LEST WE FORGET
Air Operations (No. 467 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ED360), Germany, 16 January 1943
Date: 16-17 January 1943
Target: Berlin
Total Force: Dispatched – 201, Attacking – 145
RAAF Force: No. 460 Dispatched – 6, Attacking – 6; No. 467 Dispatched – 10, Attacking – 8
Tons of Bombs Dropped: 367
Total Aircraft Lost: 1
RAAF Aircraft Lost: –
Although visibility was good during the first of these raids, the Path finder Force had difficulty in pin-pointing en route and near the target because deep snow lay everywhere softening outlines and obliterating expected landmarks. Two RAAF Lancasters were damaged by antiaircraft fire, but all reports agreed that enemy ground defences appeared to be weak at first with fire increasing towards the end of the raid.
Extracts from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Against Germany and Italy 1939-1943, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1954 – Pages 469, 470
Lancaster ED360 took off from RAF Bottesford at 1629 hours on the night of 16/17th January, one of nine aircraft from the Squadron detailed to bomb Berlin. ED360 successfully completed the mission and landed at 2354 hours. In his mission report the Captain Flight Lieutenant Thiele stated “Sortie completed. Numerous fires were seen. Owing to the Rear Gunner being unconscious we were unable to identify the target but dropped the load on to a built-up area. The opposition was moderate and not as hot as expected.
The crew members of ED360 were:
Sergeant Alvin John Broemeling (R/121094) (RCAF) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Bovis (RAF) (Navigator) Safe
Sergeant Everard (RAF) (Mid Upper Gunner) Safe
Sergeant Gillman (RAF) (Flight Engineer) Safe
Sergeant Metcalfe (RAF) (Bomb Aimer) Safe
Sergeant Sheekey (RAF) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner) Safe
Flight Lieutenant Thiele DFC (RNZAF) (Pilot) Safe
In was further reported in the No. 467 Squadron Operations Record Book “Broemeling evidently had trouble with his oxygen mask and had to use the spare one which didn’t apparently function properly. As a result nothing was heard from him and on investigation he was found to be unconscious. Flight Lieutenant Thiele with great courage dived the aircraft down to a low height in the hope of reviving Sergeant Broemeling and as this did not succeed he put George into action and personally carried him from the rear turret to the pilots seat, no mean feat in a Lancaster, and all the crew continuously applied artificial respiration but to no avail. On arrival at Base the aircraft was met by an ambulance and Medical Officer.
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