LEST WE FORGET
Air Operations (No. 462 Squadron Halifax aircraft RG384), France, 13 March 1945
Halifax RG384 took off from RAF Foulsham at 1802 hours on the night of 13/14th March 1945 to carry out a windows, Target Indicators and incendiary raid in the Frankfurt area, Germany. Eleven aircraft from the Squadron took part in the raid and RG384 crash landed at Juvincourt airfield at 2230 hours on 13/3/45. RG384 had successfully carried out the mission but during the sortie the starboard wing and engines were damaged by flak. The Flight Engineer was killed and the Navigator and WAG wounded.
The crew members of RG384:
Sergeant H E Casterton (1684825) (RAFVR) (Special Duties (WOP))
Flight Sergeant Kevin John Dennis CGM (437121) (Wireless Operator Air) Wounded, Discharged from the RAAF: 7 June 1946
Flight Sergeant John Bede Harrington (433510) (Bomb Aimer) Discharged from the RAAF: 17 January 1946
Flight Sergeant Laurence George Hymus (441320) (Mid Upper Gunner) Discharged from the RAAF: 18 June 1946
Pilot Officer Thomas Ian Paltridge (429991) (Pilot) Discharged from the RAAF: 20 March 1946
Flight Lieutenant Kevin Joseph Shanahan (414732) (Navigator) Wounded, Discharged from the RAAF: 15 January 1946
Flight Sergeant John Samuel Stevens (439918) (Rear Gunner) Discharged from the RAAF: 14 May 1946
Sergeant Charles Gallagher Welsh (1837071) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Welsh is buried in the Clichy Northern Cemetery, France.
On 24 May 1945 HM the King approved the immediate award of the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal to Warrant Officer Dennis. The Citation reads as follows: “Warrant Officer Dennis was the Wireless Operator in a heavy bomber detailed to attack Frankfurt on the night of 13 March 1945. Shortly after leaving the target, the aircraft was hit and damaged by flak, killing another member of the crew and wounding Warrant Officer Dennis. Although most of one foot was severed and his other leg also wounded, the WOP refused to leave his set until the aircraft landed. He was bleeding profusely and even with first aid applied the bleeding could not be stopped. He carried on with his duties, and correctly received all messages passed to the aircraft, obtaining a weather report from a diversionary airfield in France to which the aircraft was being flown. The courage displayed by Warrant Officer Dennis was of the highest order when he must have been experiencing extreme agony.”
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll