LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Morris James ROE
Service No: 425809
Born: Brisbane QLD, 16 November 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 27 April 1942
Unit: No. 463 Squadron, RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations: (No. 463 Squadron Lancaster aircraft LL790), North West Europe, 30 August 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Thomas J. and Elsie Winifred Roe, of Indooroopilly, Queensland. Australia.
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 257, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey
Remembered: Panel 109, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
The mining of the Stettin canal (on 16/17 August 1944) and the bombing of the city temporarily immobilised the port but it was realised that the Germans would take energetic steps to reopen this vital supply centre. Accordingly on 29th-30th August No. 460 contributed 24 to a force of 403 Lancasters with a predominantly incendiary load sent to burn out as much of Stettin as possible. Despite the loss of 23 aircraft the raid was successful and additional large areas of the town and dock area were damaged. Meanwhile No. 5 Group, which had hit the eastern sector of Konigsberg and laid mines in the port on 26th-27th August, again struck at this target on 29th-30th. As at Stettin the same night the bombing was successful but enemy defences, in particular fighters, were active, and 5 out of 39 aircraft from Nos. 463 and 467 failed to return.
Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Over Europe 1944-1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1963 – Page 296
Lancaster LL790 took off from RAF Waddington at 2023 hours on the night of 29/30th August 1944 to bomb Konigsberg. Bomb load 1 x 2000lb bomb, 12 x 500 ‘J’ clusters. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base. Twenty aircraft from the Squadron took part in the raid and two of these including LL790 failed to return. Post war searches and enquiries found no trace of the missing aircraft or crew.
The crew members of LL790 were:
Sergeant Kenneth Charles Butcher (3030346) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Terence Patrick Byrne (1338284) (RAFVR) (Bomb Aimer)
Flight Sergeant Albert Edward Fox (184123) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Walter Maxwell Hill (1605753) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Lieutenant Kenneth Marcus Denbigh Lyons DFM (404752) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Morris James Roe (425809) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Terence Russell Ryan (424923) (Mid Upper Gunner)
No. 463 Squadron lost Lancaster aircraft PD258 (Warrant Officer Noel Charles Barrett (409364) (Navigator)) on 30 August 1944.
No. 467 Squadron lost Lancaster LM583 (Flying Officer David John Sandell (423334) (Pilot)) on 30 August 1944.
No. 467 Squadron lost Lancaster LM267 (Flight Sergeant Maurice John Mahar (417590) (Air Gunner)) on 30 August 1944.
No. 467 Squadron lost Lancaster LM237 (Flight Lieutenant Dennis Boden Tattersall (117655) (RAFVR) (Pilot)).
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, 166/36/347