even life saving equipment was dropped to them by a Warwick aircraft, which had to take evasive action due to an enemy Junkers 88. The Junkers proceeded to strafe the downed Lancaster killing all onboard. The only body found was that of F/O Ellwood. |
| Ian Stewart Ross |
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Flying Officer (Pilot)
18839
28 March 1920, Camperdown, Victoria, Australia
12 January 1945
24
Royal Australian Air Force
Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, UK
Son of Alexander McLachlan Ross,
and of Christina Lillian Ross,
of Alphington, Victoria, Australia. |
| William Walter |
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Flight Sergeant (Flight Engineer)
1866667
12 January 1945
abt. 1925, Sevenoaks, Kent, UK
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, UK
Son of Elisa Henry Walter and
Mary Anne Daisy Walter, nee Streeter. |
| Sydney Ross Anderson |
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Warrant Officer (Navigator)
1098277
Distinguished Flying Medal
22 July 1922, Prudhoe Northumberland
12 January 1945
22
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, UK
Son of Robert and Norah Anderson, nee Thwaytes,
husband of F. Joan Anderson,
of Dollis Hill, Middlesex. |
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| Mowbray Ellwood |
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Flying Officer (Wireless Operator)
54542
Distinguished Flying Medal
abt. 1921
12 January 1945
24
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Trondheim (Stavne) Cemetery, Norway
Son of Linnard and Winifred Ellwood,
husband of Primrose Mary Ellwood,
of Boston, Lincolnshire. |
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| Edward George Tilby |
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Pilot Officer (Bomb Aimer)
184159
12 January 1945
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, UK
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| Leslie Douglas Griffiths |
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Flight Sergeant (Front Gunner)
1580829
abt. 1923
12 January 1945
22
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, UK
Son of Mrs. E. M. Griffiths,
of Handsworth, Birmingham. |
| Alexander Farley McKellar |
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Flying Officer (Rear Gunner)
176945
abt. 1925
12 January 1945
20
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, UK
Son of Alexander and Elsie McKellar,
of Edinburgh. |
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Mission to Bergen, 12th January 1945, Lancaster PD233/KC-G:
Crashed at Lille Landon, Norway.
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Took off at 08:40 hrs armed with the "Tallboy" bomb to attack the U-Boat pens at Bergen. 32 Lancasters from 9 and 617 Squadron were to take part in the attacks on both the pens and shipping in Bergen harbour.
Local reports state that 3 "Tallboy" bombs had penetrated the 3.5 metre thick roof of the pens causing severe damage. 2 U- Boats were damaged and the 3,347 ton cargo ship Olga Simers was "damaged" and had to be beached.
Different reports state different dates on which Fl/Lt. George Aldred Kendrick died. The CWGC state his death as 12th January, other reports say that he died on the 15th January after being found lying in deep snow with severe head and back injuries (no parachute deployed!)
The crew was:
Pilot: Fl/Lt. Henry John Pryor, RAFVR, age. 27. Survived PoW
Fl/Eng: W/O. A. L. Winston, RAFVR. Survived PoW
Nav: F/O. H. Ellis, DFC, RAFVR. Survived PoW
Air/Bmr: Fl/Lt. George Aldred Kendrick, RAFVR, age 24. Injured
W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. A. Hepworth, RAFVR. Survived PoW
Air/Gnr: Fl/Lt. E. N. Armstrong, RAFVR. Survived PoW
Air/Gnr: W/O. E. C. Temple, DFM, RAFVR. Survived PoW |
| George Aldred Kendrick |
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Flight Lieutenant (Air Bomber)
135033
abt. 1921
12 January 1945
24
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Bergen (Mollendal) Church Cemetery, Norway
Son of Archibald and Sarah Alice Kendrick,
of Erdington, Birmingham. |
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Operation "Arbergen Bridge", 21st March 1945, Lancaster PD117/YZ-L:
Crashed at Okel, Germany.
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Task to attack the Arbergen rail bridge near Bremen, the Lancaster was hit by flak, caught fire and dived into the ground. The Tallboy-bomb exploded as the plane crashed. |
| Bernard Alexander Gumbley |
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Flight Lieutenant
414614
Distinguished Flying Medal
abt. 1916
21 March 1945
29
617 (R. A. F.) Sqdn. Royal New Zealand Air Force
Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, UK
Son of Louis and Margaret Gumbley, nee Robins,
of Hastings, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. |
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| Edwin Alfred Barnett |
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Flying Officer
53823
21 March 1945
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, UK
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| Kenneth Gill |
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Flying Officer
155097
Distinguished Flying Cross
Croix de Guerre (France)
19 November 1922
21 March 1945
22
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, UK
Son of Fred and Dorothy Rosamund Gill,
husband of Vera Gill, of Halton, Yorkshire. |
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| Joseph Charles Randon |
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Flight Lieutenant
134673
abt. 1922
21 March 1945
23
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, UK
Son of Richard Arthur and Prudence Elizabeth Randon,
of Spital, Chesterfield, Derbyshire. |
| George Bell |
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Flying Officer
185065
abt. 1921
21 March 1945
24
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, UK
Son of George Edwin and Hannah Eliza Bell,
of Hull. |
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Operation "Swinemünde", 16th April 1945, Lancaster NG228/KC-V:
Crashed at Okel, Germany.
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Taking off at 13:49 hrs. from Woodhall Spa carrying 12 x 1,000 lb. bombs on a mission to attack the pocket battleship, Lutzhow, which was moored in the Kiel Canal, using it's guns to attack the advancing Red Army. The first raids were aborted due to bad weather. On the final raid there was heavy flak over the target from the ship and shore batteries. The Lutzhow had a large hole blown in her below the water line and sank. The Lancaster was hit by flak and the port wing fell off causing the aircraft to spin, in flames, and crash into Karsibor woods near the target area.
One parachute was seen to open at 2,000 feet and Fl/Sgt. Felton's family were led to believe that some of the crew, including Will Knight had escaped, but apparently there were no survivors, although there had been a rumour that some had been shot. All the crew were buried on the 18th April in the Caseburg, Friedhof at Swinemunde. On March 2nd 1949, they were exhumed and re-interred in Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery. |
| John Leonard Powell |
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Squadron Leader (Pilot)
103039
Distinguished Flying Cross
abt. 1916
16 April 1945
29
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland
Son of David Albert Powell and
Elizabeth Powell, nee Francis,
of Rhos, Glamorgan. |
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| Henry William Felton |
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Flight Sergeant (Flight Engineer)
1809630
Distinguished Flying Medal
16 April 1945
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland
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| Michael Terence Clarke |
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Flight Lieutenant (Navigator)
151151
Distinguished Flying Cross
28 June 1922
16 April 1945
22
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland
Son of James Kilian Clarke and Evelyn Muriel Clarke,
of Farnham, Surrey. |
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| Alfred Laurence Heath |
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Flying Officer (Air Bomber)
148768
abt. 1911, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
16 April 1945
34
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland
Son of Walter Alfred Heath and
Madeline Heath, nee Woolman. |
| Kenneth Arthur John Hewitt |
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Pilot Officer (Wireless Op./Air Gunner)
188618
16 April 1945
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland
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| William Knight |
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Pilot Officer (Air Gunner)
195713
16 April 1945
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland
Son of Thomas and Edith Knight,
husband of Phyllis Mabel Knight,
of Croydon, Surrey. |
| James Watson |
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Flying Officer (Air Gunner)
174282
25 December 1921, Easter Lovat, Kirkhill, Inverness-shire
16 April 1945
24
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland
Son of James and Rebecca Watson,
of West Linton, Peebleshire. |
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