LEST WE FORGET
Air Operations: (No. 467 Squadron Lancaster aircraft NG197), Germany, 1 February 1945
No. 5 Group’s first contribution to the new campaign against enemy communications was a raid on 1st-2nd February by 271 Lancasters against the town and marshalling yards at Siegen, another new target to the east of Cologne. As was increasingly its practice, the group used its own pathfinders and its own raid-control techniques, but, as other forces at Ludwigshaven and Mainz found the same night, low unbroken cloud spoilt bombing conditions. Twenty-two crews of No. 467 and 19 of No. 463 aimed at sky markers which rapidly became merged with the glare of incendiaries.
It soon became apparent that fires were spread over a wide area but the bombing could only be reported as scattered and unlikely to be fully effective. Each RAAF squadron lost one aircraft on this raid, No. 467 losing a particularly valuable crew including Squadron Leader D. O. Sands, its “A” Flight commander and navigation expert, as well as Flight Lieutenant Ellis, its squadron gunnery leader; both became prisoners.
Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Over Europe 1944-1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1963 – Page 412
Lancaster NG197 took off from RAF Waddington at 1557 hours on 1st February 1945 to bomb marshalling yards and town of Siegen, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base. Twenty two aircraft from the Squadron took part in the raid and of these NG197 failed to return.
The crew members of NG197 were:
Flying Officer R N Brown (1729869) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner) PoW
Flying Officer Roy William George Eagle (432138) (Second Pilot) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 25 October 1945
Flight Lieutenant Elias Charles Ellis (418931) (Rear Gunner) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 3 December 1945
Flight Lieutenant James Keith Livingstone DFC (155465) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flying Officer William Dominic McMahon (412818) (Bomb Aimer) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 22 October 1945
Flying Officer E G Parsons (53553) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer) PoW
Pilot Officer J Prendergast (182270) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air) PoW
Squadron Leader D O Sands (102110) (RAFVR) (Navigator) PoW
In a later report Flying Officer Eagle said “Just after leaving target starboard wing peppered by small explosions and larger one in the SI engine which immediately burst into flames. Order put on chutes acknowledged by all. Fire drill carried out but unsuccessful. Navigator gave us distance from the front and we were told to jump. Before I left the B/A, Engineer, Rear Gunner, WOP had left. Pilot, Navigator and Mid Upper in plane when I left. Seen Navigator and Mid Upper in PoW camp since. We were approx 6/7000 feet and Aircraft in control. Nobody was injured. Aircraft crashed near Moscheim. Whole crew landed safely and in PoW camps except Pilot.”
Flying Officer McMahon reported “Hit by cannon shells in starboard wing and set gas on fire. All signals from Captain to abandon recd and acknowledged. Baled out at 8000 feet. Aircraft flying straight and level but burning fiercely. Crashed about 20 miles from Bonn near River Rhine. All OK except Pilot. Captured and interned 3.5 months.”
Flight Lieutenant Ellis the Squadron Gunnery Leader reported “After bombing returning at 8,000 feet. One 1000 lb (pound) (450 kg) bomb hung up which attempted to jettison. Hit by fighter starting fire in starboard inner motor and wing. Abandon order given. I followed WOP and Mid Upper out escape door. Aircraft under control flying straight and level but dived and turned to starboard. Crashed in flames east of Bonn and Koblenz. Hid in railway truck but found by footprints in snow. Released on 29 April by US Army.”
No. 463 Squadron lost Lancaster NG275 (Pilot Officer Robert Owen Bailey (424578) (Navigator)) on 1 February 1945.
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