LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Kenneth Frederick HEIDTMAN
Service No: 423729
Born: Forbes NSW, 14 December 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 18 July 1942
Unit: No. 460 Squadron, RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations: (No. 460 Squadron Lancaster aircraft PB125), France, 3 August 1944, Aged 22 years
Buried: St, Maclou-de-Folleville Churchyard, Seine-Maritime, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Charles Frederick and Lily Josephine Heidtman, of Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 107, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Hurstville War Memorial, Hurstville NSW
During July and August the Allies expended a very large air effort against the French sites, although at the same time they began a belated strategic bombardment of V-weapon industrial plants in Germany. The brunt of the task lay on Bomber Command which made 179 attacks in 53 days during the two months. The forces engaged on these missions varied from under 50 aircraft to over 400 according to the nature of the objective. This represented a huge total of well over 10,000 individual aircraft sorties and a rain of 43,666 tons of bombs against Noball targets. To this major contribution must be added 6,000 tons dropped by the American Eighth Air Force in 2,270 sorties and 419 tons dropped in 246 sorties by aircraft of Allied Expeditionary Air Force.
RAAF heavy-bomber squadrons took part in 36 operations against V-weapon targets during July and August 1944 Of 643 aircraft dispatched, 585 were successful in finding their allotted targets and dropped 2,961 tons of bombs in return for the moderate loss of 9 aircraft. Many more individual Australians flew with other squadrons on these and other raids in the series, but their experiences and degree of success were almost identical with those of the Article XV crews. Australian fighter pilots often assisted in escort duties during the daylight raid s which comprised about two-thirds of the total effort.
Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Over Europe 1944-1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1963 – Page 180
Lancaster PB125 took off from RAF Binbrook at 1138 hours on 3 August 1944 to bomb flying bomb storage at Trossy-St-Maximin, France. Bomb load 6 x 1000 lb (pound) (450 kg) and 4 x 500 lb (225 kg) bombs. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base. Twenty five aircraft from the squadron took part in the raid, and one PB125 failed to return. Post war it was established that the aircraft crashed at St Maclou de Folleville village, 6 kms east of Troyes and approximately 16 miles south of Dieppe, France.
The crew members of PB125 were:
Sergeant James Burke (1523987) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flying Officer Robert Clive Fidock (417296) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Kenneth Frederick Heidtman (423729) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant William Roy Hullett (427328) (Bomb Aimer)
Flight Sergeant Robert Hugh Jones (1464205) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Derek Cecil Stock (1626766) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant John Edward Trollope (1636341) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
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
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/17/691
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
Bibliography:
Firkins, P. C. (Peter Charles) (441386) Strike and Return, Westward Ho Publishing City Beach WA, 1985