LEST WE FORGET
Air Operations: (No. 462 Squadron Halifax aircraft LL604), Germany, 9 October 1944
Date: 9-10 October 1944
Target: Bochum
Total Force: Dispatched – 435, Attacking – 404
RAAF Force: No. 460 Dispatched – 9, Attacking – 7; No. 466 Dispatched – 12, Attacking – 12
Tons of Bombs Dropped: 1,453
Total Aircraft Lost: 6
RAAF Aircraft Lost: No. 462 – 2
Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Over Europe 1944-1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1963 – Page 302
Halifax LL604 took off from RAF Driffield at 1740 hours on the night of 9 October 1944 to bomb Bochum, Germany.
The crew members of LL604 were:
Flying Officer William Stowell Black (411864) (Pilot) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 30 October 1945
Sergeant K Buckley (1534164) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner) Evaded capture
Pilot Officer Frank Land (428719) (Bomb Aimer) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 13 November 1945
Sergeant W S MacPherson (1590727) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer) Evaded capture
Flight Sergeant William John Marris (428535) (Navigator) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 26 November 1945
Flight Sergeant Cecil Bruce Palmer (426957) (Wireless Air Gunner) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 8 November 1945
Pilot Officer W S Shoemaker (87246) (RAF) (Rear Gunner) Evaded capture
In a 1945 report the then Flight Lieutenant Black stated “The aircraft was hit in the nose, navigator’s position and fuselage by flak. The bale out order was given on the intercom and acknowledged. The Call light was unserviceable. The Navigator, Bomb Aimer and WOP were injured but baled out. All were out before me including Shoemaker. I baled out at 10,000 feet. The aircraft was in control but burning inside and outside the fuselage. The aircraft crashed in Holland probably somewhere near Giesbeek. All the crew were accounted for and returned safe to the UK. I contacted the Dutch underground but was evidently seen before by Quislings and the Dutch said they had no alternative but to hand me over. Was taken to the Germans by police. Released by Russians on 22/4/45.”
The then Warrant Officer Marris reported “One or two bursts of flak hit the aircraft blowing out the nose and starting fires in the fuselage. Attempts by the Engineer and Mid Upper to put out the fire unsuccessful. Verbal bale out order given at 11,000 feet. All out successfully. Aircraft partially in control but burning fiercely about bomb bay. Aircraft crashed some 20/30 miles north of Arnhem. I was taken prisoner by German soldiers billeted in a farmhouse near where I landed. Released by Russians. Returned to UK 14/5/45.”
The No. 462 Squadron Operations Record Book records that “it was thought that both aircraft ‘J’ (MX604, Flight Sergeant Phillip Hedley Malcolm Levey (429588) (Navigator)) and ‘D’ (LL604) were shot down by enemy night fighters on the leg into the target as several were seen in this area.”
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll