LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Alwyn Terence TILL
Service No: 410756
Born: Ringwood VIC, 9 May 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 31 January 1942
Unit: No. 635 Squadron (RAF), RAF Downham Market, Norfolk
Died: Ground Battle (after the loss of No. 635 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ND694 on 13 August 1944): France, 21 August 1944, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Hotton War Cemetery, Hotton, Luxembourg, Belgium
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Sydney Norman and Evelyn Victoria Till, of Mitcham, Victoria, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Mitcham VIC
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
The force assembled for the first raid on Russelsheim on 12th-13th August was composed of 287 Halifaxes and Lancasters drawn from five separate groups, the Australian contribution being 17 Lancasters from No. 463, 17 from No. 467 and 22 aircraft with RAAF captains spread among the other squadrons. There was little cloud and the main bomber stream arrived to find that ground markers had been laid on time by the pathfinders and were both plentiful and well grouped. Moderate heavy ground defences could not spoil the rhythm of attack and German fighters appeared in force only towards the end of the operation, being particularly persistent in their attacks as the gaggle of bombers streamed homewards. Despite these favourable bombing conditions only a dispersed attack developed, although some heavy explosions were reported and many fires seen.
Australian crews gave very conflicting reports at their debriefing. Some thought that bombing was concentrated, others believed it was scattered; many stated that fires were of no great magnitude, but some said that they covered the whole area. Subsequent photographs showed that there was damage only in the south-west area of the huge works and was confined mainly to storage, loading and dispatch sections; residential property to the south-east of the factory had suffered considerably and there was evidence of fires in the surrounding woods. The bomb-load expended had been some 510 tons of high explosive and 450 tons of incendiary bombs, so that as a whole the raid could not be described as having achieved great success. For this moderate result Bomber Command lost 20 aircraft including one from No. 467 and 3 piloted by Australians of Nos. 50, 102 and 622 Squadrons.
Extract from Herington, J. (John) Air War Over Europe 1944-1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1963 – Page 183
On the night of 12/13th August 1944 Lancaster ND694 took off from RAF Downham Market, Norfolk, at 2142 hours detailed to bomb Russelsheim, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed at Werbomont (Liege), 18 kms west south west of Stavelot., Belgium. Six of the crew members were killed and one evaded capture.
The crew members of ND694 were:
Flight Lieutenant George Simpson Henderson (127350) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Francis Reginald Holledge (1318586) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Flight Sergeant John Hubert Morgan (1852381) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Warrant Officer Richard Pedrazzini (1375587) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Warrant Officer Alwyn Terence Till (410756) (Air Bomber) Evaded capture: Killed on Ground Operations: 21 August 1944
Flight Sergeant John Henry Charles Ross (1334400) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Angus Vass Urquart (1815458) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
According to information received from Flying Officer Ezra (RAF), Till was the only survivor of his crew, he had evaded capture for 4/5 days when he was picked up by the Marquis with whom Ezra had already identified himself. Soon after his arrival Till volunteered to take part in a sabotage expedition with Flying Officer Ezra and nine members of the underground movement. The expedition was surprised by the Germans and all except Till retreated. Till stayed to fight it out and according to information from the Marquis was killed by the Germans in the fight. His body was handed over to the nuns in Dinant for burial.
The aircraft lost identified in Herington’s extract were No. 467 Squadron Lancaster aircraft PD230 (Flying Officer Rodney James Mellowship (417870) (Pilot)), No. 50 Squadron Lancaster NE135 (Flying Officer Douglas Leslie Haynes (422517) (Pilot)), No. 102 Squadron Halifax MZ647 (Flight Lieutenant Philip Edward Young (422825) (Pilot)) and No. 622 Squadron Lancaster PD230 (Flying Officer John Harold Busby (418798) (Pilot)).
In addition, RAAF members were lost in No. 514 Squadron Lancaster LM215 (Pilot Officer Henry Frederick Roome (434016) (Second Pilot)) and No. 578 Squadron Halifax LM393 (Pilot Officer Owen Scott MacPhillamy MID (423850) (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, 166/39/336